necessary in order to protect americans and get everyone out. but speaking for myself, i want to be briefed on the extent of that operation before signing off on it. i think our goal should be to finish this operation in the next seven days, have a contingency plan, but be perfectly honest with the american people about what it may mean, the cost to american lives if we choose to stay beyond the 31st. >> your republican colleague as senator mitt romney says, and i'm quoting him now, leaving vulnerable afghans to face the rath of the taliban would be an utter disgrace and moral failure. do you agree with senator romney? will the afghans who can't get out pay the price of this u.s. withdrawal? >> well, our focus needs for the next seven days to be on continuing to get out our closest partners. now, remember, we are not going to evacuate every single afghan who ever enrolled in their military. we are looking at our closest