Political Quotes

“there is a bipartisan ``way ahead'' in Iraq if viewed in terms of progress for America's security and not solely Iraq's, with a strategy that focuses on our natural interests in this conflict, not just the interests of Iraqis. Our troops have served our country courageously and brilliantly, but our engagement in Iraq has degraded our security, pushing our Army to the breaking point so that it cannot confront other pressing security concerns at home and abroad. My military service as a 3-star admiral, having led an aircraft carrier battle group in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and served as Director of the Navy's antiterrorism unit, convinces me that an inconclusive, open-ended involvement in Iraq is not in our security interests. Ending this war is necessary, but how we end it is of even greater importance both for our security and our troops' safety. These two considerations, our security and our troops' safety, are the dual catalysts for a bipartisan discussion to end this war. First, America's security. Our Army will rapidly unravel if redeployment from Iraq does not begin before spring, 2008. Today, 40 percent of all U.S. Army equipment is in Iraq. There is no Army unit now at home in a state of readiness able to deploy anywhere another contingency might occur in the world. Second, the safety of our troops. Redeployment from Iraq will be lengthy.…”