Political Quotes

On the recordJuly 15, 2010
After General Stanley McChrystal was relieved of his command last month and replaced by General David Petraeus, we read a lot of headlines that said things like this: "Generals Change, But Afghan Doesn't." "Afghan Policy Won't Change After Dismissal." But that is precisely, Madam Speaker, the problem. All the chatter about General McChrystal's indiscretion and firing obscured the critical point. The problem isn't with the personnel or the leadership, but with the strategy and the policy. The problem isn't with the generals, but with the war itself. There's a bit of a rearranging-of-the-deck-chairs-on-the-Titanic quality to all of this. No matter what the captains say and no matter who captains the ship, as long as we continue to prosecute this failed war, as long as we keep sending Americans to die on a mission that's doing nothing to defeat terrorists or stabilize Afghanistan, then we are headed straight for that iceberg.
Said by
Lynn C. Woolsey
California

Editor's note · Context

Woolsey addresses the implications of leadership changes in the Afghan war strategy.

Share

More from Lynn C. Woolsey

Jul 18, 2012

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title) insert the following: Sec. __. The total amount of appropriations made…

govinfo.gov
Jul 24, 2012

I understand, Mr. Speaker, that we're ready to close, so I yield myself the balance of my time. In closing, Mr. Speaker, once again, at a time when there are so many Americans looking for work and so many middle class families struggling…

govinfo.gov
Jul 18, 2012

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment. The Clerk read as follows: At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: Sec. __. The total amount of appropriations made…

govinfo.gov
Jul 18, 2012

A few months ago, the Republican majority passed their budget blueprint which, unbelievably, called for the complete elimination, over 10 years' time, of funding for the Social Services Block Grant. This program is designed to help people…

govinfo.gov

Other voices in this conversation