Reports do not constitute pressure by themselves.

So, when you ask who's to blame, in terms of the reductions in the personnel in acquisition, we have the share of our responsibility.

The question is how do we succeed so you can come home.

Yes. As Secretary Gates has said, it is a continuing effort to get our NATO allies to increase their contributions to coalition efforts in Afghanistan.

Who will have operational and tactical control of the nine Iraqi brigades themselves?

The failure of the Iraqi politicians to reach a political settlement that is the cause of the continuing blood shed.

In Afghanistan, I believe that we have the right strategy for long-term success, but we need to improve our execution.

General, will U.S. forces have unfettered access and complete freedom of action in all neighborhoods, without Iraqi political interference?

No, I believe Pakistan can and should do more to eliminate safe havens for terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan.

I have been a critic going in, I have been a critic of the way this thing has been run, but, folks, you have the support of every Member of Congress.

On a scale of A to F, what grade would you give the Maliki government?

Thank you very much, Senator Nelson.

I wish that this was not just on C-SPAN 3, but on evening television, for the American people to see more broadly, because I do think, while your testimony is before this committee, you have answered today for members of the committee a…

It appears to be a positive step toward denuclearization of the peninsula, and that would lead to stability and peace.

Can we have a functioning democracy in Iraq without political leaders in Iraq making the compromises that they need to make?

So the question that I think they would ask you: Is it worth it to now send 21,000 more troops? Is it possible to succeed?

I am very doubtful as one Senator that it is likely they are going to carry out the other commitments that they have made.

The question is how best do we do that.

The course that we have been on is a course towards failure.

Iraq's parliament in recent months has been at a standstill, with nearly every session since November adjourned.

I would like the president to tell the Iraqi leaders that we are going to begin a phased redeployment of our troops from Iraq in four to six months.

This is not a precipitous proposal. It's something which would allow for planning.

We are bloody impatient. And the problem is Iraqis' political leadership.

It's not as though chaos will result if we leave; it's that chaos is there right now.

Your acknowledgment that we're not winning in Iraq, frankly, is a necessary, refreshing breath of reality that is so needed.