The reason we're going into Iraq is because this is a very significant time and ... the president (George W. Bush) asked us to go in to show support for this new government.

The reason for doing this would be that the Qwest merger would take a shorter time period to close from a regulatory approval process standpoint.

There is a reason why Iran and Syria do their best to destabilize the situation in Iraq because they know that if Iraq is allowed to develop as a strong, Muslim state but with secular democratic government, then it's the best argument you can possibly have for people in Iran and in Syria to say 'Why don't we have some of that democracy? Why don't we have proper civil and human rights, too,'

Tell me what logical reason would I have to abandon the countries of the Iraq coalition, leaving them to their luck while the terrorists continue wreaking havoc,

The president asked us to go and show support for their new government.

Has he talked to the White House? The answer is no, he's not. And two, the question of resignation: was he considering it? No.