Political Quotes

“I would comment that in the process of working out votes, the minority leader has offered to the majority leader to schedule votes on this and other amendments at an appropriate time. There is no need to do the all-night gig. It may make grand Hollywood theater, but it doesn't necessarily move forward what is an extremely important bill. This is a bill that not only authorizes our war fighters, it provides additional resources. It provides them a badly needed 3-plus percent pay increase. We traditionally move these bills forward because, when we are fighting a war, we need to support the troops. But these amendments are designed to substitute the judgment of 535 generals in this wonderful air-conditioned Capitol for the judgment of the generals and the commanders in the field who every day go out and fight that battle to maintain peace, restore peace and security in the area, and to protect our home front. The Iraqis have said they don't want us there permanently. I think we all agree we don't want to be there permanently. But they also said we need to continue to train their troops. We need to make sure they maintain security in the area. They are not ready to do that now. Sunni sheiks in Al Anbar Province, which I was pleased to visit 2 months ago, are working with our forces and they are making great progress. They have been sending in their young Sunni men to be trained as Iraqi police and Iraqi Army. They need training. They are not ready yet.”