Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment offered by Chairman McKeon, and I want to be very clear about what is at stake here today. The terrorist group ISIL poses a direct threat to our allies and friends in the Middle East; and, of equal importance, left unchecked, their nihilistic vision could pose a direct threat to the United States, particularly given the number of individuals fighting with ISIL who have American and Western passports. I am gravely concerned that those individuals could return home and carry out acts of violence against the homeland. We have a clear imperative to act. These terrorists have brutally murdered two unarmed American journalists and an aid worker from the United Kingdom. They have slaughtered thousands of innocent Muslims, killed children, and committed unspeakable atrocities against women and religious minorities. ISIL and its agents operate without regard to international borders, and any strategy to degrade and defeat these terrorists must acknowledge this reality. In Iraq, the United States and its allies are operating in support and at the request of the sovereign Government of Iraq, as well as Kurdish forces. We have friendly boots on the ground and U.S. advisers in place, but, in Syria, we lack that clear partnership. I believe the President has rightly committed to an approach that does not involve U.S.…”