of the way. i m especially appreciative to tom for helping us renew leadership in the asia-pacific where so much of our future security and prosperity will be shaped. he s workedss to construct a relationship with china. i m grateful tom will be joining me as i meet with president of china this week. i m personally grateful for your advice, your counsel and mostof all for your friendship. whenever we sit down together, ether it s in the oval office or the situation room, i do so knowing that you have led a rigorous process, that you ve challenged assumptions, that you ve asked the tough estions, that you ve led an incredibly hard working nation security staff and presented me with a range of options to advance our national interests. a president can t ask for many anything more than that.