captioning performed by vitac >> you sayer with your forbearers a fundamental role of the laws and decisions of your own age. parliament has survived as an unshakeable cornerstone of our constitution and our way of life. history links monarchs and parliament, a connecting thread from one period to the next. so era when the regular worthy rhythm of life is less eye catching than doing something extraordinary, i'm reassured that i am merely the second sovereign to celebrate a diamond jubilee. as today, it is my privilege to

address you during my silver and golden jubilees. many of you were present ten years ago and some of you will recall the occasion in 1977. since my accession, i have been a regular visitor to the palace of westminster and at the large count have had the pleasurable duty of treating with 12 prime ministers. [ applause ] over such a period one can observe the experience of venerable old age can be a mighty guide but not a prerequisite for success in public office. i am, therefore, very pleased to be addressing many younger

parliamentarians and also those bringing such a wide range of background and experience to your vital national work. during these years as your queen, the support of my family has across the generations been beyond measure. prince phillip is, i believe, well known for declining compliments of any kind. [ laughter ] but throughout he has been a constant strength and guide. he and i are very proud and grateful that the prince of wales and other members of our family are traveling on my behalf in this diamond jubilee year to visit all the commonwealth realm and a number of commonwealth countries. these tour are a reminder of our

close reminder of the commonwealths, encompassing about one third of the world's association. the most important contact between nations is usually contact between its peoples. an organization dedicated to certain values, the commonwealth has flourished and grown by successfully promoting and protecting that contact. at home prince phillip and i will be visiting towns and cities up and down the land. it is my sincere hope that the diamond jubilee will be an opportunity for people to come together in the spirit of neighborliness and celebration of their own communities. we also hope to celebrate the professional and voluntary service given by millions of people across the country who are working for the public good.

they are a source of vital support to the welfare and well being of others, often unseen or overlooked. and as we reflect upon public service, let us again be mindful of the remarkable sacrifice and courage of our armed forces. much may indeed have changed these past 60 years, but the valor of those who risk their lives for the defense and freedom of us all remains undimmed. the happy relationship i have enjoyed with parliament has extended well beyond the more than three and a half thousand bills have i signed into law. [ laughter ] i'm, therefore, very touched by the magnificent gift before me,

generously subscribed by many of you. should this b window cause just a little color to shine down upon this entry place, i shall gladly settle for that. we are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it. i have been privileged to witness some of that history and with the support of my family rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come. [ applause ]

the prime minister lead as standing ovation for her majesty in westminster hall. the lord speak are joining in and the speaker of the commons john bercow, too. her majesty acknowledging the applause. and what happens now is that the two speakers will approach the thrown again and the queen will present them with a copy of the royal response to their royal address today. the two speakers take their place for the national anthem.

her majesty once again acknowledges the applause. the queen just taking in the prolonged display of affection and loyalty here at westminster hall.

♪ ♪ [ playing "my country tis of thee ] >> lord chamberlain steps forward to excourt her imagine city into st. stevens hall, which is just up to the left. and the queen is going to meet some members of parliamentary staff and thank them for their

work and service. so the queen there referring i think to the great window and then mr. bercow explaining that the knee window will be insolid on the north side. the queen of course very familiar with the south window with her father's coat of arms displayed very prominently in it. into st. stevens hall. this is the main area that leads up to the central lobby of the houses of parliament, steven's hall standing on the side of the royal chapel of st. stevens. this is where the house of commons sat until the chapel was destroyed in the great fire of 1834. back in westminster hall now

that the queen has left, we have the speaker staff uncovering and retrieving the nas and the saming on the long side. these very familiar symbols of royal authority. the two champion bears can't says and do business without the presence of those maces. there was a little bit of adjustment today because of the queen's presence. the queen now making her way into the lobby where she will meet some of the staff in the central lobby there. many of them working in the kitchen department, some working in the offices. a cross-section of staff who will be thanked by her majesty for their work with the palace. so as we enjoy the images of westminster hall, let's stay

with them because we are see some of the main participants. in the meantime robert and kate are still with me. and i would like to reflect on what we've heard principally from the queen, the response to the two addresses. what did you draw from that? >> i thought it was a very upbeat, very forward looking speech she made. it was interesting with the lord speaker and the speaker were keen to look back on all the change the queen's been through. the speaker mentioned rationing, talked about the cold war. the queen really was talking about the here and now. as you rightly predicted, she paid a big tribute to the commonwealth. clearly that's something that she feels very strongly during this reign. she is the queen of 16 countries. she can't visit them all. she wants to remind them she's thinking of them, this is not just a british affair but for

