Political Quotes

“10 days ago I had the opportunity to travel to Iraq to visit our troops on the front line and the troups serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On that same trip to Baghdad, I had the opportunity to spend time with Ambassador Jerry Bremer as well as the new Prime Minister of the Iraqi interim government. He was appointed Prime Minister 3 or 4 days before our arrival. His name is Dr. Ayad Allawi. He happens to be a neurologist who spent part of his time and his training in England several years after I had the opportunity to do some of my training in England. Also during this trip, we had the opportunity to discuss with, listen to, and receive briefings from our Nation's senior military officers who are currently leading our efforts in Iraq. I was joined by my colleagues Senator Bob Bennett and Senator John Ensign. I will take a few moments to share with my Senate colleagues some of what we saw and learned on this trip. We didn't say very much about it because of the tributes last week. But about 8 days ago we were in Baghdad in Iraq. Some of what I will say you have heard before, but a lot of it you have not heard in large part because the media--both the media in Iraq and here in the United States--tends to cover the terrorist events, and it is very appropriate, but tends not to see what is going on on the ground in terms of what our soldiers see and what the Iraqi people are seeing.”