"Instead, we did take our eye off the ball. We decided, instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan, to go into Iraq. And today, unfortunately, if you look at the situation on the ground, it is a mess"

This quote by Chris Van Hollen is referring to the choice to go to war in Iraq rather of completing the task in Afghanistan. He is revealing regret for this choice, as he thinks that the scenario in Iraq is a mess. He is implying that the US should have remained concentrated on Afghanistan and finished the job there, rather of diverting resources to Iraq. This quote is a pointer of the effects of not following through on commitments and of the importance of staying concentrated on the job at hand. It is also a cautioning to be conscious of the repercussions of choices made in today, as they can have long-lasting implications.