Political Quotes

“in the proud history of America's Armed Forces, I fear that the Bush years will be known as a rare, even a dark time. At a time when we call upon our troops to face new challenges and great dangers, our President stretched them thin and neglected their protection and care, in many instances. Military readiness levels have dropped to levels not seen since Vietnam. Tours of duty keep getting extended. We are so bogged down with over 160,000 troops in Iraq that we cannot adequately respond to the grave and growing challenges elsewhere, such as bin Laden, who remains free to taunt and threaten us; his al-Qaida network, which is more powerful than ever; like Afghanistan, where the gains of the past are now backsliding, the drug trade is rampant, and violence is on the rise; Pakistan, where the path toward democracy is wavering significantly. It will take years to recover from the mismanagement of the military in the past few years by our Commander in Chief. Today, we can take steps that will make our country safer, aid the fight against terrorism, and provide our heroic troops with the care and support they deserve. Mr. President, my ability to express my appreciation, admiration, and affection for Senators Levin and Warner--I am incapable of doing that. To me there are no two finer Senators whoever served this body. There are no two Senators who have done more for our armed services.”