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ALSO HAS BEEN VERY CRITICAL TO
OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE WAR --
FIGHT IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM.
AND WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES IS ASKED A
IS EGYPT AN ALLY, AND
HE CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION
AFFIRMATIVELY, THAT TELLS YOU
WHAT KIND OF FOREIGN POLICY THIS
PARTICULAR PRESIDENT HAS.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HIS FOREIGN
POLICY IS IF HE CAN'T TELL YOU
WHETHER EGYPT IS AN ALLY.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, IN SPITE
OF ALL THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE
LAST TEN DAYS -- AND ALL OF US
STILL GRIEVE FOR THE LOSS OF
FOUR VERY BRAVE AMERICANS WHO
AS
CIVILIANS TO ADVOCATE WHAT'S IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR
COUNTRY.
BUT I WOULD ASSURE YOU IF
AMBASSADOR STEVENS WAS HERE
TODAY HE'D SAY THE DIRECTION
WHICH SENATOR PAUL'S AMENDMENT
IS THE WRONG DIRECTION IN WHICH
TO GO.
I KNOW WHAT THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY THINKS ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW THAT THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE THINKS IN SPITE OF OUR
PROBLEMS WITH PAKISTAN AND WE'VE
HAD OUR OVERT PROBLEMS WITH
PAKISTAN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS AND COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT THE FACT IS WE'VE GOT
AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN HARM'S WAY
TODAY IN AFGHANISTAN WHO ARE
FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE FREEDOMS
OF THIS COUNTRY AND WHO ARE
FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
REMAIN THE SAFEST, MOST SECURE
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
AND YOU CANNOT DECOUPLE
AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
MAINTAIN A STRONG RELATIONSHIP
EVEN THOUGH IT IS
DIFFICULT AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS
FRACTURED.
IT'S OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE THAT
WE MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP.
IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN AFGHANISTAN.
BUT IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR
ANOTHER REASON.
WE HAD A DEBATE IN THIS BODY
ABOUT A YEAR AGO ON WHAT'S
CALLED THE START TREATY, WHICH
IS A TREATY THAT WE HAVE WITH
RUSSIA FOR THE ELIMINATION OF
CERTAIN NUCLEAR WEAPONS OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME.
DURING THE COURSE OF THAT
DEBATE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
ELIMINATION OF RUSSIAN NUCLEAR
WEAPONS VERSUS WEAPONS IN THE
UNITED STATES, AND THAT'S GOOD
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
BUT NONE OF US IN THIS BODY WHO
HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT INTELLIGENCE
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE A GREAT
FEAR OF ANY COUNTRY GETTING A
HOLD OF A ICBM, A MAJOR
INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC
MISSILE, STICKING IT IN A SLEEVE
SOMEWHERE AND SHOOTING IT
TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES.
WHAT WE DO HAVE FEAR OF IS
SOMEBODY GETTING A HOLD OF WHAT
WE CALL TACTICAL NUCLEAR
WEAPONS, STICKING THEM IN A
SUITCASE AND BRINGING THEM TO
THE UNITED STATES OR PUTTING
THEM IN A POSITION TO KILL AND
HARM AMERICANS.
PAKISTAN HAS TACTICAL NUCLEAR
WEAPONS.
AND AS LONG AS WE MAINTAIN A
STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM,
AS LONG AS THEY ARE OUR ALLY,
HOWEVER YOU CHARACTERIZE THAT,
THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO AT
LEAST DIALOGUE WITH RESPECT
TO -- WITH THE PAKISTANIS WITH
PROGRAM.
RESPECT TO THEIR NUCLEAR
BUT EVEN TODAY -- AND I'LL CLOSE
ISSUE.
WITH THIS WITH RESPECT TO THAT
EVEN TODAY WITH ALL THAT'S
HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TEN DAYS
AND ALL THE CONDEMNATION AROUND
THE WORLD FROM A DEMOCRATIC
COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE
UNITED STATES, FOR THE
CONDEMNATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENED
AND THE CONSTERNATION AND APPALL
AT WHAT'S TAKING PLACE FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN
PAKISTAN AND IN LIBYA, THE
LIBYAN GOVERNMENT AND THE
PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAVE GIVEN
US ALL THE HELP THAT THEY CAN
POSSIBLY GIVE US, PARTICULARLY
IN LIBYA.
THAT'S A GOVERNMENT IN
TRANSITION.
IT'S A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE PEOPLE OF LIBYA HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY HAVE A
DEMOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT
ONE DAY.
IF WE SEVER TIES WITH THEM
TODAY, FOLKS, THAT'S OVER.
AND WE CAN JUST MAKE CERTAIN OF
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ONE MORE
TERRITORY, ONE MORE COUNTRY
WHERE TERRORISTS HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE TRAINED TO
KILL AND HARM AMERICANS.
WITH RESPECT TO PAKISTAN, THE
PAK GOVERNMENT HAS SENT THE
PALACE GUARD TO GUARD THE
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES.
THAT'S THEIR MOST ELITE TROOPS.
OUR RELATIONSHIP IS FRAYED AND
IT'S FRACTURED, BUT THEY ARE
DOING THEIR LEVEL BEST TO TRY TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE AMERICANS
PROTECTED.
THAT REMAIN IN PAKISTAN ARE
AND IF WE ALL OF A SUDDEN DECIDE
THAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT THEM OFF
FROM FINANCIAL AID, IS THAT
GOING TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION
THERE?
IS IT GOING TO GIVE US SOME SORT
OF SATISFACTION?
IT MAY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF
FOLKS WHO DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF
FOREIGN AID, PERIOD.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, FROM A
NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINT, IT
IS SIMPLY THE WRONG THING TO DO.
THERE WILL BE ONE COUNTRY THAT
WILL GAIN FROM THIS.
THE COUNTRY THAT WILL GAIN FROM
THIS IS THE MOST NOTORIOUS
TERRORIST-SPONSORING NATION IN
THE WORLD, AND THAT'S IRAN.
IRAN HAS A VERY POWERFUL
PRESENCE IN PAKISTAN TODAY.
THEY WANT TO HAVE A POWERFUL
PRESENCE IN LIBYA.
AND I ASSURE YOU THAT IF WE CUT
OFF THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF AID
THAT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT WITH
THIS AMENDMENT, THEN WE ARE
SIMPLY FOSTERING THE ABILITY OF
IRAN TO HAVE A LARGER VOICE AND
A LARGER PRESENCE IN COUNTRIES
THAT ARE VERY FRACTIOUS AND VERY
VULNERABLE TODAY.
SO WHILE I, IN SPIRIT I AGREE
WITH MY GOOD FRIEND, RAND,
SENATOR PAUL, THIS IS NOT THE
RIGHT TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR
COUNTRY AND NOT THE RIGHT TIME
IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD TO
TAKE ACTION THAT IS SIMPLY NOT
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
UNITED STATES.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM ARIZONA.
IN THE LAST FEW
DAYS SEVERAL INTERESTING THINGS
HAVE HAPPENED, AND SOME OF THEM
TRAGIC.
OF COURSE, BEGINNING WITH THE
TRAGIC LOSS OF OUR BRAVE FOUR
AMERICANS AND AMBASSADOR CHRIS
STEVENS.
AND THEN THE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT
HAVE TAKEN PLACE EVERYWHERE.
BUT ALSO, I REMIND MY COLLEAGUES
THAT THERE WAS A MOST
SOPHISTICATED ATTACK ON ONE OF
MOST HEAVILY FORTIFIED
INSTALLATIONS IN IRAQ.
