"There is no way--the ISIL threat, it is like air in a balloon."
"the Iraqi leaders could not get it through their Parliament."
"We couldn't solve the Iraqi political problems for them when we had 170,000 troops."
"we have invested incredible amounts of blood and treasure."
"of course we are invested in making sure that it continues as a viable state and doesn't become a breeding ground for terrorists."
"I think that things may have been different, but I don't know that we wouldn't be in a similar situation to where we are today."
"I think that it is critical that we have a thoughtful regional approach to this problem before we jump in."
"It is the political piece and that is critical."
"I believe so."
"the threat from ISIL that that poses to us, to our allies, to our partners, and the importance that puts on pushing back on them."
"I agree that the sectarian violence that had been raging in Iraq at the height of the war was significantly diminished, significantly, by the time that we departed."
"I do think that the idea that if we had negotiated a follow-on settlement with the Iraqis and had a SOFA and a remaining force, the idea that that force would be able to prevent what is going on is--I..."