Tom Lantos: “Some of us do not accept the sanctity of our Western European friends. They would stand on firmer moral ground if they…”

“Some of us do not accept the sanctity of our Western European friends. They would stand on firmer moral ground if they would stand with the United States in our dealings with Iran or Iraq or Syria or other totalitarian states. Actions have consequences. The United States was fully prepared to make these payments, but the situation has changed with encouragement on the part of some of our 'friends.' There is great glee that the United States was booted off the U.N. Human Rights Commission where unquestionably we were the most important, most valuable, most articulate, and most principal member for over half a century. And while I am very pleased to see my friend defending the Bush administration in this instance, I do not. I believe the Bush administration is dead wrong in saying that we should turn the other cheek. Actions have consequences. We had an arrogant and irresponsible action: booting the leading champion of human rights off the U.N. Human Rights Commission. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and I are proposing a modest response, a temporary withholding of a portion of our dues.”