Donald Rumsfeld (US Sec. of Defense):
People are fungible. You can have them here or there. The fact of the matter is, we've made a judgment and we've announced the judgment. It's very clear. You understand it -- everyone in the room understands it -- that we needed additional -- the commander decided he would like to retain in-country an additional plus or minus 20,000 people, and that's what we're doing.
http://www.dod.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040415-secdef0622.html

[editorial comment withheld]