We respectfully request that Ms. Aponte be removed from post as soon as possible, so that El Salvador may enjoy the benefits of having a better person as a government representative of your noble country.

I will vote no on Ms. Aponte's confirmation and strongly recommend my colleagues do the same.

there's maybe a degree of naivete in our State Department, that our friendliness and willingness to trust is seen in many parts of the world as weakness.

I think the advance of our vital national security interests, which include the values that we hold dear, is very important, but I absolutely believe that we cannot impose those values on other countries.

I think the principle that we want to have guide us is also to do no harm even as we are protecting people.

But we have also watched with increasing horror as the Syrian Government uses violence and brutality against its own people.

Clearly, it is a time of great possibility, but also of great danger, in a region that is vital to U.S. interests.

We have been inspired by the people in Tunisia and Egypt who demanded freedom and dignity and an end to repression and corruption.

We must be sure that scarce resources are being used effectively and constructively.

We need diplomats of her caliber to guide us through the challenges we face today.

We have stated publicly that we do not believe Assad will implement reforms, that his regime will soon be part of the past and that we have no interest in the regime's continuation.

The United States supports the Syrian people and demands that the regime immediately stop its violent repression of peaceful protesters.

We have made clear our view that Assad cannot lead a democratic transition, that we have no American interest in the continuation of his government.

There is no going back to the status quo. Assad's regime cannot continue to use torture and killing to break the will of the Syrian people.

We have big interest in that part of the world. And it can be positive change, and we should be supporting democratic transitions throughout the region.

The message we are sending to the Syrian people is that this movement is a Syrian movement, and that the United States and the international community stand behind them in their aspiration for freedom, democracy, and peace.

When I return to Syria in a couple days, I will continue through my actions and my presence to demonstrate solidarity with the Syrian people and our rejection of the regime's empty promises, senseless violence, and sectarian fear-mongering.

It is time for us to start thinking about the day after Assad.