IT WAS PROFESSIONAL.
IT WAS CARRIED OUT IN A
PROFESSIONAL FASHION.
IT RESULTED IN $200 MILLION
TAXPAYER.
WORTH OF LOSS TO THE AMERICAN
THE GREATEST SINGLE ACT OF
DESTRUCTION SINCE THE TET
OFFENSE BACK DURING THE VIETNAM
WAR.
IN IRAQ -- IN AFGHANISTAN,
BECAUSE OF THE ATTACKS OF AFGHAN
SOLDIERS ON AMERICAN SOLDIERS,
WE'VE HAD TO SUSPEND THE
OPERATIONS BETWEEN THE MILITARY
AND POLICE, BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES.
IF THERE IS EVER AN INDICATOR OF
FAILURE OF OUR POLICY IN
AFGHANISTAN, IT IS OUR NOW
INABILITY TO EVEN TRAIN WITH
THEM TO BE READY TO TAKE OVER
OUR -- THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
WE NOW HOLD.
THERE IS NO GREATER INDICATION
OF THE FAILURE OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES TO CONTINUE
TO TELL NOT THAT WE NEED -- THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE
OF THE WORLD NOT THAT WE NEED TO
SUCCEED, NOT THAT WE NEED TO
WIN, BUT THAT WE NEED TO
WITHDRAW.
AND SO COUNTRIES IN THE REGION
HAVE TAKEN THE LESSON AND HAVE,
ARE MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS.
THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE NOW
FACING A COLLAPSE NATIONAL
SECURITY POLICY IN THE REGION,
BEGINNING, OF COURSE, WITH THE
ASSERTION BY THE AMBASSADOR TO
THE UNITED NATIONS THAT WHAT
HAPPENED WITH CHRISTOPHER
STEVENS AND THE THREE OTHERS WAS
-- QUOTE -- "SPONTANEOUS."
THE PRESENT SPOKESPERSON SAYING
THE SAME THING.
WE KNEW IT WASN'T SPONTANEOUS.
WE KNOW PEOPLE DON'T BRING HEAVY
WEAPONS AND MORTARS AND
ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADES TO
DEMONSTRATIONS SPONTANEOUSLY.
THIS WAS A WELL-ORCHESTRATED,
WELL-PLANNED, WELL-EXECUTED ACT
OF *** OF FOUR BRAVE
AMERICANS.
AND NOW WE BLAME IT ON THE
VIDEO.
IT'S THE VIDEO.
NOT THE VIDEO.
THE VIDEO IS THE VEHICLE OF THE
RADICAL ISLAMISTS THAT THEY
USED.
AND DON'T THINK THERE WON'T BE
OTHER VEHICLES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE NOW, I'M SURE,
ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT ARE
MAKING VIDEOS THAT MUSLIMS MAY
FIND OFFENSIVE.
I FOUND IT OFFENSIVE WHEN THERE
WAS A PICTURE THAT I THA EU
WON'T EVEN DESCRIBE -- PICTURE
THAT I WON'T DESCRIBE NOW BACK
SOME YEARS AGO FOR THE NATIONAL
ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS.
WE BELIEVE IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD HAVE
SAID IS AMERICANS CHERISH AND
HAVE FOUGHT FOR THESE FREEDOMS,
INCLUDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
VERY BRIEFLY, BECAUSE I KNOW MY
COLLEAGUES WANT TO TALK.
WE'VE TOTALLY FAILED IN IRAQ.
TODAY AS WE SPEAK, IRANIAN
AIRCRAFT ARE OVERFLYING IRAQ TO
SYRIA AND DELIVERING WEAPONS TO
BASHAR ASSAD.
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE A
RESIDUAL FORCE THERE.
WE DIDN'T BECAUSE THEN-SENATOR
SURGE
WOULD FAIL, WHERE HE WAS
COMPLETELY WRONG, NOW HAS
SAID -- IS NOW CELEBRATING THAT
WE'RE OUT OF IRAQ.
THEY SENTENCED THEIR VICE
PRESIDENT TO DEATH.
THE TENSIONS BETWEEN SUNNI SHIA
AND KURD HAVE NEVER BEEN GREATER
AND AL QAEDA IS ON THE RISE IN
IRAQ.
IN THE WORDS OF GENERAL KEEN,
THE ARCHITECT OF THE SURGE, WE
WON THE WAR AND LOST THE PEACE.
WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
STOOD UP AND SPOKE ON BEHALF OF
THESE PEOPLE?
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND WHY THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES WOULDN'T AT
LEAST SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE
***, ***, TORTURE THAT'S
GOING ON AND CONTINUES ON AND AN
UNFAIR ATPAOEUD WITH BASHAR --
UNFAIR FIGHT WITH BASHAR ASSAD,
OF COURSE EVERY DAY THAT
GOES BY MORE AND MORE AL QAEDA
INFILTRATE THE COUNTRY.
IN AFGHANISTAN, OF COURSE THEY
KNOW WE'RE LEAVING.
ACCOMMODATING.
OF COURSE THEY ARE
THE FAMOUS STORY OF THE TALIBAN
PRISONER AND THE AMERICAN
OFFICER AND THE TALIBAN PRISONER
SAYS YOU'VE GOT THE WATCHES.
WE'VE GOT THE TIME.
AMERICA IS BELIEVED TO BE ON THE
DECLINE AND WEAKENING.
AND SO MITT ROMNEY WAS RIGHT,
THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE
EMBASSY IN CAIRO WAS A
SEMIAPOLOGY WHICH LATER THE
ADMINISTRATION ITSELF
REPUDIATED.
THIS PRESIDENT DOES NOT BELIEVE
IN AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM.
HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN AMERICAN
LEADERSHIP.
AND WE HAVE JUST PAID A VERY,
VERY, VERY HEAVY PRICE FOR OUR
LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
LEADING FROM BEHIND IS NOT THE
ROLE OF AMERICA IN THE WORLD,
AND APPROPRIATE LESSONS ARE
BEING DRAWN FROM THAT ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
I'D ASK MY COLLEAGUE FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA IF HE HAS ANY MORE
COMMENTS?
I YIELD NOW TO
SENATOR BAUCUS WHO WISHES TO
SPEAK.
WE YIELD THE
FLOOR.
I THANK MY FRIEND
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
FLORIDA.
I THANK THE SENATOR FROM
I'LL BE VERY BRIEF BECAUSE I
KNOW OTHER SENATORS WISH TO
SPEAK.
THIS LAST CONVERSATION I THINK
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
NORTHERN AFRICA, OTHER ARAB
COUNTRIES ARE IN A STATE OF
FLUX, TO SAY THE LEAST.
THE ARAB SPRING HAS CAUSED LOTS
OF QUESTIONS AND PROPOSE FOUND
IMPLICATIONS THAT WE DON'T BEGIN
TO NOW FATHOM.
IF THOSE COUNTRIES DON'T HAVE
EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE
ANY EXPERIENCE -- THEY HAVE
REPLACED TYRANTS WHO PRECEDED
THEM.
THESE ARE MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
THESE COUNTRIES FEEL THAT OTHER
PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE WEALTHY
AND THEY HAVE BEEN PUT UPON.
AFTER THAT, THESE ARE COUNTRIES
WHICH IN MOST RESPECTS HAVE
VERY, VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.
AND AFTER THAT, MOST OF THE
POPULATION, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF
THESE COUNTRIES ARE SUCH THAT
CLOSE TO HALF OF THE POPULATION
ARE UNDER THE AGE OF, SAY, 25 OR
MAYBE UNDER 30, MAYBE EVEN
YOUNGER THAN THAT.
