Political Quotes

“I respect my colleague's views. We have had this debate several times before. I recognize and feel, as do you, as do I and I think every Member of this Chamber, the extraordinary losses in this country of 2,600-some men and women who have given their lives and some over 20,000 who are trying to recover from wounds and the impact on their families. That is an enormous sacrifice. But what I say to you, my dear friend: You pose a big gamble. If you are not right and this legislature interprets that as a signal, the public servants in Iraq interpret that as a signal, the members of the Iraqi security forces--namely, the army--hear that their support base, logistically and other ways, the United States, that we are beginning a phased withdrawal, this could trigger the opposite reaction. If that Government were not able to function because of the lack of security and they lose reins of sovereignty, I ask my good friend, what happens? If these oilfields--maybe not all at once but fractionally--what happens if this country begins to divide in three parts: the Kurds in the north, the Sunnis in al Anbar, and down south in the Bosra region, the Shia? Iran is flexing its muscles in various ways, and as you and I know their influence is being felt in that country. What happens if they see we are not there with the resolve that our President, time and time again, has stated?…”