Political Quotes

“just 1 month ago, this Congress approved the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, of 2006. President Bush signed the bill into law on November 14. The act contains strong language concerning the political and military situation in Indonesia. Congress requested from the administration evidence of genuine progress in military reform, the protection of human rights, and accountability for crimes against humanity. It asked for such evidence before the administration made available to Indonesia any funds appropriated under the Foreign Appropriations Act for the Foreign Military Financing Program and before it issued any licenses for the export of lethal defense articles for the Indonesian Armed Forces. Congress also gave the administration the authority to waive these conditions when it is in the interests of national security to do so, as it usually does when placing these kinds of conditions on this or any administration. To measure the desired improvements in military reform, we asked the State Department to certify that, No. 1, the Indonesian Government is prosecuting and punishing, in a manner proportional to the crime, members of the Armed Forces who have been credibly alleged to have committed gross violations of human rights; No.…”