Russ Feingold

I think that it is a constitutional analysis which has carried the day.

any process that could somehow make a President feel that he did not need to go through that process prior to such a major action would trouble me.

I voted in favor of the authorization to use military force in Afghanistan, because that was where al-Qaeda, which had planned and carried out the attacks of September 11, was based.

The previous administration's mismanagement of that war, however, was tragic, and it has left us in a very difficult position.

And, Colonel, Admiral Mullen has acknowledged that the Pakistani Security Services maintain relations with militants in Pakistan.

The situation in the region remains explosive, and the current administration's decision to increase the United States military presence in Afghanistan may have no lasting positive impact.

I am somewhat concerned that we may be sending our troops right into the eye of the storm with an insufficient strategy.

So, to invest enormous resources in Afghanistan, I think, is allowing tactical considerations to take precedence over strategic thinking.

The adoption of a new energy strategy is critical in order to effectively address climate change domestically and internationally.

I think, in connection with what Ambassador Pickering has been talking about, about alternatives, one needs to reach out to that community and ask them where they're putting their money and whether they can put their money into something…

The only thing I'd say back to that is, it's precisely because of the perception of what we did, vis-à-vis the Ethiopian invasion, and the perception of what we've done, that makes it a higher obligation for us, I think, to show a support…

I have been begging for a policy towards Somalia for years, and then people wonder why there's an unstable situation in Somalia that can lead to this kind of piracy.

I think appointing a special envoy can be an extraordinarily special contribution, because it puts a spotlight on the issue and it shows that America has a special concern with it.

Thank you, Dr. Wolpe.

Certainly, you can't call them low-level contact, as our ambassadors are--I met with----

I'm honored that I'll be joined by the ranking member of the subcommittee, Senator Isakson.

The gaps in our diplomatic capacities are especially felt when it comes to work on defusing regional conflicts.

I think the lack of capacity has been one of the reasons we've had to rely so heavily on the use of special envoys.

I want to thank all the panelists.

Not unlike some conversations we're having domestically.

this is a great showing.

I think we need to be----

I've seen, firsthand, the dedication of our diplomats, their resourcefulness, and their hard work.

I have been trying to talk about this, for years. You almost never hear it.

I would argue that the stronger the political accommodation is, through the reconciliation process, the less insistent are the belligerent parties to find mechanisms of judicial accountability for past deeds.