Robert C. Byrd: “Well, I have to tell you, Mr. Secretary, this seems to me to be an abuse, a serious abuse, of supplemental…”

Doesn't this send a signal to the Iraqi people and to the American people that the United States intends to have a large permanent presence there?

In closing, may I say that the President's request includes $658 million for construction of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

My top priority will be to learn what challenges the DOD IG office needs to address and to ensure the adequacy of resources required to accomplish its mission.

I hope that wherever you can share your views, you will, because it's pretty easy in history to see this.