IT'S A POWDER KEG.
AND THESE ARE COUNTRIES WHICH
REALLY DON'T HAVE THE HISTORY
AND THE CULTURE OF FIRST
AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH THAT
WE HAVE.
I SAY ALL THIS, MR. PRESIDENT,
BECAUSE I URGE ALL OF US ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE TO WORK
TOGETHER.
IT IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLICATED,
COMPLEX SITUATION.
TO
BE NOT TOO MANY YEARS AGO THAT
POLITICS STOPPED AT THE WATER'S
EDGE.
IT USED TO BE THAT NOT TOO MANY
YEARS AGO IN FOREIGN POLICY
ISSUES, BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY
NONPARTISAN, WE AS A COUNTRY
WORKED TOGETHER.
WE FACED THE COUNTRY -- THE
WORLD AS ONE VOICE.
SO I STRONGLY CAUTION MY
COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE TO NOT MAKE THESE -- THIS
A PARTISAN ISSUE, THAT IS, U.S.
POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE NORTHERN
AFRICA BUT, RATHER, THAT WE WORK
TOGETHER.
IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT.
THERE'S PROBABLY A REASON WHY
POLITICS USED TO STOP AT THE
WATER'S EDGE NOT TOO MANY YEARS
AGO, AND THAT MADE US -- BECAUSE
IT MADE US A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE
WORLDWIDE.
AGAIN, I URGE MY COLLEAGUES NOT
TO BE TOO CRITICAL OF THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE.
IT JUST GETS US NOWHERE, IT'S
DIVIDING AND CONQUERING, AND
THAT PUTS US IN A GREAT POINT OF
WEAKNESS.
MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE ON ANOTHER
MATTER AND THAT'S TO RECOGNIZE A
IMPORTANT EVENT THAT WILL
BE OCCURRING THIS SUNDAY AND
MONDAY.
WHAT IS THAT?
89 WORLD WAR II VETERANS FROM
THE STATE OF MONTANA WILL TAKE
PART IN THE BIG SKY HONOR FLIGHT
AND COME TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO
VISIT THEIR MONUMENT, THE WORLD
WAR II MEMORIAL.
THEIR TRIP IS HOSTED BY THE BIG
SKY HONOR FLIGHT PROGRAM.
THE MISSION IS TO RECOGNIZE
AMERICAN VETERANS FOR THEIR
SACRIFICES AND ACHIEVEMENTS BY
FLYING THEM TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
TO SEE THEIR MEMORIALS AT NO
COST.
THEY RAISE MONEY FROM MONTANANS
ALL ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE
THIS POSSIBLE.
I'VE HELPED PARTICIPATE.
AT STAKE FRIES, ET CETERA.
AND IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, THEIR
GENEROSITY, MONTANANS' AGAIN
GENEROSITY, IN PAYING FOR THESE
FLIGHTS IS REALLY SOMETHING
SPECIAL.
AND DON'T FORGET, IT HAS TO BE
TWO TICKETS -- ONE FOR THE
PERSON AND ONE FOR THE PERSON
HELPING THE VET BECAUSE THESE
WORLD WAR II VETS ARE -- HAVE
BEEN AROUND SEVERAL YEARS AND
THEY ON WHICH NEED A LITTLE BIT
OF ASSISTANCE.
ONE OF THE PASSENGERS ON
SUNDAY'S FLIGHT IS A
102-YEAR-OLD.
HIS NAME IS DR. McDONALD W.
HELD OF BILLINGS, MONTANA.
102 YEARS OLD.
DON'S HAD A REMARKABLE LIFE.
HE'S BEEN A UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE INTELLIGENCE WORKER, A
PROFESSOR, AN AUTHOR, A MINISTER
MINISTER, AND A COLLEGE
PRESIDENT.
DON WAS BORN IN 1909.
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 1909?
WELL, THAT YEAR PRESIDENT TAFT
WAS INAUGURATED AS THE 27th
PRESIDENT.
THE U.S. ARMY RECEIVED ITS FIRST
DELIVERY FROM THE WRIGHT
BROTHERS.
CONGRESS PASSED THE HOMESTEAD
ACT WHICH RESULTED IN A LARGE
INFLUX OF SETTLERS ALL ACROSS
THE WEST, INCLUDING MY STATE OF
MONTANA.
DON GRADUATED FROM BAYLOR
UNIVERSITY IN 1933 WITH A DEGREE
IN SPEECH.
ALTHOUGH HE EARNED HIS MASTER'S
AND DOCTORAL DEGREES FROM
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, DON'S
HEART REMAINED AT BAYLOR.
HE WEARS A BAYLOR WORKOUT SUIT
EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND
FRIDAY WHEN HE EXERCISES AT THE
BILLINGS YMCA.
REMEMBER, DON'S 102 YEARS OLD.
DURING WORLD WAR II, DON SERVED
IN THE AIR FORCE AS AN
INTELLIGENCE OFFICER IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
AFTER THE PEACE TREATY WAS
SIGNED, HE WAS STATIONED IN
TOKYO.
HE WORKED JUST A COUPLE
BUILDINGS DOWN FROM GENERAL
DOUGLAS MacARTHUR.
AFTER THE WAR, DON EMBARKED ON
HIS CAREER IN ACADEMICS.
HE SERVED AT HOUR PAYNE
UNIVERSITY AS A PROFESSOR THERE
IN 1955-1964, PRESIDED OVER THE
SPEECH AND THEATER DEPARTMENT,
AND SERVED AS ACADEMIC DEAN.
DON THEN WORKED FOR SEVEN YEARS
AT WAYLON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
BEFORE MOVING TO BILLINGS,
MONTANA.
IN BILLINGS, HE BECAME THE FIRST
HEAD OF THE SPEECH AND THEATER
DEPARTMENT AT THE EASTERN
MONTANA COLLEGE THAT WE NOW KNOW
AS MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY-BILLINGS.
WAS ORDAINED AS A
MINISTER IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
HE HAS MINISTERED IN THREE
CHURCHES IN MONTANA, ALSO SERVED
AS PRESIDENT OF THE YELLOWSTONE
BAPTIST BIBLE INSTITUTE, NOW THE
YELLOWSTONE BAPTIST COLLEGE.
DON AND HIS WIFE BEVERLY HAVE
FIVE CHILDREN, FIVE
GRANDCHILDREN, SEVEN
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN -- SO FAR --
AS HIS SON DON JR., A VETERAN OF
THE VIETNAM WAR, WILL ESCORT HIM
TO WASHINGTON THIS SUNDAY.
THIS IS A SPECIAL WEEKEND FOR
THIS GROUP OF HEROES.
BELIEVE ME, I WAS HERE WHEN THE
LAST HONOR FLIGHT CAME IN.
I CANNOT REMEMBER A TIME WHEN
I'VE BEEN SO, SO TOUCHED BY --
BY PEOPLE WHEN YOU SEE THESE
WORLD WAR II VETS, SOME MEN AND
MOST OF THEM MEN AND WOMEN,
THEY'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THEIR
EXPERIENCES.
THEY JUST -- THEY'RE THE
GREATEST GENERATION, AS HAS BEEN
MENTIONED BEFORE, ESPECIALLY BY
TOM BROKAW.
IT'S TIME TO GIVE THEM THANKS
FOR THEIR COURAGE, TIME TO GIVE
THEM THANKS FOR THEIR SACRIFICE.
THEY'VE DONE SO MUCH.
