Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our guests.
One of the areas that I think is going to be important is the American footprint on the work that we're doing. I understand the description you just gave, and I appreciate that. I think it's important to lay out the recent changes at the top.
Secretary Gates is quoted as saying, “It's time for new leadership and fresh eyes”, so he's brought in someone new. General McCrystal, who is going to be the top general, obviously will be providing a different direction, and, if you believe Secretary Gates, new leadership and fresh eyes.
In what I've read of the new leadership for the American military, they seem to be trying to do two things. One is to provide more military—not necessarily in numbers, though, and I want your take on this—and a different approach. If we are now inheriting a new variable, if you will, the new leadership, is it too early to state how we're going to change what we're doing?
I appreciate your saying that you're going to continue doing the work you're doing, but it seems to me that there will be some effect on what we're doing on the ground. I'd just like to know your take on it to date with the new leadership change.