all the realms. and public service, twice she singled out professionally and voluntary and obviously the armed forces. i think everyone who is in the service of the state will feel that someone is on our side. >> you write for the daily mail. i mentioned before you were an author of several books of the royal family. hat of the phrases used by the speaker the kaleidoscope queen and her way of shaking things. >> i was interested in that, she's very much one who holds the world together when the world is shaking. and, yes, a kaleidoscope nation. >> now we know the outgoing arch bishop of canterbury who will be

preparing to leave. the race is on to succeed him. kate, as we see people leaving and preparing to enjoy that reception, which is hosted by the speakers, what for you was noteworthy in the addresses we heard? >> well, i think as we expected, it was a very joyous address, it was humorous and light hearted. i think it really showed how much her life has been one of duty but she has also enjoyed her role as queen. i think that really came across. it doesn't always come across as queen how much she was delighted by it and how important prince phillip is to her. at the coronation, she was crowned alone. that was never repeated. she was determined prince phillip was also a part of her life. i think there was a great intimacy there with the prime

minister, so many of the people we've seen here she deals with on a regular basis, the bishops, such a friendship. >> there was a phrase when she talked about him, he doesn't take compliments very well. it was a very poignant and touching tribute to the duke. at the golden jubilee, the queen didn't really mention her family, it was a business as usual speech. and the prince of wales got a big thumbs up for what he's going to be doing during this jubilee. there was definitely a sense of a sort of oil team taking this jubilee around the world. and i think that's something that came through, a very positive speech. >> i think it's going to be a pretty busy few months ahead. >> the beginning of the big party i think is what she was saying, let's get started on the party. >> what would be the highlight of the jubilee weekend? >> i think the sight of the monarch coming down the thames,

that's got to be one of them. who know what is the pop concert will unfold and we'll see her in the procession through the capital. >> just to underline of course we'll have comprehensive coverage of the diamond jubilee celebrations this year as they happen on the bbc, one that will happen in early june. for now, for all of the team here at westminster, thanks for watching and good-bye. ♪ ♪

starting april 1st, see the winners in this year's c-span student cam video documentary competition on the theme the constitution and you as middle and high school students showed which parts of the constitution were important to them and why. we'll air the top 27 videos mornings at 6:50 eastern on c-span. check studentcam.org. congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's competition. >> live pictures this morning from capitol hill in the dirksen senate office building. for the second time this week we'll hear testimony from the commander of u.s. forces in afghanistan, general john al general, joined by acting

defense undersecretary james miller. earlier this week before the house armed services committee hereby said he plans to analyze security conditions in afghanistan after the last of the surge forces leave this fall before making any recommendations on further troop reductions. he is before the senate armed services committee this morning. we'll have live coverage of his testimony when it begins in about 15 minutes from now. until then, here's some of what the commander had to say this week during that house hearing. >> thank you, chairman. it is an honor to be with you here today. chairman, ranking members, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discussion our operations in afghanistan. it's a pleasure to be here with my friend dr. miller, the acting undersecretary of defense for policy and, chairman, i ask my verbal remarks bein terd into the record. >> without objection. so ordered. >> thank you, sir.

let me begin by expressing my gratitude for all of you on committee for the support you provide our men and women in uniform every day, that we are well equipped, well trained and well led is a great testament to the efforts of this committee and to the great work of this congress. and on behalf of those troops and on behalf of those families, i want to thank you for that. in the past eight months i've walked the ground of afghanistan with many of those troops. along with my friend and partner, ambassador ryan crocker, and my nato compatriot, i've met with those who serve alongside us in the international security assistance force, isaf.

they have been enmeshed in think country's conflict for over three decades. i can tell you unequivocally three things -- first we remain on track to ensure afghanistan will no longer be a safe haven for al qaeda and no longer be terrorized by the taliban. second as a coalition, we are well aware and well along on the progress to meet our 2010 liz bon commitments to transition security leads to the afghan national security forces in 2014 and, third, our troops know the difference they're making every day. they know it and the enemy feel it is every day. to be sure the last couple months have been trying. in the wake of the revelations that american troops had

mishandled religious texts to include the koran, protests, some of them violent occurred in several but only a few regions across afghanistan. 32 afghans lost their lives in these riots and even more were hurt. just since the first of january the coalition has lost 60 brave troops in action from six different nations. 13 of them were killed at the hands of what appear to have been afghan security forces, some of whom were motivated, we believe, in part by the mishandling of religious materials. and just as tragic as dr. miller mentioned, we're investigating what appears to be the murder of 16 innocent afghan civilians at the hand of a u.s. service member. now, each of these events is heart wrenching and my thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this violence, coalition and afghan alike, but i assure you the relationship