AND IT'S TIME TO REFLECT ON ALL
THE SACRIFICES THEY'VE MADE.
JUST THINK OF IT.
THE BATTLES OF EUROPE, KOREA,
JUNGLES OF VIETNAM, DESERTS OF
IRAQ AND THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY
FIGHTING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF
AFGHANISTAN.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THEM.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING OUR
MONTANA HEROES TO WASHINGTON
THIS WEEKEND.
I'M GOING TO BE DOWN THERE AND I
KNOW MANY OTHERS WILL TOO.
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
AND I THANK AGAIN MY GOOD FRIEND
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
ABSOLUTELY.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
I'D LIKE UNANIMOUS
CONSENT TO SPEAK IN MORNING
BUSINESS FOR THE NEXT HOUR.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
THANK YOU.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE A NICE DISCUSSION BETWEEN
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ABOUT
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
BIPARTISANSHIP, YOUR SHIP HAS
82 COSPONSORS.
COME IN, S. J. RESOLUTION 41 HAS
I'M NOT SURE WE COULD GET 82 OF
US TO AGREE THAT SUNDAY SHOULD
BE A DAY OFF, BUT WE'VE DONE IT
WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONCEPT OF
NOT ALLOWING THE IRANIAN
AYATOLLAHS TO NOT POSSESS A
NUCLEAR WEAPON AND TRY TO
CONTAIN THEM.
SO SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 41
HAS 82 COSPONSORS.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE ONE OF
THEM.
TO MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES,
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, ***,
MENENDEZ, CASEY.
SENATOR CASEY WAS THE FIRST ONE
TO STEP UP.
SENATOR LIEBERMAN.
THERE'S JUST BEEN A REAL JOY TO
WORK IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION
OVER SOMETHING THAT REALLY
MATTERS, THAT IS A TIME FOR THE
SENATE TO SPEAK.
IT IS NOW REGARDING IRAN'S
DESIRE TO GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS REJECTED
CONTAINING A NUCLEAR ARMED IRAN
AS A NATIONAL STRATEGY.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE DEAD RIGHT
ON THAT.
I KNOW GOVERNOR ROMNEY AGREES.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS
RECOGNIZE MY GOOD FRIEND FROM
GEORGIA, SENATOR ISAKSON, AND WE
HAVE SENATOR AYOTTE HERE TO
SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND I WILL BE SPEAKING A BIT
LATER, THEN CERTAINLY WORK
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, WHO'S BEEN
ONE OF THE REAL LEADING VOICES
ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE FOR THIS
RESOLUTION.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO
I THANK THE
RECOGNIZE SENATOR ISAKSON.
CAROLINA.
DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM SOUTH
THE
SENATOR FROM GEORGIA.
THANK YOU,
MR. SPEAKER -- MR. PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO, BEFORE HE LEAVES, I'D
LIKE TO ACK NOOJ TODAY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY
MAY BE ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT
DAYS ON FOREIGN POLICY THAT
TAKES PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
BECAUSE WHICHEVER WAY THE PAUL
RESOLUTION GOES AND THIS
RESOLUTION GOES IS GOING TO
DETERMINE THE DIRECTION AMERICA
GOES IN TERMS OF FOREIGN POLICY.
ARE WE ENGAGED?
ARE WE FIRM?
ARE WE THE GREATEST POWER ON THE
FACE OF THIS EARTH?
OR DO WE RECEDE, AS WE DID PRIOR
TO WORLD WAR II, AND PUT OUR
NATION IN YEP I DID AGAIN?
I DON'T VOTE FOR RECEDING.
I THINK IT'S TIME TO BE
STRONG.
IF THERE WAS EVER A POSITION TO
BE STRONG ON, IT'S NUCLEAR
PROLIFERATION AND THE
POSSIBILITY OF IRAN POSSESSING
MAKE A WET.
NUCLEAR FISSIONABLE MATERIAL TO
SO I WANT TO COMMEND SENATOR
GRAHAM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON
ARMED FORCES, HIS LEADERSHIP ON
ISSUE AND HIS LEADERSHIP ON
THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
HE IS A BEACON OF HOPE IN A BODY
THAT NEEDS IT RIGHT NOW.
AND I WANT TO ALSO COMMEND HIM
FOR GETTING 82 COSPONSORS.
I AGREE WITH HIM.
WE COULD NOT AGREE THAT SUNDAY'S
A DAY OF REST IF WE HAD TO HAVE
A VOTE ON IT.
BUT TO GET 82 PEOPLE TO COME
TOGETHER AND JOIN TO SEND A
CLEAR MESSAGE, NOT JUST TO THE
IRANIANS, BUT TO THE WORLD THAT
A NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN IS NOT
ACCEPTABLE AND CONTAINING ONE
WOULD NOT BE THE POLICY.
WE NEED TO HAVE A POLICY OF
PREVENTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION
DOES.
IT DOESN'T JUST SAY TO IRAN, WE
WANT TO PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING
A WEAPON.
NUCLEAR FISSIONABLE MATERIAL AND
IT ENCOURAGES THE WORLD TO JOAN
TOGETHER TO PREVENT IT.
MR. PRESIDENT, TEN DAYS AGO I
WAS IN GERMANY MEETING WITH THE
FOREIGN MINISTER OF GERMANY,
MEETING WITH THE E.U. MINISTER
OF FINANCE AND MEETING WITH THE
DEFENSE MINISTER OF GERMANY.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER-ONE
QUESTION OF ALL THREE OF THEM
WAS?
IT WASN'T THE PROBLEMS WITH THE
E.U., ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE THEM.
IT WAS IRAN AND WHAT WAS GOING
TO HAPPEN IF THEY ENDED UP
POSSESSING FISSIONABLE NUCLEAR
MATERIAL AND A WEAPON.
SO THIS RESOLUTION IS AN
IMPORTANT STATEMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BUT
MOREOVER, THE WORLD.
AND I THINK IT WILL BE
REPLICATED IN PARLIAMENTARY
BODIES AROUND THE WORLD TO SEND
THAT UNITED SIGNAL.
AND WE ARE CLOSE TO A TIME WHEN
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FISH OR
CUT BAIT.
THE IRANIANS HAVE CONTINUED TO
WORK.
WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD KNOWLEDGE
BUT NOT TOTAL KNOWLEDGE.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THE GERMANS
HAD, THE IAEA THINKS THEY KNOW
WHERE THE SENT FEWERS ARE AND
WHERE THEY ARE ARE BUT THEY'RE
NOT SURE.
THEY THINK THERE HASN'T BEEN
MOVEMENT BUT IN SOME CASES THERE
MAY HAVE BEEN.
WE NEED TO GET CLARITY.
AND WE NEED TO GET CLARITY
THROUGH UNITED NATIONS OR
THROUGH WHATEVER BODY POSSIBLE
TO SEE TO IT WE HAVE TOTAL
TRANSPARENCY.
AND IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, THEY
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR GOAL
IS TO PREVENT THEM FROM EVER
POSSESSING A WEAPON THAT COULD
DESTROY HUMANITY.
THE NATION OF IRAN STATES
CLEARLY AND OFTEN AND TELLS THE
WORLD THAT IT YEARNS FOR THE DAY
IT DESTROYS THE NATION OF ISRAEL
AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
NO ENTITY, NONE WHATSOEVER, THAT
MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT
DESERVES THE ABILITY TO HAVE
ENRICHED URANIUM OR ANY OTHER
TOOL TO ACTUALLY CARRY OUT WHAT
IT SAYS IS ITS STATED GOAL.
