Political Quotes

“let me say that one of the previous speakers talked about supporting President Reagan in Central America, and I did that. He talked about supporting President Bush in Saudi Arabia, and I did that. I opposed their effort in Somalia. I felt it was a mistake. The United States can only do so much. The gentleman who just spoke, said if somebody is fighting in the middle of the street, reminds me of one of the Members who said they got involved in a domestic quarrel; and when they got involved, in the end they both turned on the individual Member who tried to interfere with a domestic quarrel. There was a physical battle. We are talking here about the most complicated type of situation. I remember one time going to Bosnia, 3 or 4 years ago, and Helen Bentley said to me, a former Member of Congress, ``Do not forget, this started in 1389.'' The animosity and deep feelings of the two sides, the three sides, in Bosnia are very difficult. All of us feel we would like to solve it. It is a tragedy. I walked through the mud in Vietnam, up to my waist in the water. I saw young Vietnamese killed, and I saw young Americans killed. I was wounded twice. I know something about what it is like to send Americans into harm's way. If I thought it would solve the problem, I would be the first to step in front, but it will not solve the problem. For instance, if we were to lift the arms embargo, France and Britain will withdraw their troops.…”