Chuck Schumer: “I want to speak for a brief time about the Middle East as well. I guess I am addressing my speech, in a certain sense…”

“I want to speak for a brief time about the Middle East as well. I guess I am addressing my speech, in a certain sense, to the President and the Secretary of State because many of us--certainly I and many of my constituents in New York and many colleagues in the Senate--are confused. I believe that in making this war on terrorism the No. 1 goal America faces, our President has done a great job. I support not only his concept but the execution. He has just been fabulous in this regard. My enthusiasm was not simply limited to the area of Afghanistan, southern Asia, and central Asia, but also to the Middle East because I have spent time talking to the President on numerous occasions about the Middle East. I have carefully followed his statements. What he has stated has been crystal clear, and that is that terrorism is terrorism is terrorism--whether it be in Afghanistan, or Iraq, or directed at Israel. The President has stated unequivocally that Yasser Arafat is engaged in terrorism and that until he is able to curb terrorism, we are not going to have peace in the Middle East.”