Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding those 2 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I want to approach a couple of things here. We keep talking about the idea that our presence and these 900 people in Somalia are somehow leading to a stabilization effort. However, the reality is this: When was our actual presence required for stabilization as opposed to counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operational tactics? We talk about the threats, but the real threat is China, which is existential to all of us. We allow them to go into Ghana, into the Ashanti belt, and completely pillage resources with no U.S. response. Where were our 900 troops that were there to help with this stabilization when our greatest adversary was there robbing and pillaging? By the way, where are we with regard to: If we are there to fight and combat Al-Shabaab, then why are we not taking a greater presence when it comes to the oil resource protection in Lake Turkana out in Kenya? It is a place I know very well because I spent time in Nairobi and also in Karen. We continue to try to act as if we are stabilizers, but do we not remember what took place in Libya, where we actually helped with supporting the destabilization that now has led to the Misrata militia, the Sirte militia, and further economic turmoil? Mr.…”