Political Quotes

“Well, Mr. President, if there are others who wish to speak, I will be happy to yield the floor. But I want to return--I am familiar with the European Security Defense Initiative, and I am not so sure that I am here tonight prepared to go into all the ramifications. But we are the leader of NATO, and I think if there is going to be a pattern where we do not get involved and share the risk, I question how long we can retain that leadership role. I seem to be in opposition to a number of things. I am not in favor of the expansion of NATO. It seems to me that the actions taken in Madrid are not in the best interests in the long term of NATO. I have gone back and read the debates. Remember 10, 12, 14 years ago when there were tremendous debates in the Chamber of the Senate: Bring them home--debates before we arrived led by the very able majority leader, the Democratic leader of the Senate, the distinguished Mike Mansfield of Montana--bring them home; NATO has finished its mission. There may be a degree to which our tinkering with NATO and changing it in concept could begin to undermine American public support, and I think that would be a terrible loss--NATO, the greatest alliance in the history of mankind, the most effective, the alliance that fulfilled its goals, exceeding every expectation of those who laid down the original charter. Indeed, NATO should be credited, rightfully, for such victories as we attained during the cold war period for the demise of the Soviet Union.…”