in marja, the siblings have come back, but the government has not. i know this gets into -- the civilians have come back, but the government has not. i know this gets into other issues, but one of the structural defects within the afghani government is a highly decentralized government. it needs much more effective provincial support, more independent governments. is that an issue that you and ambassador eikenberry are going to take to president karzai to talk about how they can empower local officials rather than have a national ineffectual government? >> well, certainly. again, a key to this is helping the release -- to the reestablishment of a viable calo ", organizing structured -- a dot the reestablishment of a viable, organizing structures, if you will. president karzai is aware of the challenge is present at lower levels. he has empowered governors. interestingly, helmand province has one of the most active governors in all of afghanistan. the challenge there is not one of desire. it is literally a lack of human capital. and in predicting ther

in marja, the siblings have come ck, but the government has not. i know this gets into -- the civilians have come back, but the government has not. i know this gets into other issues, but one of the structural defects within the afghani government is a highly decentralized government. it needs much more effective provincial support, more independent governments. is that an issue that you and ambassador eikenberry are going to take to president karzai to talk about how they can empower local officials rather than have a national ineffectual government? >> well, certainly. again, a key to this is helping the release -- to the reestablishment of a viable calo ", organizing structured -- a dot the reestablishment of a viable, organizing structures, if you will. president karzai is aware of the challenge is present at lower levels. he has empowered governors. interestingly, helmand province has one of the most active governors in all of afghanistan. the challenge there is not one of desire. it is literally a lack of human capital. and in predicting ther

from fallujah to marja, from baghdad to kandahar, from home and to anbar -- from helmand to hand our,omen. 1074 in operation in during freedom and in afghanistan. if they were the best of us. they were our blood. they were born of carbone, blood of o blood. they were our treasure -- they were bone ofur owbone, the blood of our blood. they were our treasure. our sacred obligation, the only obligation that a government hashat is true the sacred, or sacred obligation to provide these warriors with everything they need to complete their mission, and everything they need and deserve when they ce home, that will not change. [applse] but these new warriors, a special breed, they are warriors, but they're also bright, educated, and committed like thoswho have gone before. they understand that the example of our kara and must be matched the example of our power must be matched by the power of our example. all of you know our ultimate strength lies in our values. that is what brought everyone of thmen and women in this house vote cemetery -- this hallowed cemetery close monday to give their liv

nothe effort around marja . frankly, my estimation and expectation and hopes are based on what general mcchrystal tells me not on what i tell general mcchryst. >> we have heard a lot about the need for trainers but we have not heard any response on the question is who will provide more trainers. ven the number the u.s. is providing, are you satisfied with the european contribution toward you think the u.s. is carrying the weight on this? >> we are not carrying all the ight. a number of europeans are committing a secured -- a signiffcant number. that said, it seems to me particularly for those countries that cant have a large combat presence in afghastan, that providing trainers is another way to serve and it is a need. the secretary-geral made the point this morning the number of trainers and the growth in capabilities of the afghan tional security force is directly tied to the pace that we can proceed to the transition in different places in the country. what i have done is provide a bridge of about 800 marines

there are things going on in marja that were not going on. that does not mean that the taliban is not invading. this is classic counter- insurgency. we have not put of -- we have not put off the operation. it is a complex operation. we understand that. we need to make sure that we get the forces there to execute that. a significant part of this last 10,000 will be included in that. in any operation, you make adjustments. i have felt for any month that it would be the end of the year before we understood where we were in kandahar. we are executing that operation. it involves, not just the security and military side, it involves the government's peace and be corruption peace. i do not want to understate the challenges. >> i would say this, i do not believe we are bogged down. i believe we are making some progress. it is slower and harder than we anticipated. but, the -- i think we are moving forward. the kandahar campaign has been underway for several weeks. what general mcchrystal was talking about was that it will take more time to set the po

