Steve Cohen: “Let me take a moment to challenge the notion that somehow the U.S. Senate is engaged in micromanagement. We are talking…”

“Let me take a moment to challenge the notion that somehow the U.S. Senate is engaged in micromanagement. We are talking about the President of the United States, who is considering deploying 25,000 troops to one of the most hostile regions in the world, that has been filled for centuries with ethnic hatred, poison and death. And we are talking about deploying those troops to that region without having any sort of defined plan presented to us, without knowing what the ground rules are going to be, so to speak, without knowing who is in charge, without knowing what the Russian role is going to be. If ever there was a case in which we ought to be consulted and give approval, it is this one. Let me also take issue with those who said, ``Well, President Bush finally came to Congress.'' It was only after we insisted day in and day out and by going down to the White House, that the President finally agreed to come to Congress to get authority. Before that President Bush was determined to say, ``I only have to get authority from the United Nations, that's where I get my authority.'' We resisted that, and we actually forced the administration to come to us. Not only was it politically wise for him to do so, but we believe he was constitutionally mandated to do so. So the notion that somehow we are micromanaging is misconceived.”