Kerry Warns Against Condemning Pakistan

Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) warns the Senate Foreign Relations Committee against condemning Pakistan for its lack of commitment in fighting extremism, citing its many sacrifices.

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Taliban Will Only Negotiate If Their Organization Is Disrupted, Says Expert

Security Expert and non-resident senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security Dr. David Kilcullen says the United States will have to disrupt the Taliban organization before steps are taken towards reintegration. (0:20)

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Afghan Withdrawal Date Helps Insurgents, Says Expert

Former Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker says the effectiveness of the August 2011 deadline set for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is questionable and may affect the attitudes of many insurgents. (:42)

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Do Not Overhype Afghan War Document Leaks, Says Kerry

Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry (D-Mass.) says it is important not to “overhype” the 90,000 leaked Afghanistan war documents and questioned some comparing the leaks to the Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War. (0:43)

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Kerry Supports McChrystal's Recommendation For Strategy Change In Afghanistan

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) says Gen. Stanley McChrystal's recommendation for a change of strategy in Afghanistan "hit the nail on the head." (0:17)
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Kerry: Deploying Additional Troops Alone Won't Result In Sustainable Gains

Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) states that deploying additional troops in Afghanistan will not result in sustainable gains without security, civilian and governance capacity. (0:19)
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Ambition And Resources Have Been An "Overstretched Fabric" In Afghanistan, Says Expert

President of the New America Foundation Steve Coll testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday and said that the lack of resources and soldiers in Afghanistan when the U.S. entered led to the “crisis that now confronts the Obama administration.” (0:50)
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Feingold: U.S. Must Remain Engaged With Afghan Population

At a hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) said, "the U.S. must remain engaged in helping the Afghan people resolve the many difficult issues facing their country." (0:12)
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Ambassador Says U.S. Needs to Watch Iraq In Coming Months

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said during his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that while U.S. troops are slated to slowly leave Iraq, the U.S. still needs to maintain effective relations with the country. (0:36)
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Iraqi Troops Can Handle Security Says Maliki

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki assures the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that U.S. troops are no longer needed in Iraq. “Iraqi troops were able to maintain security and law and order, and this is a result of joint efforts,” he says. (0:30)
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Mullen: Reestabling a Relationship with Afghanistan and Pakistan

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen said in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Thursday that the U.S. has a tough road ahead in reestablishing its relationship with Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also explains the need for patience in doing so. (3:24)
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Hillary Clinton will pursue women's rights as Secretary of State

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), President Elect Obama's Secretary of State nominee, stated during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she will use her role as Secretary of State to defend the rights of women (0:42).
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Agreement will not establish permanent bases, Ambassador Satterfield says

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Negotiating a Long Term Relationship with Iraq," Ambassador David Satterfield says the framework [of the agreement] will not include a binding agreement to defend Iraq, establish permanent bases, or specify the number of American troops to be stationed there. (0:25)
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Ambassador Satterfield says we owe it to our troops to obtain them protection

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Negotiating a Long Term Relationship with Iraq," Ambassador David Satterfield says the status of forces agreement will set the basic parameters for the US presence in Iraq, and the protections necessary for our troops to operate effectively. The provisions are vital, he says, and we owe it to our troops to obtain for them the protections they enjoy elsewhere in the world. (0:22)
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Deliberations should be transparent, Senator Lugar says

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Negotiating a Long Term Relationship with Iraq," Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) says that they know Iraq presents and "extraordinarily complex environment" for U.S. troops. Future scenarios include things related to ethnic strife, competing militias, internal territorial disputes, terrorist attacks, foreign incursions, or even coup attempts. The legal issues, he says, are not a reason to avoid talks with the Iraqis, but it's essential that the Administration be fully transparent about their intentions and deliberations. (0:36)
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Dawn's Opinion: Senator Obama is making me scratch my head in confusion

After sitting here for an hour deciphering what Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I think I am more confused. I was desperately searching for the reference by Obama about talking to Iran, and finally found it. It is very difficult to figure out what Obama was even talking about. While I was listening to him in person, it was as if he were just saying stuff off of a list that someone told him he had to say. The topics he was randomly throwing in there, which no one else had brought up, were so confusing even General Petraeus didn't know how to answer his question. Obama attempted to rephrase the question, and then gave up and just gave a miniature speech.

The way Obama spoke is so roundabout, and such a mess, that I think I have an ulcer just from trying to figure out what on earth he said. If this entire piece had been said by someone other than Obama, a presidential candidate, I would not have used one single quote because the entire thing almost makes him sound like he doesn't have a clue what he is talking about. Although I am sure he most certainly does know what he is talking about, the multitudes of "um, uh, and er" in his speech, along with completely unclear questions for witnesses before the Senate, made it appear otherwise.
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Senator Obama says we should be talking to Iran

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Iraq After the Surge: What Next?" Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) says he thinks the surge has reduced violence and given breathing room, but that breathing room has not been taken the way they would all like it to be taken. The political situation is complicated there, and we have to work vigorously to resolve it. In your own words Ambassador [Ryan Crocker], Obama says, if we increase pressure in a measured way, that, in my mind, includes a timetable for withdrawal. It has to be a diplomatic surge that includes Iran, because if Maliki can tolerate normal neighbor to neighbor relations in Iran, then we should be talking to them as well because I don't believe we are going to be able to stabilize the situation without them. (:28)
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Senator Obama says a messy sloppy status quo is an achievable goal

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Iraq After the Surge: What Next?" Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) says he's not suggesting that we yank out our troops all the way, but the problem that he has is that the definition of success is so high with no traces of al-Qaida, no possibility of reconstitution, a highly effective Iraqi government, a functioning democracy, no Iranian influence (the kind we don't like), and so that gives the possibility of us staying for twenty or thirty years. If our criteria is a messy, sloppy status quo but there is not a huge outbreak of violence, and its not a threat to its neighbors, that is an achievable goal within a measurable time frame, and that is what I think the committee is trying to get to. (1:10)
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General Petraeus says we have our teeth in their jugular

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Iraq After the Surge: What Next?" General David Petraeus says if the progress [in Iraq] revolves around al-Qaida regaining lost ground and gaining influence and using that as a base to spread further, [questioned by Senator Richard Lugar, (R-IN)] we will stay after them tenaciously and stay after them every day. We've got the forces we need, I believe, and we've got our teeth into their jugular and we need to keep it there. (:41)
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Ambassador Crocker says the gains in Iraq are fragile

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Iraq After the Surge: What Next?" Ambassador Ryan Crocker says everything in Iraq is hard, and it will continue to be hard. But hard does not mean hopeless, he says, and the progress is significant. The gains are fragile and they are reversible. (:24)
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