Political Quotes

“As we prepare to cast our vote today to train and equip Syrian rebels, I want to remind my colleagues of the nearly $20.2 billion that the United States has spent to train and equip Iraqi security forces during our decade at war there. And what happened? The Iraqi security forces could not secure the country and fled major Iraqi cities when confronted by ISIS. $20.2 billion. And yet here we are again today ready to authorize hundreds of millions of dollars to train and equip members of the Free Syrian Army. What in the world are we doing? Instead of rushing into yet another war, flooding the region with more weapons and intervening further in a civil war, Congress should be pressing the pause button. Instead of rushing into yet another war authorization--which of course this congressional resolution says it is not, but the unintended consequences will expand this war--Congress should be examining all of the solutions to this crisis, not just the military ones. That is why I called and will continue to call for Congress to live up to its constitutional responsibility and have a full debate on the authorization to use force. The costs and consequences should be made clear. ____________________”