Russ Feingold: “I have listened intently over the past few weeks as the President, members of his Cabinet, and Members of this Chamber…”

“I have listened intently over the past few weeks as the President, members of his Cabinet, and Members of this Chamber have discussed Iraq, the war on terror, and ways to strengthen our national security. For years, now, I have opposed this administration's policies in Iraq as a diversion from the fight against terrorism. But I have never been so sure of the fact that this administration misunderstands the nature of the threats that face our country. I am also more sure than ever and it gives me no pleasure to say this--that this President is incapable of developing and executing a national security strategy that will make our country safer. As we marked the fifth anniversary of 9/11 this month, we recalled that tragic day and the lives that were lost in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania. And we all recalled the anger and resolve we felt to fight back against those that attacked us. This body was united and was supportive of the administration's decision to attack al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan. No one disputed that decision. That is because our top priority immediately following 9/11 was defeating the terrorists that attacked us. The American people expected us to devote most of our national security resources to that effort, and rightly so. But unfortunately, 5 years later, our efforts to defeat al-Qaida and its supporters have gone badly astray. The administration took its eye off the ball.”