SO I RISE TODAY AS ONE GEORGIAN
BUT AS ONE OF MILLIONS AND
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS TO SEND A
CLEAR AND UNVARNISHED MESSAGE TO
THE PEOPLE OF IRAN.
WE WANT YOU -- WE WANT THE
PEOPLE OF IRAN TO KNOW FREEDOM
AND DEMOCRACY, TO BE RELEASED
FROM THE TYRANNY OF THE EYE OF THE
AYATOLLAHS AND THE CURRENT
TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT.
BUT THAT WE WILL NOT STAND ONE
MINUTE OR ONE IOTA FOR IRAN TO
POSSESS FISSIONABLE MATERIAL TO
BE USED IN A WEAPON TO END ALL
OF MAN.
AND AGAIN, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE
DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA, AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
MR. PRESIDENT, ONE,
I WANT TO THANK, SENATOR
ISAKSON, WHO SO THE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
HE'S A RANKING MEMBER ON THE
AFRICAN SUBCOMMITTEE AND HE HAS
REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, OPENED MY
EYES TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN
AFRICA WITH -- A LITTLE BIT OF
MONEY GOES A LONG WAY IN AFRICA
TRYING TO PREVENT RADICAL
ISLAMISTS FROM TAKING OVER THE
CONTINENT OF AFRICA, COMBATING
THE CHINESE, WHO ARE TRYING TO
BUY UP ALL THE RESOURCES AND
USING AMERICAN TAXPAYER DOLLARS
TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT AND
CREATE JOBS BACK HERE AT HOME.
AND, QUITE FRANKLY, SAVE
THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS, OF
YOUNG CHILDREN FROM CERTAIN
DEATH, FROM AIDS AND MALARIA.
JOHNNY IS JUST I THINK
EVERYTHING RIGHT ABOUT BEING A
SENATOR IN THAT REGARD AND I
APPRECIATE HIM COMING DOWN HERE
TODAY.
IF THE SENATOR FROM NEW
HAMPSHIRE DOESN'T MIND, CAN WE
BLUMENTHAL?
GO TO OUR GOOD FRIEND, SENATOR
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING
TO EGYPT WITH AND ALL THESE
OTHER HOT SPOTS AND I JUST
REALLY HAVE ENJOYED WORKING WITH
HIM ON THIS RESOLUTION.
THIS STARTED WITH A MEETING IN
OUR OFFICES, AN IDEA TO TRY TO
BACK UP WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA
SAID ABOUT NOT CONTAINING
NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN.
AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
WE'RE ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE
WITH 82 COSPONSORS.
SO MY GOOD FRIEND FROM
CONNECTICUT, SENATOR BLUMENTHAL.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING MY
COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA WHO HAS SO ELOQUENTLY
AND POWERFULLY STATED THE CASE
FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
BUT EVEN BEFORE DISCUSSING
RESOLUTION 41, I WANT TO THANK
HIM AND OUR COLLEAGUES WHO SPOKE
TODAY ON THE FLOOR ABOUT THE
RAND PAUL RESOLUTION.
I THINK THAT THIS MORNING'S
DEBATE -- AND I LISTENED TO IT
FOR ALL THREE HOURS BECAUSE I
WAS PRESIDING AT THE TIME --
REALLY MASHED ONE OF THE FINEST
MOMENTS --
REALLY MARKED ONE OF THE FINER
MOMENTS OF MY BRIEF 21 MONTHS AS
A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
WHAT I SAW THIS MORNING WAS AN
ARTICULATE, THOUGHTFUL AND
COURAGEOUS STATEMENT AGAINST A
RESOLUTION THAT WOULD DO GRAVE
HARM TO THIS NATION'S NATIONAL
INTERESTS IF IT BECAME LAW AND
IF IT BOUND THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT AND CUT OFF AID TO
THESE COUNTRIES.
I THINK THAT THE CASE STATED WAS
COURAGEOUS BECAUSE IT VERY
LIKELY MAY PROVE UNPOPULAR WITH
SOME ELEMENTS OF THEIR OWN PARTY
PARTY, TO PUT VERY BLUNTLY, THE
POLITICAL REALITY HERE.
BUT I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE
FINER MOMENTS OF THIS BODY
BECAUSE IT MARKED A POINT OF
CLARITY AND A CLEAR RECOGNITION
FOR THE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS
A NATION WHEN OUR NATIONAL
INTERESTS ARE THREATENED, WHEN
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY IS AT
STAKE, WHEN THE HARM TO THIS
NATION REQUIRES ACTING TOGETHER.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS
SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP WILL
ALSO COME TOGETHER, AS IT HAS SO
FAR WITH 82 COSPONSORS ON THE
HAVE
SPONSORED, SENATE RESOLUTION 41.
AND IT BEGAN, AS SENATOR GRAHAM
HAS RIGHTLY OBSERVED, WITH THE
LEADERSHIP OF A HANDFUL OF
SENATORS.
HE WAS ONE OF THE KEY LEADERS.
SO WERE SENATOR LIEBERMAN,
SENATOR AYOTTE, SENATOR HOEVEN,
SENATOR CASEY, SENATOR MENENDEZ.
I WAS PROUD TO BE AMONG THEM.
AND THE SPIRIT OF BIPARTISANSHIP
AND THE STRENGTH OF THAT SPIRIT,
EXTRAORDINARY.
I THINK, WAS REALLY
HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW.
AND AT A TIME OF CONFUSION AND
OBFUSCATION IN MANY RESPECTS
WHEN FOREIGN POLICY IS
CONCERNED, KNOWING WITH
CERTAINTY SOME OF THE FACTS HERE
IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE ALL KNOW FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY
AGENCY THAT AS OF NOVEMBER,
HAD PRODUCED
APPROXIMATELY 5,000 KILOGRAMS OF
URANIUM, ENRICHED UP TO 3.5%.
WE KNOW ALSO THAT THIS IRANIAN
REGIME IS THE MOST ACTIVE STATE
SPONSOR OF TERRORISM IN THE
WORLD, ACCORDING TO OUR
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
WE KNOW THAT THIS REGIME HAS
REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED ITS
DESIRE -- AND I'M QUOTING -- TO
EARTH.
WIPE ISRAEL OFF THE FACE OF THE
WIPE ISRAEL OFF THE MAP.
WE KNOW THAT THIS REGIME HAS
PROVIDED WEAPONS AND TRAINING TO
HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH AND MILITIAS IN
IRAQ THAT *** CIVILIANS AND
SPREAD TERROR.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT HAS ALREADY
ACTIVELY, CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED
AID TO THE ASSAD REGIME IN SYRIA
ITS BRUTAL AND UNCONSCIONABLE
REPRESSION OF ITS OWN PEOPLE,
THE MURDERS AND TORTURE THAT
HAVE OCCURRED DIRECTLY LINKED TO
IRAN.
WE KNOW THAT THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS SUCCEEDED IN
DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
IF IT DOES, IT WILL LEAD TO AN
ARMS RACE IN THAT PART OF THE
WORLD, AS THREATENING AS ANY
OTHER POTENTIAL HARM TO THIS
NATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT IRAN WOULD
CREATE ACCESS FOR TERRORISTS,
ACCESS FOR THEM TO THESE NUCLEAR
WEAPONS, MAKING THE MIDDLE EAST
A NUCLEAR TINDERBOX.
WE CANNOT TRUST THIS REGIME.
WE KNOW THAT FACT BEYOND ANY
POTENTIAL DOUBT.
IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS OF
EXTRAORDINARILY GRAVE CONCERN,
NOT ONLY TO NATIONS IN THAT PART
OF THE WORLD BUT TO ALL NATIONS
THAT WANT PEACE, AND
THAT IS WHY AN INTERNATIONAL
COALITION HAS COME TOGETHER WITH
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
IRAN CANNOT BE PERMITTED TO
CONTINUE ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM TO
A POINT WHERE IT IS CAPABLE OF
MAKING A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
AND DESPITE REPEATED CALLS FOR
IT TO SUSPEND OR STOP THIS
PROGRAM, WE KNOW WITH CERTAINTY.
IRANIAN LEADERS SHOW NO SIGNS,
NONE OF WAITING OR WANTING TO
HALT THEIR PROGRAM TO BUILD
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
IN FACT, RECENT INTELLIGENCE
SHOWS THAT THEY'RE CONTINUING
TO
ENRICH URANIUM AND DEVELOP
NUCLEAR FACILITIES, AND THAT IS
WHY WE NEED SENATE RESOLUTION
41.
NO QUESTION THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION UNDER PRESIDENT
OBAMA HAS REPEATEDLY AFFIRMED
HIS COMMITMENT TO SUCH A POLICY.
THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE THIS
POSITION, THE POSITION OF THE
UNITED STATES ABSOLUTELY CLEAR.
I'M QUOTING PRESIDENT OBAMA.
QUOTE -- "IRAN'S LEADERS SHOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT I DO NOT HAVE A
POLICY OF CONTAINMENT.
I HAVE A POLICY TO PREVENT IRAN
FROM OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS."
RESOLUTION 41.
THAT IS THE MESSAGE OF SENATE
THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT WE MUST
CONVEY AS A NATION TOGETHER FROM
ALL PARTIES, ALL PARTS OF THE
UNITED STATES, ALL INTERESTS
THAT TIME IS LIMITED, TIME IS
LIMITED TO KEEP IRAN FROM
ACQUIRING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CAPABILITY SO THIS RESOLUTION
CALLS FOR INCREASED PRESSURE ON
IRAN TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE
WITH THE UNITED STATES SECURITY
RUGSES.
AND THIS RESOLUTION -- SECURITY
RESOLUTIONS.
AND THIS RESOLUTION BUILDS ON MY
EFFORTS SCALING FOR SUCCESSFUL
TALKS THAT WOULD LEAD IRAN TO
HALT ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THIS RESOLUTION SAYS TO THE
WORLD THAT THE UNITED STATES AND
THE GOVERNMENTS OF OTHER
RESPONSIBLE NATIONS HAVE A VITAL
MUTUAL INTEREST IN WORKING
TOGETHER TO PREVENT IRAN FROM
ACQUIRING A NUCLEAR WEAPON
CAPABILITY.
LET US UNDERSCORE THE WORD AND
RECOGNIZE ITS IMPORTANCE.
A NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY.
MANY OF US -- AND I HAVE DONE
SO -- HAVE WRITTEN MULTIPLE
TIMES TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
OUTLINING A FRAMEWORK THAT WOULD
LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS,
AND MY HOPE IS THAT THE
COMBINATION OF STRICT
INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AND
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF A
WILL CONVINCE
THAT GOVERNMENT TO DESIST AND
CEASE ITS PROGRAM OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS CAPABILITY BUILDING.
IT'S NOT IN OUR INTERESTS, IT'S
NOT IN THE WORLD'S INTERESTS.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S NOT IN THAT
REGIME'S INTERESTS.
BUT IF SANCTIONS FAIL, WE MUST
BE PREPARED TO ACT.
AND SO THIS RESOLUTION EXPRESSES
THE RESOLUTION AND THE
RESOLUTENESS OF THIS BODY.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT SANCTIONS
WILL WORK, BUT IF THE GOVERNMENT
OF IRAN IS UNCONVINCED BY THIS
VERY COMPELLING CASE, IT MUST
KNOW THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT A
PARTISAN ONE, IT'S NOT ONE ON
WHICH WE ARE DIVIDED.
WE STAND TOGETHER, WE STAND
STRONG, WE ARE RESOLUTE AND
RESILIENT, AND THE UNITED STATES
WILL JOIN
TOGETHER TO PREVENT A
NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THE
SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
ALL OF THE COLLEAGUES THAT HAVE
JOINED, ALL 82 WHO HAVE JOINED
AS COSPONSORS.
WE BEGAN WITH A HANDFUL, BUT THE
COMPELLING POWER AND
PERSUASIVENESS OF THE NEED FOR
THIS RESOLUTION I THINK IS
CARRYING THE DAY, AND I AGAIN
YIELD TO THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA, MY GOOD FRIEND AND THE
LEADER IN THIS EFFORT.
THE
SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
I WANT TO THANK
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL FOR THOSE
ARTICULATE WORDS ABOUT THE
RESOLUTION AND THE KIND COMMENTS
HE MADE TOWARD MYSELF.
THE OTHER SENATOR FROM
CONNECTICUT, SENATOR LIEBERMAN,
WAS ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THIS
EFFORT, LIKE HE IS ON
EVERYTHING, THAT DEALS WITH
CONSTRUCTIVE FOREIGN POLICY IN
THE COUNTRY, BUT ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL PARTNERS WE HAD IN
TRYING TO GET THIS THING GOING
WAS SENATOR AYOTTE FROM NEW
HAMPSHIRE WHO IS A FRESHMAN
SENATOR BUT WHO HAS QUICKLY HIT
THE GROUND RUNNING AND I THINK
ON NATIONAL SECURITY.
STRONG VOICE
WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I
WOULD LIKE TO YIELD HER WHATEVER
TIME SHE MAY CONSUME.
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
WHO HAS REALLY LED THE EFFORT ON
THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
RESOLUTION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM CONNECTICUT,
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL, FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
THE BIPARTISAN NATURE OF THIS
RESOLUTION TELLS YOU VERY
CLEARLY THAT THIS REALLY IS THE
POLICY OF THIS CONGRESS AND HOW
IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE IS FOR OUR
COUNTRY.
THIS RESOLUTION WILL ENSURE THAT
WE GIVE A CLEAR MESSAGE TO IRAN
THAT IT IS NOT OUR POLICY, THAT
WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE WORLD,
THE WORLD WILL NOT ACCEPT, THE
UNITED STATES WILL NOT ACCEPT IF
IRAN ACQUIRES THE CAPABILITY OF
HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON, BECAUSE
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL MAKE
THE MIDDLE EAST A VERY MORE
DANGEROUS PLACE THAN IT IS NOW,
CAUSING AN ARMS RACE THERE.
IN ADDITION, IT WILL ALSO CAUSE
US TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE ONE
OF OUR STRONGEST ALLIES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, ISRAEL, IS
THREATENED WITH ANNIHILATION
BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE
IRANIAN REGIME HAS SAID, AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY IT WILL
ENDANGER OUR OWN COUNTRY IF IRAN
ACQUIRES THE CAPABILITY AND
ACQUIRES A NUCLEAR WEAPON OF
HAVING A NUCLEAR WEAPON BECAUSE
IRAN IS INCREDIBLY HOSTILE TO
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THEY PARTICIPATE WITH VARIOUS
TERRORIST GROUPS, INCLUDING
HEZBOLLAH, AND ONE OF THE
GREATEST RISKS WE FACE IS THAT
THE REGIME ITSELF WOULDN'T USE
THE NUCLEAR WEAPON, THEY WOULD
JUST GIVE IT TO A TERRORIST
GROUP THAT COULD HIT ANY ONE OF
AND ALSO USE IT IN A
POSITION TO HARM US AND OUR
COUNTRY, AND THEN THE WORLD, OF
COURSE, CHANGES.
