Rick Lynch Quotes

"Our soldiers on the scene use an established rule of engagement ... In this case, our soldiers took the appropriate action,"

"The absence of an effective national unity government is creating the conditions for the insurgency to do what it wants to do."

"Now is not the time for the Iraqi government to take specific action against the militias. It's going to be worked over time."

"have the ability to pick the time and place of their choosing ... They have used swarm tactics and conducted a complex attack against civilians and Iraqi police officers."

"We wanted to take advantage of not only our ability to offer lower prices on our name brand products but also to harness the power of the internet which allows people easy online access to ordering 24 hours a day."

"The Iraqi government, at the point of crisis, decided to impose certain emergency measures. They relied on the Iraqi security forces to implement those measures."

"We're convinced we're going to fight our way to the elections,"

"Right now, actively involved in operations in Tal Afar is the Third Iraqi Army Division, ... We now have sufficient assets available, between the coalition forces and Iraqi security forces, to leave behind a robust security presence so that the insurgents cannot return and that is indeed part of the plan."

"We've got to applaud every day the courage and commitment of the Iraqi people. They're doing what they're doing for ... Iraq at great risk and great personal sacrifice."

"Our operations are focused on reestablishing Iraqi control of the border, ... We will continue this mission for as long as it takes... and leave a sizable and credible force to deter the terrorists."

"What we're seeing across Iraq is that the police forces are indeed gaining capability and gaining public confidence. They continue to grow in not just quantity, but in quality and capability."

"These spikes of violence are predictable around certain critical events that highlight the progress of democracy, ... Remember, democracy equals failure for the insurgency. So there has to be heightened awareness now as we work our way toward the referendum."

"These spikes of violence are predictable around certain critical events that highlight the progress of democracy,"

"With authority, we can say they came from those countries,"

"Hopefully, that's in the near future."

"They've shifted their sight group — their target — to the Iraqi civilians and the Iraqi security force and away from the coalition."

"This was the first use of the Iraqi air force,"

"We will continue this mission for as long as it takes... and leave a sizable and credible force to deter the terrorists,"

"He still has the capability of recruiting suicide bombers, training them, and giving them munitions,"

"We are seeing a confident Iraqi government using capable security forces to calm the storm."