[Barlowmaker]

Even by Senate standards, the Foreign Relations Committee contains an unusually high percentage of pompous blowhards. They all fancy themselves important, Presidential-timbred movers and shakers on the World stage. They will have all recently spoken with their "good friends" in foreign capitals who have privately expressed "serious misgivings", "grave concerns" and "increasing lack of confidence" about some Administration foreign policy or another.

I give credit to you Play by Players today. This is gonna be grueling work.

[cyncooper]

I won't be doing too much play by play today...ah, Hagel up.

Thanks Rice for agreeing to four more years of service.

First question: Exit strategy.

What are plans after elections?

Rice: Test for Iraqis is find a way forward after elections and we'll help guide but it is largely their task. We'll help more with building up their own defenses.