Political Quotes

“I rise to comment on the U.S. war in Iraq, which thankfully is coming to an end this month. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta made this historic declaration on Thursday at a formal ceremony in Baghdad. This means many things to many people, but I am certain that it can't mean more than to the families of the brave men and women who will be coming home for the holidays--home from Iraq for good. To those men and women I would like to say: We are proud of what you have accomplished-- you deposed a dictator and gave the people of Iraq a singular opportunity to chart their own future. And to the families of these brave servicemembers, thank you for the loneliness and longing that you endured while your loved ones were away. And to those whose loved ones did not return, one can hardly imagine your loss. The United States has been at war in Iraq for almost 9 years. President Obama made a promise to bring this war to a close--and I am proud to say he delivered on that promise. Tens of thousands of troops have handed over security responsibilities to their Iraqi counterparts. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will take the leading role, continuing our engagement through diplomatic channels. Our remaining 4,000 troops will be home by the end of the year. Whether you voted for or against the initial authorization for war-- and I was one of the 23 to vote against it--we can all agree that its toll has been higher than many could have imagined.…”