Harry Reid: “In the history of nations, greatness is forged, or opportunity squandered, not by natural evolution or by the hand of…”

“In the history of nations, greatness is forged, or opportunity squandered, not by natural evolution or by the hand of mysterious Fate, but by decisions leaders make in times of potential or imminent peril. A common view in America is that these decisions are thrust on us--the world wars, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the attacks of September 11--and we find meaning, and honor, in our response. As Americans, that response is guided by faith in our founding principles, in our love of freedom, and the blessings of justice. Yet leaders always have choices, and history teaches that hard choices deferred--appeasing Hitler, choosing not to deter Saddam Hussein in 1990, failing to act sooner against al Qaeda--often bring about the very circumstances we wished to avoid by deferring action, requiring us to react in freedom's defense. America's leaders today have a choice.…”