Political Quotes

“I have spoken several times in the past few weeks--and I have spoken many times in the past 20 years--about the scourge of landmines. They are inherently indiscriminate weapons. They are triggered by the victim, and usually the victim is an innocent civilian who is either killed or horribly maimed. The United States has not exported, produced, or used antipersonnel mines for more than 20 years. But notwithstanding that--even though 161 nations have joined the international treaty banning them--one nation stands out for not having joined the treaty. That is the United States, and it is a shame on this country. As the world's only superpower with by far the most powerful military, one would have thought the United States would set an example of moral leadership. Instead, we are among those who are preventing the universality of the treaty. This is doubly disappointing, considering that it was President Clinton who, 20 years ago, called for the elimination of antipersonnel mines. Two years later, in 1996--back in the last century--he said: ``Today I am launching an international effort to ban anti-personnel landmines.'' But his administration did not sign the treaty. Then we had the Bush administration. They did nothing on the issue. Now we have the Obama administration. Nothing has changed. The Obama administration is following the Bush administration's policy of doing nothing. So we are still waiting.…”