Political Quotes

“again I commend my colleague. I think I have fairly clearly stated, and I believe there has been concurrence, the document prepared by the Senator and others is virtually accepted in our amendment. The changes that I put out, the one simple change in the sense of the Senate, you understood that. Then we get to the conditions, which is changing 120 days instead of 30. So I say to my colleague--and I think the Senator has been very fair and objective about it--the amendments are parallel in every respect except the last paragraph. I say to my good friend, I say to all Senators, the next 120 days are critical. If this is to become law, the President would have to start every 90 days addressing the estimated dates for the phased redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq. No mention about the other coalition forces. I say that few words can be interpreted by all as being the timetable, and we do not in this 120 days, in my judgment, want to have any hint whatsoever of a timetable. It is so critical, with all the progress thus far by the Iraqi people--elections and a series of transitional governments, then acceptance of the constitution by referendum, then the election of a new legislative body, and then they have to stand up and begin to strengthen the ministries and take hold in such a way that it is clear to the Iraqi people and the world that that government is in control.…”