Political Quotes

“it is time for American troops to come home. That was the judgment of the Senate last year. Last year, by a vote of 79 to 19, we adopted on a bipartisan basis an amendment written largely by the Senator from Michigan but amended and then cosponsored by the Senator from Virginia. It was a bipartisan amendment. By 79 to 19, we said last year that this year would be different. This just would not be another year, it would be a year of significant transition, and we were specific about what that transition meant. It meant that the Iraqis would be moving toward control of their own nation. It meant that their forces would take the lead. Those were our words--``take the lead''--in defending their country. It meant that we would create the condition for phased redeployment--that is, withdrawal of U.S. forces. That is how we voted last year, 79 to 19. Today, we are now debating again whether American forces can start to come home. I thought we already decided that last year, that this would be the year when they start to come home. Senator Levin brings an amendment to the Senate and says again, as we did last year, we will start redeploying or withdrawing American forces this year. What do we hear from the other side of the aisle? The same Republicans, many of whom voted to start bringing troops home this year, now resist the idea. Is that because Iraq is stronger today? Unfortunately, the statistics do not suggest it.…”