Political Quotes

“I was disturbed and saddened to learn late last night of the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other personnel in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. I would be happy to talk by name about them, but their names have not been released at this stage. It doesn't take away from how important the jobs are of these Foreign Service officers. I join President Obama in condemning these senseless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of those who were killed in this horrible attack. It is too often forgotten that American diplomats risk their lives on a daily basis. I had the good fortune in my days on the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House to travel the world. I always make sure, wherever I go, to visit with the Foreign Service personnel. They are everyplace. There is no group of people--and I tell them this every time I have the opportunity to visit with them--who do more for our country in a positive sense than these Foreign Service officers. They work so hard, and most of the time their duty stations are very difficult. For example, take this good man, Ambassador Stevens, who was just confirmed a few months ago. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. He taught English there. He was fluent in Arabic, French, and English. He served in the Foreign Service in Jerusalem, Cairo, and Saudi Arabia. He was the Staff Assistant of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He had an education that was really unbelievably strong and powerful.…”