and pretty much marja has devolved to what it was. even before he was fired, general mcchrystal admitted this was going to take a lot longer and be a lot harder than he thought which means president obama's dictate of the beginning of withdrawal next year is a fantasy. that was part of the criticism that general mcchrystal and his allies at the pentagon put forward. so there's really a choice hoo here. to get into a very -- choice here. to get into a very long-term, very high-level engagement in afghanistan at a cost of $30 billion a year and tremendous sacrifice by our troops, on a strategy that has thus far not worked, or to rethink that strategy. perhaps more along the lines of vice president biden's ideas which were also derided by general mcchrystal and some of his colleagues. but actually what vice president biden said is, look, mostly this is an internal issue. it's an inter and intratribal fight. yes, there are some radical taliban and pakistani elements and a very few al qaeda. how about we guarantee that we'll take care of a

the marines marja, -- marines took marja, but there has been fighting back. there have been the headings. general mcchrystal announced last friday that the offensive in kandahar is now being delayed. the report should be in your opening statement yesterday were quite upbeat about what is happening in afghanistan. i fear that there is a gap between the tone and the message that you gave us yesterday and what we're reading in the media about what is happening. i would like you to address that. that gap can begin to erode the support that you need from members of congress and the american people in the months ahead. >> senator, i think you have raised a very important point. that is the importance of having measured expectations. the conduct of a counterinsurgency operation is a roller-coaster experience. there are setbacks as well as areas of progress or successes. it is truly an up and down when your living and doing it, even from afar. in my view, the trajectory has generally been upward, despite the tough losses and setbacks. when i appeared before u.s. some

we have got to have -- that was a big part of marja was getting the buy and from local populations. we have resources like we haven't had since the beginning of this war. weeare in a position we have not been in at any point in this war because of the lack of resources. i think we have seen what happens when -- the general aad ambassador and others have seen what happens when noo taking into account the local population -- what happens with those mistakes and we deeply regret and everyone involved deeply regrets. the key is to get the active belief and by in said that the long term -- and the buy in and the strategy we believe is right has a chance to succeed. >> it is much slower going than you had hoped. >> if thh general -- he is far better positions to do that. >> senator bill nelson has asked for some clarification assto whether there is any way of inhabiting the government's use of offers of foreign vessels to help with mediation, skimming, and the other operations. what is the administration's position? is it an impediment? >> admiral allen said today we're using equipment an

at the same time the commanders turned their attention from the bike around marja to a much more complexampaign around kandahar. guest: specifically with regard to kandahar we are identifying who the leadership and infrastructure is. we are ratinding their it helpsn the night and apprehending them impossible. -- we are raiding their hideouts in the night and apprehending them if possible. general petraeus will have easy confirmation later this week. a lot of questions on the timeline. can you elaborate? guest: that has been a controversy around the world i think. unfortunately, i think that was a mistake to announce a time for withdrawal. the reason i say that is because in afghanistan that was heard as the americans are leaving next year. the new wantuance to qualificats after the announcement or lost in the the shuffle. that gives support to the taliban, because they know it gets easier starting next july. more important almost, because of the counterinsurgency doctrine that is being pursued now, if you are a family man or a business owner you are thinking to him or with whom do i want

marines took marja but the taliban isighting back. there's been beheadings, and targeted assassinations of people who worked with us. general mcchrystal announced last friday that the offensive in kandahar is now being delayed. and yet the reports that you gave in your opening statements yesterday were quite upbeat about what's happening in afghanistan. and i fear there's a gap between the tone and the message that you gave us yesterday, and what we are reading in t media about what's happening. and i wanted to ask you, address yourse to that gap, because that gap can begin to erode the support that you need from members of congress and the american people in the months ahead. >> senator, i think you've raised a very important point. and that is the importance of having measured expectations. the conduct of a counterinsurgency operation is a roller coaster experience. there are setbacks,s well as areas of progress or successes. it is -- it is truly an up and down, when you're living it, when you're doing it. even from afar, frankly. b

he had talked to a young soldier back from afghanistan who had been fighting in marja. according to this young soldier, they are sitting ducks. they are not allowed to fire at the taliban, because they are among the civilians. they were not allowed to fire some kind of player that would light up the sky so they could see where the people were shooting at them. and they were not allowed to do that. it looks to me like they have a+ war going where nobody is allowed to fight. we need to get people in the military who can run this war and not a bunch of civilians who know nothing about fighting. my husband was in the military. he felt like a sitting duck, too, because they happened to be in the philippines when world war ii started. i think you need military people to be running the war, and not a bunch of civilians. host: doesn't that policy, did not that come from general mcchrystal? caller: may have come from him but i do not think it originated from him. host: might do some more reading around the reporter who did this story. there is a lot of discussion about this poli