SO WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO
HAPPEN, AND THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE 82 SENATORS
SPONSORING THIS.
I WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY AS WELL
ABOUT THE PAUL AMENDMENT THAT IS
PENDING BEFORE THIS BODY BECAUSE
THIS AMENDMENT AND HOW WE ACT ON
IT, AS MY COLLEAGUE FROM GEORGIA
SO ELOQUENTLY SAID, WILL DEFINE
WHAT IS THE POLICY AND THE
FOREIGN POLICY OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.
AND I WANT TO STATE MY STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THE PAUL AMENDMENT
BECAUSE I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT
IF WE PASS THE PAUL AMENDMENT,
THEN WE ARE SENDING THE VERY
MESSAGE TO THE RADICAL ELEMENTS,
THE RADICAL ISLAMISTS AND THE
TERRORISTS OF THE WORLD WHAT
THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM US, WHICH
IS THAT WE WILL WITHDRAW.
LET'S BE CLEAR WHAT THEIR GOAL
IS WHEN THEY ATTACK US.
ENGAGED.
THEY DON'T WANT US TO BE
THEY WOULD LIKE THE MIDDLE EAST
TO BECOME A SEVENTH CENTURY
TALIBAN STYLE GOVERNMENT
THROUGHOUT THAT IS A THREAT TO
OUR COUNTRY.
AND IN MY VIEW, FOR US TO NOW
WITHDRAW, TO PUT OURSELVES IN A
POSITION WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
AMENDMENT IS SO BROADLY DRAFTED
THAT EVEN IF ONE OF OUR ALLIES'
EMBASSIES WERE ATTACKED, LIKE
ISRAEL OR ANOTHER ONE OF OUR
ALLIES WERE ATTACKED, WOULD SEND
THE ABSOLUTE WRONG MESSAGE AND
WOULD BE TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE
SAFETY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MY COLLEAGUE,
SENATOR PAUL, IS WELL
INTENTIONED, BUT EVERY TIME WE
HAVE WITHDRAWN, PEOPLE HAVE DIED
AND THE WORLD HAS NOT BECOME
HERE.
SAFER, AND THE BATTLE COMES
WE DON'T WANT THE BATTLE TO BE
HERE.
WE WANT ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS TO
NOT BE IN OUR COUNTRY.
WE CAN'T FORGET WHAT HAPPENED TO
SEPTEMBER 11, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, AS MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE ELOQUENTLY STATED BEFORE,
MILITARY.
OUR ONLY TOOLS CAN'T BE OUR
THE REASON WE HAVE SO MANY OF
OUR MILITARY LEADERS STANDING UP
AND FORMER MILITARY LEADERS
SAYING THAT THEY OPPOSE THE PAUL
AMENDMENT IS BECAUSE THEY
UNDERSTAND THAT BY ENGAGING WITH
THESE COUNTRIES THROUGH THE
SMALL FOREIGN AID BUDGET THAT WE
HAVE, WE CAN PREVENT CONFLICT.
WE CAN ACTUALLY BE IN A POSITION
WHERE WE ARE ENGAGED AND WE ARE
SENDING THE MESSAGE TO THE
RADICAL ISLAMIST TERRORISTS THAT
NO, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CANNOT -- YOU CANNOT BACK US UP,
YOU CANNOT PUT US IN A POSITION
WHERE YOU CAN BRING THE BATTLE
TO OUR SOIL, WE WILL NOT BE
DEFEATED BY YOU, AND I THINK
THAT IF WE WERE TO PASS THIS
AMENDMENT, NO MATTER HOW
WELL-INTENTIONED FROM MY
COLLEAGUE, WE WOULD ONLY BE
ELEMENTS.
EMPOWERING THOSE RADICAL
SO I WOULD URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
VOTE AGAINST THE PAUL AMENDMENT,
AND I ALSO THINK IT VERY MUCH
RELATES TO THIS CONTAINMENT
REASONS.
RESOLUTION FOR THE FOLLOWING
WE SEE IRAN RIGHT NOW IGNORING
WHAT IS -- IGNORING WHAT THE
U.N. HAS ASKED OF IT, IGNORING
WHAT GOOD PEOPLE OF THE WORLD
WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IN SYRIA.
IN FACT, IRAN IS SUPPORTING
HEZBOLLAH, IT'S ARMING AND
TRAINING ASSAD'S FORCES IN
SYRIA, THEY ARE PROVIDING
WEAPONS TO INSURGENTS IN
AFGHANISTAN WHO ARE KILLING OUR
TROOPS.
THEY ARE ENGAGED WITH RADICAL
ELEMENTS IN IRAQ.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE
COURSE OF EVENTS, CAN YOU
IMAGINE IRAN WILL CHEER IF WE
PASS, I THINK -- BELIEVE ME, IF
WE PASS AN AMENDMENT THAT WE
WOULD SAY THAT SOMEHOW WE WOULD
COMMITMENT TO
PAKISTAN, OUR COMMITMENT TO
EGYPT AND OUR COMMITMENT TO
LIBYA.
AND OTHER AREAS AROUND THE
WORLD, GOD FORBID, ONE OF OUR
OTHER ALLIES, THEIR EMBASSIES
WERE ATTACKED.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IRAN WOULD
CHEER BECAUSE IF THE PAUL
AMENDMENT IS PASSED, IT WOULD
BE, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID,
ACTUALLY BREAKING THE CAMP DAVID
ACCORD WHERE WE AGREED AS A
COUNTRY TO PROVIDE AID TO EGYPT.
THAT WOULD MAKE ISRAEL LESS
SAFE, AND THERE IS NOTHING MORE
IN THE WORLD THAT THE REGIME IN
IRAN WANTS THAN TO HAVE ISRAEL
BE LESS SAFE.
IN FACT, THEY HAVE STATED VERY,
VERY CLEARLY, THAT REGIME, THAT
THEIR GOAL IS TO ANNIHILATE
EARTH.
ISRAEL FROM THE FACE OF THE
NUCLEAR WEAPON.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THEM TO GET A
THEY ARE MARCHING CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO THIS CAPABILITY.
SENATOR BLUMENTHAL TOLD YOU
ABOUT THE ENRICHMENT OF THE
URANIUM.
NOT THE LEVEL OF
ENRICHMENT YOU USE FOR A POWER
PLANT.
IT'S BEING ENRICHED TO HAVE THE
CAPABILITY OF HAVING A NUCLEAR
WEAPON.
THEY HAVE CREATED MORE AND MORE
CENTRIFUGES, DESPITE US ASKING
THEM TO STOP, DESPITE THE
SANCTIONS WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE,
ALL FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THEM
HAVING THAT NUCLEAR WEAPON THAT
THEY COULD USE THAT WOULD CHANGE
THE WORLD, AND WHAT THEY HAVE
SAID ABOUT OUR FRIEND ISRAEL,
THAT THEY WOULD SEEK TO
ANNIHILATE ISRAEL.
PLACE.
THE WORLD IS A VERY DANGEROUS
IF WE ALLOW IRAN TO ACQUIRE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON, THIS IS A GAME
CHANGER FOR THE WORLD.
THAT'S WHY THIS AMENDMENT IS SO
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND I VERY
MUCH APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE IN
SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT AND MY
COLLEAGUE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD,
BECAUSE WE NEED TO TELL THE
WORLD THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO
ALLOW THIS GAME CHANGER TO
HAPPEN.
