Political Quotes

“I believe we are debating a simple proposition today. There have to be consequences of aggression. It is not enough to stand on this floor and bemoan the rapes and bemoan the genocide and then not do anything. I think we all agree we do not want to see U.S. troops actively engaged, but it seems to me that we do have to level the playing field, we do have to allow the victims of aggression the opportunity to protect themselves. When there are consequences of aggression, when the victim has an opportunity to respond, you have a climate in which peace negotiations can take place because now the aggressor has a reason to negotiate for peace because he suffers some casualties and he suffers some hardships. In the absence of these consequences, in the absence of weapons to defend oneself, there are no consequences, and the aggression continues. I believe that people should be cautious and I am not unmindful of the caution cited by the ranking member. But it is clear to me that this lifting of the arms embargo need not be immediate.”