Adam Smith

It is an international outrage that should be condemned by all nations.

The situation in Syria is critical and requires our immediate attention.

North Korea's decision to launch a ballistic missile violates the moratorium agreement announced on February 29, 2012.

The President has been clear that he is prepared to engage constructively with North Korea.

The readiness and posture of U.S. troops on the peninsula are key to stopping a dangerous regime from destabilizing the region with unwarranted attacks.

This is typical behavior shown by the regime--a cycle of provocations and reconciliations designed to get what they want without giving up their nuclear weapons program.

This puts our 28,000 troops and the 24 million citizens of Seoul, the world's fourth largest city, easily within the erratic regime's lethal reach.

I look forward to your testimony, particularly in talking about the proposed missile launch that North Korea is talking about doing in mid-April.

North Korea is about as unpredictable and dangerous actor as we have to deal with in the world today.

South Korea is an absolutely critical ally and partner in many ways.

I concur completely in your opening remarks about the importance of the region, the importance of our alliance with South Korea, and the danger and the threat that North Korea poses to security in that region and, indeed, security in the…

If there is one demonstrable historical truth, it is that foreign forces in Afghanistan are destabilizing over time.

It is my belief that it is time to lean forward on transitioning the responsibility for security to the Afghan National Security Forces and the Afghan government.

Being in a better position in Afghanistan is still finding yourself in a very difficult spot.

I look forward to your testimony and insights into the challenges and way forward in Afghanistan.

We have to transition to Afghan sovereignty as quickly as we responsibly can.

If we don't want that and we want to succeed in the mission... well, then how do we do that?

Nobody on this committee, nobody in this country wants a permanent presence in Afghanistan.

We want our troops home. We want the Afghan people back in charge of their own security, back in charge of their own government.

I think this hearing today is extremely timely, with the American people needing to hear from you on what is really going on over there on the ground.

I have total confidence in you and your command. The challenge in Afghanistan continues to be great.

These decisions by the President have made it increasingly difficult to build up trust and confidence with the Afghan institutions.

I remain very concerned about the President's decision last summer to speed up withdrawal of the surge troops from Afghanistan.

We have made significant progress in achieving our goal in Afghanistan to 'disrupt, dismantle, and eventually defeat Al Qaeda and to prevent its return to either Afghanistan or Pakistan.'

I am confident that those objectives, which GEN Allen has outlined in his campaign strategy for SOF, can be accomplished even in the face of GPF reductions.