Hillary Clinton

There seems to be a new awareness that this is not just America's fight, and I'm very encouraged by that.

We think that's a likely outcome in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, that we will be there with a long-term commitment.

I think that they certainly understand that having an unstable, destabilizing Afghanistan that offers launching grounds and training for those who threaten them is not in their interests.

We have to figure out how to manage risk without being overly adverse to risk.

We know that some of the Taliban will not renounce al Qaeda; they are too closely interconnected.

I do not believe we have locked ourselves into leaving, but what we have done--and I think it was an appropriate position for the President to take--is to signal very clearly, to all audiences, that the United States is not interested in…

If we work with [Karzai] in a more effective manner, we will get a better outcome from him.

The unity of support that the people of Pakistan are showing for this effort is profoundly significant.

We have been trying to not only get a handle on the contracts, but trying to persuade contractors to employ more Afghans.

At its core, our strategy is about providing breathing space for the Afghans to secure their own people and to stabilize their own country.

This is the best way to protect our Nation now and in the future.

Secretary Gates has been one of the best advocates that DOS and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have for increasing our funding, our personnel, our flexibility and agility.

That is very much along the lines of the kind of partnering and transition that we think is realistic.

The President's made a decision. There is no division. There is absolute unity and a commitment to carrying out the mission.

I support fully and without hesitation the President's decision, and I appreciated the opportunity to contribute to what I believe was a healthy and productive discussion.

I feel a personal responsibility to help protect our Nation from such violence.

The Afghan leadership and the people of Afghanistan are ready for an approach that makes them more accountable, responsible, and a true partner.

Simply put, among a range of difficult choices, this is the best way to protect our Nation now and in the future.

I believe the time we took was well worth it.

The extremists we are fighting in Afghanistan and Pakistan have attacked us and our allies before.

Allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July 2011. We will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground.

I think a failed state that is totally lawless, that is a safe haven for terrorists, particularly the syndicate of terrorism headed by al Qaeda, poses a direct threat to the security of the United States of America.

Ultimately, it's up to the Afghans to end corruption, and we have an expectation of that.

If we allow them access to the very same safe havens they used before 2001, they will have a greater capacity to regroup and attack again.

As President Obama stated in his December 1 speech at West Point, our overarching goal is to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.