I keep coming back to the necessity for staying true to our principles, staying close to our allies, working hard with our partners, in particular China given their relationship, highlighting the human rights depredations in North Korea.

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.

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.

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

I think we need to be mindful of this because we are competing for the best and brightest talent.

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.

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 need for us to provide some certainty so that you can do the best with the resources you have.

It is important to acknowledge there was an alternative.

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

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

I think we have to be consistent in our message.

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

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.

Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate hearing that status report.

I think by singling out the civilian workforce for furloughs we've done a grave injustice.

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

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?

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

Perhaps the greatest risk to U.S. interests in this area is the perceived lack of U.S. commitment, particularly with regard to what happens in Afghanistan, Middle East peace, Syria.

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.

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

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

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.