The Public Record
John Warner is a former United States Senator from Virginia, serving from 1979 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Warner was known for his work on defense and national security issues, particularly during his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He played a significant role in shaping U.S. military policy and was an advocate for the Virginia tribes seeking federal recognition. Warner was also involved in various bipartisan efforts throughout his career, emphasizing the importance of NATO and international alliances during the Cold War and beyond.
I look back on the days when we were dealing in the Cold War and we always had the feeling that the senior military and the Soviet Union at that time were individuals that would carefully think through all options for initiating certain…
There seems to me such a veil of secrecy and withdrawal that it is going to take some forceful initiatives on your part.
How proud some of these foreign officers are to step up and say: I am a product of America's IMET educational system.
I want to associate myself with my distinguished colleague's support for the IMET program.
I would think that primary responsibility for the enforcement of those benchmarks should be primarily with the Secretary of State and her ambassadors.
We have an ambassador there. I am trying to determine the degree of responsibility that you have with respect to the political side.
But as a part of your plan, that is the January 10 plan which you worked on, you do recommend additional forces in al Anbar?
Is under the new plan there to be more State Department officials, more emphasis put on the ambassadorial role to deal with that?
Is there not an element of risk now that is somewhat greater for our forces operating with the Iraqis?
I urged that you look at the testimony of General Keane, former Vice Chief of the United States Army, now retired, a very valued and knowledgeable individual.
The American GI is accountable for the orders he gets from the American chain of command right up to your successor; is that correct?
I do not think it is the absolute last chance, but it certainly is the best chance right now that we have.
The political commitment of the Iraqis is more important here than the additional troops.
The Senate believes a failed state in Iraq would present a threat to regional and world peace...
My hope and my prayers are this plan succeeds, but it succeeds by a greater and greater reliance on the Iraqi forces.
I would have welcomed the flexibility of having access to three more brigades if I remained there.
Senator, my general belief is I did not want to bring one more American soldier into Iraq than was necessary to accomplish the mission.
I recognize that if you give the higher figure which is in the plan now, 20,500, that would give the new commander more flexibility.
I believe in the policy that I am implementing, Senator Warner. Did I not believe in it, I would have taken other actions, as you suggested.
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