gideon, your thoughts on what do you make of this debate?

gideon, your thoughts on what do you make of this debate? >> well, it's fascinating because a debate over troop levels, how much force the united states should send, is segueing into a debate on strategy, what strategies the united states use, which is segueing in turn to debate over is the war necessary in the first place? it's fascinating, because everything seems to be up in the air. so you pull one thread and the whole sweater unravels. no one knows which way this is going to go. at the end of the day it's goini to look like where it was a few months ago than dramatically different because the costs are either going big or going out are too high politically for the administration to bear. i think you'll muddle through, but that may not be the most optimal substantive strategy. >> do you think in some ways it's almost become radioactive? >> i absolutely agree with that. you've got a situation that's almost unwinnable for the u.s., any successful counterinsurgency needs at least one legitimate partner, and that's the problem we don't have

gideon nato's relations with russia and its neighbors right would unlocked cooperation on a whole range of crucial issues within the realm of nato's concerns and the will be on. mr. secretary general, we honor you for having chosen to challenge us all with the topic of this first important address, and we look forward to hearing your views. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, all of you, thank you, first of all, for your warm words of welcome. this is my first major public speech as the new secretary general of nato. i have chosen to make this speech about the nato-russian relationship, and i am very happy that we could get the carnegie endowment, a think tank, with considerable expertise to host today's event. why did i choose to focus my first speech on russia? the answer is quite simple. i believe that of all of nato's relationships with partner countries, nine whole greater potential than the nato-russia relationship. . >> there are fundamental issues on which nato and russia disagree and that will lead disappear overnight. i do believe that it is possible for nato and russia to mak