Political Quotes

“I deeply regret that I must vote against this resolution, not for what it says, but for what it does not say. Of course I agree with the strong condemnation of Palestinian suicide bombings killing so many innocent Israeli civilians. Terrorism is utterly intolerable, and it cannot be rationalized by other injustices. The Palestinian leadership's choice of violence against the innocent as a weapon of war does in fact justify retaliation. But how I wish we could have a leader with the greatness of Ghandi in the Middle East who understood that violence begets violence, as it has catapulted the region into killing and destruction. I must oppose this resolution because it is unbalanced and, thus, I believe counterproductive in bringing long-term peace and security to the people of Israel. It does not reference President Bush's words of April 4 and America's consistent foreign policy that Israel must stop the expansion and withdraw from the Palestinian-controlled territories before a sustainable peace can be achieved. This country supports U.N. Resolution 242, and Israel's unwillingness to comply is a contributing factor to the cycle of violence and despair. This House resolution does not make it clear, as Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said before thousands at an Israeli rally that America mourns the deaths of all innocent life, Israeli and Palestinian. Over 1,500 Palestinians and 500 Israelis have been killed just since September.”