Glenn English: “sometimes great nations are called on to assume great responsibilities. As the greatest Nation on earth and as the…”

“sometimes great nations are called on to assume great responsibilities. As the greatest Nation on earth and as the target of fundamentalist terror on 9/11, we have been obliged to assume the mantle of leadership in a global war on terrorism. That conflict for better or for worse has brought us and brought our allies to Iraq and Afghanistan. We now have a fundamental obligation to support the aspiration of those peoples for a free society and a free economy. Unfortunately, the regimes that have been removed in both countries have left their people in such a wretched position that it requires an active intervention by the U.S. to restore their economic potential. It is our responsibility to help these peoples as much as we helped western Europe after World War II in the hope that they will join us eventually in the community of free nations. The part of this appropriation measure that I wish to speak to is not the one dealing with military expenditures. Today I rise in support of the social investments and economic assistance which we are offering Iraq and Afghanistan, $20 billion for two countries devastated by decades of dictatorship.”