Political Quotes

“I think the Record should reflect that in connection with the action taken against Iraq in the fall, and then in connection with the proposed sending of ground troops as part of the NATO force and U.S. contingent of up to 4,000, there was confrontation with leadership in the Senate and the House in both instances. I think there has been a level--whether it is up to the expectations of my colleagues, it is individually for them to say --a level of confrontation in both sequences. We must bear in mind that under the Constitution, the President is the Commander in Chief. He has the right to direct the deployment of our Armed Forces in harm's way when he thinks hopefully it protects the vital security interests of the United States, and only under those situations because oftentimes the Congress has dispersed--it is in recess, and the like-- and those decisions have to be made quickly. Nevertheless, we have a coequal responsibility with the President regarding the welfare and the state of our men and women in uniform and the circumstances under which they are employed, particularly in harm's way.”