Political Quotes

“I rise today to respond to my colleagues' remarks from last week that ``technically, the troops are funded right now,'' as if the bottom line on the budget report is sufficient for some in this chamber to ensure that our war fighters have all the resources that they need. Well, war is a serious business, Mr. Speaker, and we are indeed a Nation at war. Our men and women in harm's way don't have time for our political games or ``technicalities.'' Clever word play isn't going to turn DOD ink from red to black. There is nothing ``technical'' about the risk our war fighters face every day. They are not fighting an enemy that ``technically'' wants to do us harm. Instead, they are fighting a lethal terrorist network actually bent on spreading real Islamist totalitarianism in Iraq and across the globe. Mr. Speaker, the success of the surge strategy in Iraq is not making things ``technically'' better. We are seeing actual results and real improvement on the ground. Even the most liberal newspapers admit that the improvement is real. IED attacks are not ``technically'' down; they are actually fewer in number, fewer bombs being placed to attack our troops and Iraqi allies. Casualties rates are not ``technically'' down. We are actually losing fewer Americans as the security conditions improve. These improving conditions are not ``technically'' creating reconciliation.”