Jack Reed

It provides a visible presence of the United States in the littorals.

I think the Europeans will stay with us in Afghanistan.

I support the triad. I continue to support the triad.

I think we will reach a point that we must have a replacement and I believe we understand where that point is.

But today you feel confident you could protect the continent of the United States from an attack.

The cost to that company would be many times the cost of preemptive action today.

We have to focus not only on technical and tactical training, but more on values and the professionalism that is required of a military in a democratic society.

Can you give us a sense in open session of your take on that particular issue?

As GIRoA increasingly exerts sovereignty, I anticipate there may be additional areas that limit or constrain our forces.

I believe that there will be some very real consequences in what our brethren at State are able to deliver.

I think, poses a continuing destabilizing effect across the region.

There is a multifaceted approach for the U.S. Government.

The only item under consideration is the operational techniques those forces can use, ensuring they have the suitable operational flexibility to accomplish our mission, while respecting the sovereignty of Afghanistan and minimizing…

Part of our reaction would be to plan for that contingency explicitly?

Is that still central to your plan? Is that something that's still viable?

The collapse of the Assad regime, sir, would be the biggest strategic setback for Iran in 25 years.

Senator, we're going to have to watch how the Afghan forces mature.

Clearly, it would be something best accomplished with a regional leader, regional organization.

The larger issue here is, to the extent-- implicit in your plans for a phasedown of American forces, I always assumed was a robust special operations capacity that could operate throughout the country.

Let me first commend you and Ranking Member Senator Crapo on the serious, thoughtful, and collaborative way you are approaching a very challenging issue.

Without FHA being there, you know, we would have been in a world of hurt.

From afar, it looks like their policies of austerity have not helped them grow at all, in fact, have complicated their economic situation.

If we could in the short run have a complementary policy, that would also add jobs rather than subtract them in the short run

The fiscal policy decisions being made are mismatched with the timing of the problem

Monetary policy is no panacea, is no cure all, and we do not have the ability--we can all disagree on how powerful these measures are