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SEN. JAMES INHOFE (R), OKLAHOMA: Win means we're going to disarm the al Qaeda, we're going to put them out of the power position that they're in right now, and for people who think that somehow if Osama bin Laden out of the way, that they're leaderless, that's not true at all. Al-Zawahiri has actually been in charge of this thing for quite some period of time. And they are emboldened right now.

My concern, Kyra, and I'm really concerned about this, is that I'm the second ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have found out about this precisely the same time that al Qaeda did, that the Taliban did, that the terrorists did -- this is wrong. We were not a part of this decision.

Now, we have the problem that he's given three deadlines. One, the -- on July of this year, then July of next year, and then July of 2014. And I can see it right now, the Taliban, behind closed doors, are saying, all right, we'll just kind of wait this thing out, now they know everything that I know. And I think it's wrong.

PHILLIPS: Well, as you know, Senator, the Americans are growing so impatient with both wars. And in a bad economy, it's costing a lot of money, as you well know. Just consider the cost in staying in this, as you say, to win. I mean, the war is going to cost $118 billion this year alone.

Just to put that number in perspective, we crunched the numbers. You know, it takes just under $15 million to build an elementary school. So, for $118 million, you could actually build nearly 22 schools a day all year in the U.S. So, I guess my point is, you know, how do you continue to justify that expense to taxpayers?

INHOFE: Well, first of all, let's look at what would be the expense if we pull out precipitously and put someone in a position where they can strike America in a way that is far greater than 3,000 lives. We know that there have been at least 12 attempts since 9/11 we have been able to stop. If we allow them to be emboldened, to grow, then the cost of that is far greater in American lives than building a schoolhouse somewhere.

When you -- when they talk about the money, let's stop and look. Afghanistan alone is probably half -- half as is, half as much as the president had in just stimulus program. So, let's look at what the real expensive things are, but look at American lives. That's my concern.

I don't want to have them have the same information that we have and they -- look, the Middle Eastern mentality thinks in terms of years and decades. We think in terms of hours and days. So, they are very patient. They're going to sit back until they know when they can strike.

This is my concern. I'm genuinely concerned about it.

PHILLIPS: So, Senator, how long do we stay?

INHOFE: Well, we stay until it's over, and we've already defined what over is. We -- and think --

PHILLIPS: What is over?

INHOFE: It's pretty much over when there are no longer emboldened and in a position to make another major attack on the United States of America. And we have to do that, or win the Afghans.

And I just came back from there. I spent New Year's Eve in Afghanistan. I know those kids are training hard. They are training the Afghan national army, the ANA. They're making great progress.

This is right in the middle of what they call the fighting season and this is no time, in my opinion, to make these decisions -- particularly, unilaterally, without any advice and consent from the Senate.

PHILLIPS: We are going to be watching the questioning today. That's for sure. Senator James Inhofe, sure appreciate your time, sir.

INHOFE: Thank you.

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