Political Quotes

“I rise to speak to the resolution congratulating the people of Iraq for their historic elections which took place on January 30. The Iraqi elections were an important step forward and a tribute to the courage of the Iraqi people. It was actually incredible to see them go to the polls literally as they heard explosions in the streets. The images that we saw were quite moving. The election is only the first step in a long road filled with potentially lethal potholes, and the next months are going to be very critical. If the elections are to be a true turning point in the history of Iraq, then it is critical, and I believe the administration fully understands, that the administration act with the urgency that is needed in several key areas to sustain this very positive momentum. In my view, the first priority is to build Iraqi capacity. The election, hopefully, strengthened the political legitimacy of the Iraqi government, but it did nothing to build its governing capacity. The Iraqi government is no more capable today than it was the day before the elections of providing law and order, defeating the insurgents, or delivering basic services like water, gasoline, and electricity. We have squandered 2 years developing these capabilities, and now it is time to move into high gear, especially in training Iraqi forces that are able to operate independently and effectively.”