Russia will "reinforce"' its peacekeeping troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and its withdrawal from Georgia will take "as long as necessary."¹

"The United States is committed to stay as long as is necessary in Iraq, but not one day more."² (Marc Grossman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, February 11, 2003)

"Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained commitment from many nations, including our own: we will remain in Iraq as long as necessary, and not a day more."³ (President Bush, February 6, 2003)

"Our forces are friends and liberators of the Iraqi people, not your conquerors. And they will not stay a day longer in Iraq than is necessary."⁴ (Tony Blair, April 10, 2003)

"Let me be clear: Iraq belongs to you. The coalition has no intention of owning or running Iraq. Our coalition came here for a purpose, and it was to remove a regime that oppressed your people and threatened ours. Our goal is to restore stability and security so that you can form an interim government of your own and, eventually, a free Iraqi government; a government of your choosing, a government that is of Iraqi design and of Iraqi choice. The coalition will stay as long as necessary to help you do that, and not one day longer."⁵ (Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, April 30, 2003)

"We will stay as long as it is necessary to make sure that the job has been done well and we can turn things over to the Iraqi people."⁶ (Secretary of State Colin Powell, May 3, 2003)

"In terms of how long we'll be there: as long as necessary, and not one day more. The Iraqi people need us there to help with security."⁷ (President Bush, April 14, 2004)

"We will stay as long as necessary to complete the mission."⁸ (President Bush, November 30, 2005)