between the coalition and our afghan security forces remains strong. just two weeks ago was down in the hellman province visiting with marines and local afghan commanders, during the wake of the koran burning incident when violence was at its peak. a young marine said he and his unit were told by the demonstrations by their afghan counterparts. the afghan troops told them "let us patrol outside the wire for a couple days, we've got this for you." understanding the gravity of the risk, the afghans had assumed for these marines, this particular maroon continued "our afghan brothers were trying to protect us." this one statement spoken by a young marine conveys the power of this brotherhood in arms that has been forged in battle now over the years. it speaks to the trusts that we have built with the afghans and

to the shock absorbens encensy relationship. let we know there is much hard and deadly work toing done but the progress is real and importantly that progress is sustainable. we have severely degraded the insurgency. as i was told, "this time the afghan taliban were the away team." we have seriously degraded the taliban's ability to mount a spring offensive of their own. this spring they will come back to find many of their caches empty, their former strongholds untenable and a good many of their foot soldiers absent or unwilling to join the fight. indeed in kandahar back in december 50 former tallids decided to reintegrate on shot notice back into the afghan

society. and when we asked them why they laid down their arms they complained of the unrelenting pressure that they feel. they said they found themselves uch against capable afghan forces in greater numbers with greater frequency and while they were willing to fight foreigners, they were unwilling to fight their of a gaj brothers, especially afghans who fought back with courage and with skill because of the training that we had provided them. and the training we provide them is critical to our mission. introduce history insurgencies have seldom been defeated by foreign forces. indeed they have been ultimately beaten by indigenous forces. in the long run our goal can only be achieved and then secured by afghan forces. transition, then, is the linchpin of our strategy, not merely the way out. and during the past 12 months of a gaj security forces have expanded from 276,000 to

330,000, and they will reach their full strength ahead of schedule. the professionalization of the afghan security forces enables us to pressure the taliban to reconcile and makes possible security transition to the afghans in accordance with our lisbon commitments end on time. security remains to areas that have been secured. later this year afghan security forces are expected to assume security lead for as much as two-thirds or possibly more of the afghan population. and as the potential unifying influence in afghanistan, the afghan forces are better than we thought they were and they're

better than they thought they were when tried in combat. so as we move them to the fore,they're gaining more and more confidence and gaining more and more capability. in the past five month, 89% of the total conventional operations were partnered with both coalition and afghan forces and 42% were afghan led. over the next two years o coalition forces will remain combat ready as we continue to move the afghan forces into the lead. i can tell you that the afghans want to lead and they want the responsibility that comes with it. in fact, for the very first time our joint coalition afghan operational campaign plan for january 2012 through july 2013 was conceived, developed and planned with afghans in the

lead. they are truly emerging as the redefeat mechanism of this insurgency and increasingly as an emblem of national unity and this is essential for the long-term security of afghanistan. we know that we face long-term challenges as well, we know cladia and extreme networks still operate with impunity across the border in pakistan. we know the taliban remain a resilient and determined enemy and that many of them will try to regain their lost ground this spring through assassination, intimidation, high-profile attacks and the implacement of ieds. we know iran continues to support the insurgency and fuels the flame of violence. we know corruption still robs afghan citizens of their faith in their government and poor

governance itself often advances insurgent messages. this cam ppaign has been long, has been difficult and it has been costly. there have been setbacks to be sure and we're experiencing them and there will be setbacks ahead. i wish i could tell you that this war was simple and that progress could easily be measured but that's not the way of counterinsurgencies. they are fraught with both successes and setbacks, which can exist in the same space and in the same time but each must be seen in the larger context of the overall campaign. and i believe the campaign is on track. we are making a difference. i know this and our troops know this. and ei'd like to take just another moment of your time today, mr. chairman, to end where i began today with our troops and the thousands of american and coalition partner troops that are baerga the weight of this conflict and those that will never return to their families. know this, they they are central

to my every decision and my every word to this committee. a young marine that was laid to rest tuesday in arlington cemetery was a hero. he knew what he stood for and he knew his mission and he knew the risks. he knew he might have to give his life for this cause for which we fight. so sergeant william stacy prepared a letter for his family to be read in the event of his death. and in it he said "there will be a child who will live because men left the security they enjoyed in their home country to come to his and this child will learn in new schools that have been built and he will walk his streets not worried about whether or not some leader's henchman will come and kidnap him and he will grow into a fine man who will pursue every opportunity his heart could desire. and he will have the gift of

freedom which i have enjoyed so long. if my life buys the safety of a child who will one day change the world, then i know that it was all worth it." mr. chairman, i can only add that i am confident that americans are safer today because of the service of members like william stacy, and i am confident that we will prevail in this endeavor. thank you again for this opportunity today, for the extraordinary support that you and this committee provide every day to our magnificent young men and women in uniform i am so privileged and honorred to lead. thank you, chairman. >> by the way, you can see his entire testimony from this hearing along with acting defense undersecretary james miller. it's available online in the c-span video library. we are live now ts