Political Quotes

“I was in the Congress the weekend when the bombing of our barracks in Beirut took place. It was a sobering event for all the American people. I think it was during that period that we began to determine that we needed a good set of rules that the country could follow when it came to putting our people in harm's way. Soon after the tragedy in Beirut, then-Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger came out with more or less a set of rules that would guide the United States as they intervened around the world: Is there an achievable goal; is there an exit strategy; does it have public support; and is it in the direct, vital national interest of the United States? One thing he did not ask is what is the role of our allies. But in the post-cold war period, it is absolutely essential that we ask, what is the role of our allies? First of all, in regard to Bosnia, is there an achievable goal? Let me maintain that I do not believe there is.”