Political Quotes

“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's vitriolic, anti-American, Holocaust-denying leader, just concluded the first ever trip to Iraq by an Iranian President. Many commentators in the Middle East hailed the visit as a diplomatic success for him. Before our invasion, no Iranian President would have dared to step foot inside Iraq. He was received by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki not with one, but four kisses for luck at a staged press conference with Iraqi media. I quote Ahmadinejad: "The Americans have to understand the facts of the region. Iraqi people do not like America." After 6 years in Iraq, 4,000 American lives lost, tens of thousands wounded, and $570 billion spent, this is what we have to show for it? Iran's anti-American leader being given the opportunity to try to humiliate us at a joint press conference with Iraq's leader? Mr. Speaker, we are seeing the fruition of our strategic blunder in Iraq. The groundwork has been laid for a Shiite-dominated Iraqi theocracy, loyal to Iran and diametrically opposed to our strategic interests in the region. We can stay this course or chart a new direction that will end this failed policy and bring our troops home. It's about time we chose a direction that is worthy of the patriotism of our troops and the sacrifices of their families.”