Byron Dorgan: “We are a democracy with divided branches of Government, separation of powers. We have a President, a legislative branch…”

“We are a democracy with divided branches of Government, separation of powers. We have a President, a legislative branch, a judicial branch, and there is a role here for the legislative branch. My colleague suggested this was a circumstance where some were simply willing to criticize the President but offer no plan of their own. Then he subsequently said the resolution that some of my colleagues will offer in the Senate will advocate a different course of action. That is a plan, I guess, isn't it? If one advocates a different course of action than the President is advocating, it seems to me that is a plan. I don't disagree with much of what those who have a different view would say about these issues. Most of us want peace in Iraq. We want the Iraqis to control their own destiny. We want the Iraqi troops to be sufficiently trained so they can provide their own security. We all share that goal. We all want our country to succeed in the missions. Let me make one very important point. My colleague alluded to it in a way different than I would respond to it. During the debate on the floor of the Senate I don't think there will be a single Senator who stands up and in any way says he wants us to withdraw support for American troops.”