marines took marja but the taliban is fighting back. there's been beheadings, and targeted assassinations of people who worked with us. general mcchrystal announced last friday that the offensive in kandahar is now being delayed. and yet the reports that you gave in your opening statements yesterday were quite upbeat about what's happening i afghanistan. and i fear there's a gapetween the tone and the message that you gave us yesterday, and what we are reading in the media about what's happening. and i wanted to ask you, address yourself to that gap, because that gap can begin to erode the support that you need from members of congress and the american people in the months ahead. >> senator, i think y've raised a vy important point. and thats the importance of having measured expectations. the conduct of a counterinsurgency operation is a roller coaster experience. there are seacks, as well as areas of progress or successes. it is -- it is truly an up and down, when you're livingit, when you're doing it. even from afar, frankly. but the

great care has been taken -- and use otten marjah -- great care is being cut -- and you saw it in marja- great care is being taken in prosecuting a war that does not population sympathy towards those we are trying to defeat. >> does the presidenttat all feel betrayed since mcchrystal is there because the president decided he would be there and largely backed mcchrystal's recommendations for the counterinsurgency strategy? >> i would simply sum it up as i have before in saying that over+ the course of many weeks a strategy was defined, refined, and develop, and that each member of the team pledged to implement and agreed with that strategy. that is what we want anybody from the ambassador to the combat -- the combatant commander, to anyone else involved in this to ocus on and focus on alone. >> after the review last year, one of the things you all stressed is unity of purpose and consensus that you all had reached going forward. given both the general's comments, but also the sort of sense of dissension and agreement that the article for trade among various players, are you convinced tha

now the effort around marja .nkly, my estimation and expectation and hopes are based on what general mcchrystal tells me, not on what i tell general mcchrystal. >> we have heard a lot about the need for trainers but we have not heard any response on the question is who will provide more trainers. given the number the u.s. is providing, are you satisfied with the european contribution toward you think the u.s. is carrying the weight on this? >> we are not carrying all the weight. a number of europeans are committing a secured -- a signiffcant number. that said, it seems to me particularly for those countries that cannot have a large combat presence in afghanistan, that providing trainers is another way to serve and it is a need. the secretary-general made the point this morning the number of trainers and the growth in capabilities of the afghan national security force is directly tied to the pace that we can proceed to the transition in different places in the country. what i have done is provide a bridge of about

marines took marja but the taliban is fighting back.here's been beheadings, and targeted assassinations of people who worked with us. general mcchrystal announced last friday that the offensive in kandahar isow being delayed. and yet the reports that you gave in your opening statements yesterday were quite upbeat about what's happening in afghanistan. and i fear there's a gap between the tone and the message that you gave us yesterday, and what we are reading in the media about what's happening. and i wanted to ask you, address yourself to that gap, because that gap can begin to erode the support that you need from members of congress and the american people in the months ahead. >> senator, i think you've rais a very important point. and that is the importance of having measured expectations. the conduct of a counterinsurgency operation is a roller coaster experience. there are setbacks, as well as areas of progress or successes. it is -- it is truly an up and down, when you're living it, when you're doing it. even from afar, frkly. but

we made progress in marja, specifically. it has not been opposed. we recognize that. there are things going on that we're not going on before. schools are open. businesses are open. that does not mean the television is not intimidating. this is classic counter- insurgency. we have not put off the operations in kandahar. it is an enormously complex operation. we understand that. we need to make sure that we get the forces there to execute that, which a significant part of the 10,000 will be included in that. in any operation, you make adjustments. i have felt for many months that it will be the end of the year before we really understood where we were in canada are -- where we were a inkandahar. it involves the government peaiece. i do not want to understate the challenge. >> i would say this, i do not believe we are bogged down. i believe we are making some progress. it is slower and harder than we anticipated, but for all the reasons the chairman just articulated, i think we are moving forward. the ka thesendah -- the kandahar campaign has been underway for several w