The Department does not have a clear picture of Shia militia recruiting and the impact of Shia militia recruiting on the ability of the Iraqi Government to recruit Iraqis for the Iraqi Security Force.

The United States will not take any action inconsistent with our obligations under the INF Treaty as long as those obligations remain in force.

We will not allow the Russian Federation to gain a significant military advantage through its violation of an arms control treaty.

I do not believe that expanding the use of Iraqi Kurdistan as a base of operations is necessary at this time to defeat the Islamic State and check malign Iranian influence in the region.

I've told Iraqi leaders that while the United States is open to supporting Iraq more than we already are, we must see a greater commitment from all parts of the Iraqi Government.

we are trying to stick up for the principle that Iraq is a single, unitary, multi-sectarian state.

France, the UK, and Germany's decision to expand their counter-ISIL operations will significantly enhance the Coalition's efforts.

Ramadi needs to be retaken, and the way to do it is to have a force under the competent command and control of Iraqi Security Forces commanders.

In order to have what you're correctly identifying as the end state that will keep the peace in the long run, there has to be, first of all, in Syria, a political transition from Assad to a government that includes some of the opposition.

Our approach has been... to try to find a political exit for Bashar Assad rather than a United States-led military exit.

I will note here--and there--this is uneven across Europe, but, in general, I am quite concerned with the level of investment that Europe is making in its militaries.

Allowing sequestration to return would deprive U.S. forces of what they need to accomplish their missions around the world.