They have been critical allies in Afghanistan. They have been critical allies in fighting the financial war against terror. They've been critical allies in terms of our military-to-military relationship.

We can expect more fighting in the weeks ahead as the enemy attempts to return Afghanistan to the dark days of the past in an effort to impose the will of a very few over the democratically stated choice of many,

They know they're very good issues to be fighting for. They all feel good about it.

If it's a war between Sunni and Shiite, this war might be extended from Lebanon to Afghanistan .

Even the air of this country has a story to tell about warfare. It is possible here to lift a piece of bread from a plate and following it back to its origins, collect a dozen stories concerning war-how it affected the hand that pulled it out of the oven, the hand that kneaded the dough, how war impinged upon the field where wheat was grown.

As we're heading into this hurricane season, now is not the time to really look at moving organizational boxes. First and foremost, there are a lot of dedicated, fine people at FEMA. They're very focused on providing a better response to the nation this year. And we need to let them be focused on that.