Political Quotes

“Now, Mr. President, as we all know, the President has announced his goal of welcoming these first three nations into NATO to mark the alliance's 50th anniversary, scheduled for April 4 of next year. Several weeks ago, the President submitted to the Senate the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. For the United States, under the ``advise and consent clause'' of our Constitution, two-thirds of this body must give their concurrence to the President's request. Likewise, the new admissions must be agreed to by the other 15 nations in NATO. Presently, Canada, Denmark and Norway have, in their respective Parliaments, ratified these Protocols. If the Senate agrees, this would be the first of perhaps many expansion rounds to include the nations of Central Europe and some of the nations of the former Soviet Union. Twelve nations have publicly expressed a desire to join the current 16 that comprise NATO. As I said yesterday--and I don't desire to be dramatic--I do believe this replaces, symbolically, the Iron Curtain that was established in the late forties, which faced west, with now an iron ring of nations that face east to Russia. That causes this Senator a great deal of concern. I have previously expressed my concerns here.…”