"We've got to ensure that the quality and the capability of these forces will be good enough to withstand the challenges that the insurgents and the terrorists will present to the new Iraqi government."

"Well, the hardest thing to do, as we know from our own experience on 9/11 is protect everything all the time."

"Well, the reports are correct that we're conducting very robust military operations on the Afghan side of the border in areas where we think al-Qaida is operating and Taliban remnants are."

"Yet, we believe that that's probably the vigilance of Iraqi security forces and some of our proactive measures the night before probably saved lives."

"You know as well as I do that counterinsurgency is a very nuanced type of military operation."

"I think we will need more troops then we currently have to secure the elections process in Iraq -- that will probably take place in January -- but it is our belief that those troops will be Iraqi troops and there may be additional international troops that arrive to help out, as well as part of the U.N. mission. So I don't see need for more American troops, but we can't discount it."

"is to build an Iraqi security capacity, all the way from the police level up to the national army level, that is militarily effective and loyal to the established civil government."

"It is a belief that they hold firmly, and we need to be just as firm that we can't be driven out."

"In terms of overall strength of the insurgency, I would say it is the same as it was,"

"What I've asked for is essentially to have a strong mobile combat arms capability, ... That's probably about two brigades worth of combat power, if not more."

"Clearly the Secretary of Defense, my boss, would like nothing better than to get Osama bin Laden and to get... to ensure the complete defeat of al-Qaida, because we know that al-Qaida is planning operations against the United States even as we speak here."

"I think what actually works best is local-level individual targeting of key leadership nodes."

"I think you also understand that one of the key things that's got to be done in Iraq is to build a mentality of understanding that the military needs to be subordinate to civilian control and respectful of its own people."

"It's also natural in that part of the world to blame what people view as the... as the most important authority in the region, and that currently is the United States of America."

"Militarily we are not in any danger of losing. We can't be defeated militarily based on what the enemy currently throws against us."

"Morale is good; troops are confident; leaders are capable."

"Our forces will not be on the sidelines."

"The real target is creating enough chaos in Iraq so that an extremist government can emerge there that would be friendly and conducive to the form of ideology that bin Laden, Zawahiri and Zarqawi believe in."

"Undoubtedly, there are members of the former regime that are cooperating in some fashion and then there are extremists that are within Iraq that are cooperating with them."

"We'll try to include Iraqi officers in our staffs. We will do everything we can to empower Iraqi security forces to stand up on their own and operate where they can alone."

"The weather was bad. We don't know of any enemy action. The investigation continues,"

"We have a number of killed in the action in Nasiriya with the Marines -- I believe that number will remain less than 10 -- and a number of wounded,"

"And over time, I think, as Iraqi security capacity builds, you'll see American and coalition presence there decline."

"And so I think that if the person has the funds, the network, and the equipment to do this, and also the experience, which is the key factor, then they can be quite deadly."

"As far as Zarqawi is concerned, there is a network of extremists; it's not just Zarqawi."

"Being on the run, having to change the way that you do business, being unable to plan in a safe and secure environment, always looking over your shoulder, knowing that some day somebody's going to knock on your door and it's going to be your last."

"But clearly the fact that we've gone from zero Iraqi security forces on duty in May to up to 200,000 today is an enormous accomplishment, but it's not enough."

"But I am satisfied that the information that we have that this is the work of Zarqawi, is accurate."

"But the key shift in focus will be from counter-insurgency operations to more and more cooperation with Iraqi security forces and to building Iraqi security capacity."

"Certainly our goal is to leave Iraq, but we can't leave Iraq with our forces until we know that the Iraqi security forces are capable and efficient enough to defend the sovereignty of the nation."