Chris Coons

Are you concerned that even if there are relatively peaceful elections, there may not be a smooth transition to an appropriately elected future government?

Zimbabwe does not want to remain a pariah state, a fact that we should be able to leverage.

We should not endorse an election whose outcome is already known nor should we prematurely lower our guard on sanctions or aid.

Is it possible for there to be credible elections on this short of a timeline with that modest of a budget, with the restrictions on observers, and with the limitations on engagement?

The crucial issue is what happens before and after and ensuring respect for the outcome, particularly if it is an opposition outcome.

Positive engagements with Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party should be conditioned on tangible progress in improving respect for human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.

What is the United States doing to address those concerns and have concerns like this been addressed effectively through the Kimberley Process?

We need to maintain our vigilance to ensure that barriers to participation... do not undermine the credibility of those results.

If Zimbabwe were to change and if we were to see a changed timeline, with free and fair and open elections...

These groups and international groups together can make a difference in moving Zimbabwe toward making the right decisions.

I have the utmost respect for both the underpinnings and the purpose of whistleblower protections.

Of course I think we should stick to our guns. Of course I think--but I think we need all of the taxpayer dollars that we are spending across a dozen agencies and with our partners in the private sector we need to be pushing in the same…

So I think we should stick to our guns.

We should not sell out our values in order to get a particular deal, because in the long run if we are right the world will move toward standards.

I often say that we are in a race in Africa with a number of competitors.

U.S. aid--and this is mostly in sub-Saharan Africa--has saved roughly 5 million lives.

I do not believe that companies that undermine the rule of law to get contracts now will succeed over the long term.

I do not believe that--I think the point is we should take the long view here and not be mercantilist about individual political deals.

What I think commends Delaware's example is that it does function in a bipartisan and bicameral way and does actually achieve results.

I frankly think that we are only going to see progress in this relationship if sanctions multilaterally are sustained and imposed in a broader and tougher way.

I am encouraged to hear, Under Secretary Sherman, in your written testimony that you are determined to face one of the greatest global challenges the United States and our allies face in Iran.

I share that goal. I share the frustration expressed by my colleague from Idaho that this seems to go on and on and on.

I want to thank our guests here today for what I think has been a very statesmanlike focus on this problem.

We need to be unrelenting in imposing tougher and tougher sanctions and in being willing to use force in order to prevent the acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability by Iran.

I am distressed by what seems to be endless cycles of negotiations.