Tim Kaine

They have got an off-ramp. There is a way that we can work this peacefully, diplomatically that we presented to them time and time again, and they have chosen not to take us up on it.

I believe that there will come a day when things will likely change. I do not think that North Korea has forever to make the strategic choice to go in a different direction that will involve reaching out to the rest of the world and…

People grow to tolerate all over the world sadly and live under dictatorships, but they start to get restive under hereditary dictatorships.

I am convinced, when the pounds per square inch of pressure builds up enough, they may see the light and decide, well, maybe we ought to take door No. 1.

What is the right way to change the calculus with North Korea vis-a-vis the nuclear program?

Just that the stakes are very high. The stakes are very high on this one.

Let me just say in conclusion that there were 53 votes, I think, in this body at the end of February in the Senate to not allow the sequester to go into effect.

There were 50 votes to pass the Senate budget that did pass on March 23 that would have dramatically changed the sequester and made the cuts targeted rather than across-the-board.

If we don't find that solution that is assumed in the budget that the President has submitted, what will be the long-term effect on the costs and scheduling on the shipbuilding side?

The challenges of the future require flexible force more than a fixed force.

I think we have to be consistent in our message.

Efforts that we would undertake to assure that the character of the opposition included members of the Alawite minority so that Alawites would not fear an ethnic purge in the aftermath of a conflict, that would make our decision easier.

It is important to acknowledge there was an alternative.

Can we trust them? Will the weapons end up in the wrong place?

I agree with what Senator Sessions said earlier. It was a horrible idea.

If they believe that the only outcome of this is likely going to be whether they survive or whether they are purged as that community, then this will be a fight to death whether we offer lethal aid or not.

To make a sixth of the budget, defense, take 50 percent of the cuts, that was foolish.

My concern about Syria right now is this, that it looks more and more sectarian, that Assad is an Alawite and with a military that is--about 70 percent of the military leadership is Alawite.

It's a friendship, but it needs an awful lot of work.

I think it is important. Many of us were very pleased when we did the defense appropriations bill to carry forward through year end to replace the CR.

This is a very important partnership and all the testimony I would have a strong accord with.

A concern by some in the hemisphere as they see an upscale of activity from China, maybe somewhat of an upscale from Russia, an upscale of activity from Iran, a sense that we are pulling back.

The five or six now is significantly jeopardized by sequester. It would drop it down to zero or one potentially?

Colombia is getting to be a stronger and stronger partner every day.

I just don't believe we can afford to send the message that we're pulling back, and that's important testimony.