Political Quotes

“Mr. President, John Kerry is a valued colleague and a loyal friend, and we will miss him in the Senate. But at a time when our Nation faces complex and difficult challenges around the globe, he is especially well qualified to serve as Secretary of State, and I strongly support his confirmation. Unquestionably, Iran is at the top of the list of challenges the next Secretary of State will face. Senator Kerry has supported efforts in the Senate, including sanctions language included in the defense authorization acts for 2012 and 2013, that have helped isolate the Iranian regime. At his confirmation hearing, Senator Kerry succinctly stated the Obama administration's policy on Iran: We will do what we must do to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and I repeat here today: Our policy is not containment, it is prevention and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance. Senator Kerry will be an effective and dedicated executor of that policy as we unify the international community in our efforts to prevent the Iranian government from developing nuclear weapons. Another significant challenge for our foreign policy is the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Here again, Senator Kerry's unique qualifications will serve our Nation well. He strongly supports the plan for transitioning the security lead to Afghan forces so they can provide for their own security.…”