"His is a more balanced, more flexible and more achievable strategy than we have had in the past, one based on pragmatism and real possibilities," Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a pair of congressional committees.
"And speaking for the 2.2 million men and women who must execute it and who, with their families, have borne the brunt of the stress and the strain of eight years of constant combat, I support his decision and appreciate his leadership."
Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP
And Mullen's reference to past strategy sounded like a slap at former President George W. Bush. It contrasted sharply with a speech the admiral delivered in January, at an "appreciation parade" given by the Pentagon as Bush prepared to leave the White House.
"After this nation was attacked by a rising evil, the same evil which later murdered many others, in places like London, Madrid, Islamabad and Mumbai, you quickly led us from the grip of fear to a serenity of purpose and unity of action," Mullen told Bush then.
"And through your vision, a new national security was rendered to reach our enemies where they hid and trained and celebrated deadly crimes. We sent our forces to hills and caves, alongside tribesmen on horseback, to root them out and hunt them down. We liberated Iraq from tyranny; now on the road to renewal. And we are shifting our focus to Afghanistan."
Mullen was tapped for the chairmanship in 2007 by Bush. Obama nominated him for a second two-year term.
By comparison, the chairman's two most recent predecessors, Marine Gen. Peter Pace and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, generally saved their most effusive comments about their bosses for town hall meetings with Pentagon employees or "all hands" sessions when they visited troops in the field.
Susan Walsh, AP
Amid reports that U.S. troops assigned as guards at the Abu Ghraib prison had beaten and otherwise tortured Iraqis, Myers and then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld went to Iraq for a bit of morale-boosting.
"As you look up the chain of command -- and as you know, I'm not in it, I'm an adviser off to the side, but I interact with the chain of command as a military adviser to the National Security Council, to the president, to the secretary. As you look up at our chain of command, you couldn't have better leadership in providing us the direction, the resources and sometimes -- and the strategic vision that we need to make a difference in this world. And I'm talking about our secretary of defense and our commander in chief."
Gen. Myers introducing Secretary Rumsfeld at town hall meeting with Defense Department employees, June 29, 2005:
"I have said this before, and I'll say it again: that this is a nation -- and our friends and allies -- that faces a very serious threat. And when that's the case -- perhaps the most serious threat we've ever faced to our way of life and our freedoms that we hold dear -- when that's the case, you want the smartest, toughest person around to help lead you through that.
"There is nobody that cares more about this nation's security or about the people that are helping provide that security than our secretary of defense. Without further ado, our secretary, Don Rumsfeld.
Haraz N. Ghanbari, AP
As administration critics and some journalists questioned whether military skepticism about plans to invade Iraq had been conveyed to President Bush, Pace defended the administration's decision-making.
"When the Joint Chiefs were called over to the White House, several of the questions that the president asked specifically were about our understanding and belief in the plan, and whether or not the amount -- proper amount of resources had been allocated. He did that both with us, just the Joint Chiefs, and then again when all the combatant commanders were in from around the globe well before a final decision was made.
"We had then and have now every opportunity to speak our minds, and if we do not, shame on us because the opportunity is there.
"It is elicited from us. You know, we're expected to. And the plan that was executed was developed by military officers, presented by military officers, questioned by civilians as they should, revamped by military officers, and blessed by the senior military leadership."
