But as we move from this period of what many Iraqis regard as perceived occupation, we need to move towards one of partnership.

I believe we've... we've worked very hard with the Iraqis to build a better place ever since the fall of Saddam's government.

Everybody needs to understand that I learned Arabic from the United States Army as a second language. I never spoke it at home.

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.

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

But the truth of the matter is that there is there is an opportunity for them to participate in the economic and political future of the country and certainly in the security life of the country.

I don't believe Iran is a suicide state.