"We should not distance ourselves from a country that looms so large in our own strategic calculations."
"In the aftermath of the death of Osama bin Laden, I have read at least two scholars indicating that although there do not appear to be many al-Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan and the movement's member..."
"What is helpful is identifying the most appropriate projects and then following through, not changing midcourse."
"Even before the discovery of bin Laden's compound, our relationship with Pakistan had suffered strains."
"Therefore, it's conceivable that, if we had people who were skilled in antiterrorism on the ground, we would be able to--hopefully, with good intelligence--ferret out those who might be contemplating ..."
"We are spending enormous resources in a single country."
"We support a political solution led by Afghans."
"I am hopeful that these hearings will bring greater focus to the mission and strategy in Afghanistan."
"These hearings are especially timely, as you pointed out, given the killing of Osama bin Laden."
"President Obama must be forthcoming on a definition of success in Afghanistan based on United States vital interests."
"There is no military victory to be had in Afghanistan."