It's critically important that we have governments to work with, that we have entities to work with. President Hadi has been a good partner in that, and we would hope that the next set of leaders that govern Yemen will also take the same approach to cooperation with the United States.

You can have all the capabilities; if you don't have the quality people, you don't have much.

The United States can't impose democracies. We can't impose our will. The Russians found that out in Afghanistan.

It's critically important that we have governments to work with, that we have entities to work with. President Hadi has been a good partner in that, and we would hope that the next set of leaders that govern Yemen will also take the same approach to cooperation with the United States.

(The) chain of command has failed over the years, obviously, for a lot of reasons.

My overall worldview has never changed: that America has and must maintain the strongest military in the world, that we must lead the international community to confront threats and challenges together, and that we must use all tools of American power to protect our citizens and our interests.

Politics or ideology must not get in the way of sound planning.