Political Quotes

“I rise to make a few observations with regard to the Kennedy amendment to require a new national intelligence estimate on the situation in Iraq. I very much appreciate the efforts of Senator Roberts and Senator Stevens to work with Senator Kennedy to improve his original amendment, and I think the language that we have agreed to is a big improvement over the original proposal. I do want to share with my colleagues, however, a concern I have about what we are asking for here. As everyone in this Chamber knows, we have had a big debate over the last few years about whether the intelligence on Iraq was ``politicized'' as we approached the decision whether to authorize the use of force against Saddam Hussein in 2003. A large part of that debate has turned on whether the National Intelligence Estimate that was submitted to Congress by the intelligence community on October 1, 2002, was balanced and complete. It is important to recall that the October 1, 2002, National Intelligence Estimate was demanded by Members of Congress in September of 2002. The record demonstrates that the Director of Central Intelligence asked for more time to complete the estimate, and the Members of Congress who wanted to see that estimate said no. Certainly the pressure from Congress to produce that document very quickly contributed to whatever problems have subsequently been identified in that estimate.…”