AND IRAN NEEDS TO HEAR A VERY
CLEAR MESSAGE FROM US AS A
CONGRESS BACKING UP OUR
PRESIDENT THAT WE WILL NOT ALLOW
FOR THE CONTAINMENT OF A
NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN FOR THE
SAFETY OF THE WORLD.
AND FINALLY, LET OUR FRIENDS IN
ISRAEL KNOW WHEN PRIME MINISTER
NETANYAHU SAID ON SEPTEMBER 16
"THOSE IN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY WHO REFUSE TO PUT RED
LINES BEFORE IRAN DON'T HAVE A
MORAL RIGHT TO PLACE A RED LIGHT
BEFORE ISRAEL."
PLEASE KNOW OUR FRIENDS IN
ISRAEL THAT BY PASSING THIS
RESOLUTION, WE STAND WITH YOU,
THAT WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT TYRANNICAL
REGIME IN IRAN NEVER GETS THAT
WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT
COULD VERY MUCH CHANGE THE
SAFETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, THE
SAFETY OF YOUR COUNTRY AS WELL
AS OUR OWN COUNTRY AND THE
WORLD.
WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR
CAROLINA.
FROM SOUTH
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
THE
I THANK SENATOR
SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
AYOTTE FOR HELPING GET THIS
PROCESS GOING AND BEING ON THE
FLOOR AND HER STRONG VOICE ON
NATIONAL SECURITY.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY FRIEND
FROM TENNESSEE, SENATOR CORKER.
HE'S ON THE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE AND IS MOVING UP THE
LADDER, WILL BE CHAIRMAN AND
RANKING MEMBER, DEPENDING ON HOW
THE ELECTION COMES OUT.
NO MATTER HOW IT COMES OUT, BOB
WILL BE THERE TALKING ABOUT
INSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND
GUARDING THE TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
I'D LIKE FOR HIM NOW TO BE ABLE
TO SPEAK TO US, HIS THOUGHTS
ABOUT THE RAND PAUL AMENDMENT
AND THE NONCONTAINMENT OF A
NUCLEAR-CAPABLE IRAN.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
THE
SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE.
I WANT TO THANK
THE GREAT SENATOR FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA, WHERE I WAS BORN.
I DO WANT TO SAY THE COMMITTEE
MAKES THOSE DECISIONS.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE
JUMPING THE GUN ON THE KIND OF
STATEMENTS MADE EARLIER ABOUT
FUTURE SITUATIONS.
I DO WANT TO SPEAK, THOUGH, TO
BOTH THE AMENDMENT YOU BROUGHT
FORTH ON IRAN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
TREMENDOUS WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE
TO BRING SO MANY OF US ON AS
COSPONSORS.
AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY STRONG
SIGNAL TO IRAN, BUT ALSO PEOPLE
BELIEFS.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT OUR
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
I WANT TO SPEAK MAINLY, THOUGH,
ABOUT THE PAUL AMENDMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY TO
THE SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY, I
UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENTS THAT
DRIVE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT FOREIGN
AID THE WAY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
AROUND THIS COUNTRY ARE LOOKING
AT IT TODAY.
I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT OUR
TOTAL FOREIGN AID BUDGET IS 1%
OF WHAT WE SPEND EACH YEAR, BUT
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO
LOOK AT IT IN A VERY DIFFERENT
WAY.
AND SO WE HAVEN'T DONE AN
AUTHORIZATION BILL ON FOREIGN
AID SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST SIX YEARS
NOW.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE SENATOR FROM
SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE RANKING
MEMBER ON FOREIGN OPS AND I KNOW
THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING
AT THINGS IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT AS
SHOULD BE LOOKING MORE
CLOSELY AT HOW WE GENERATE
FOREIGN AID TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND I HOPE WE'RE GOING TO BE
DOING THAT AFTER THIS NEXT
CONGRESS WHEN WE BEGIN TO
FUNCTION AND HOPEFULLY IN A MUCH
BETTER WAY.
I DO WANT TO SAY, THOUGH, THE
PURPOSE OF FOREIGN AID AT THE
END OF THE DAY IN MANY CASES IS
TO KEEP OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM FROM HAVING TO BE
DEPLOYED IN OTHER PLACES BECAUSE
OF UNREST THAT'S AGAINST OUR
NATIONAL INTERESTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, REALLY
IN POINTING OUT LIBYA, EGYPT AND
PAKISTAN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
POINT OUT THREE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, IN LIBYA, THE PEOPLE
OF LIBYA ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR
OUR INTERVENTION.
AND BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE COME IN
AND CREATED A TRAVESTY IN
BENGHAZI AROUND OUR CONSOLATE
THERE, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE
TRYING TO UNDERMINE WHAT WE'RE
DOING THERE.
IS
DRAFTED, IF TERRORISTS IN ANY
COUNTRY THAT WE ARE AIDING
HAPPEN TO DO SOMETHING AT ONE OF
OUR EMBASSIES OR CONSOLATES,
THEN WE WITHDRAW AID.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
BASICALLY TERRORISTS, PEOPLE
LIKE AL QAEDA, THE TALIBAN AND
OTHER GROUPS ARE BASICALLY
DECIDING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO
AS IT RELATES TO FOREIGN AID.
THAT WOULD BE A REAL BIG STEP
FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO
SAY THAT IN THE FUTURE
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO RELATING
TO FOREIGN AID WILL BE
DETERMINED BY TERRORISTS.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT
WE WANT TO DO AS A BODY.
SO LET ME SET LIBYA ASIDE AND
SAY THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING
THAT WASN'T A POPULAR MOVEMENT.
IT WAS DONE BY PREMEDITATED
TERRORISTS.
IT WAS TERRIBLE.
WE ALL LOVE CHRIS STEVENS AND
THANK HIM FOR THE WORK THAT HE
HAD DONE FOR OUR NATION.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY FOR US
TO REACT IN A COUNTRY THAT'S
TRYING TO EVOLVE INTO HOPEFULLY
A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY AND
SOMEBODY DOWN THE ROAD THAT
IN SOME WAY WILL
CREATE EVEN MORE STABILITY IN
THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
SO LET'S MOVE TO EGYPT.
I SAT DOWN WITH THE MILITARY
LEADERS THERE, AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE CONTINUED TO TALK
ABOUT WAS THE CAMP DAVID ACCORD.
THE AID THAT WE SEND TO EGYPT IS
TO REINFORCE IN MANY WAYS THE
CAMP DAVID ACCORD THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO ISRAEL, WHICH IS
ONE OF OUR MAJOR ALLIES, ONE OF
THE BIGGEST ALLIES WE HAVE IN
THE WORLD.
SO, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD
DECIDE WE WOULD CUT OFF ALL AID,
WHICH WOULD TOTALLY UNDERMINE
THE CAMP DAVID ACCORD, WHICH
WOULD TOTALLY UNDERMINE THE
SECURITY OF A COUNTRY THAT IS
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ALLIES.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
THE RESPONSE IN EGYPT TO WHAT
HAPPENED AT OUR EMBASSY?
I THINK WE SHOULD, AND I THINK
IT SHOULD AFFECT THE
NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH
THEM REGARDING OUR FOREIGN AID.
LET'S FACE IT, WE'VE HAD DECADES
OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR
MILITARY.
AND EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN
A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE COUNTRY,
THE MILITARY IS STILL THERE.
AND CANDIDLY, THEY DIDN'T
RESPOND EXACTLY THE WAY WE'D
LIKE FOR THEM TO RESPOND.
A GREAT ALLY.
THE PRESIDENT WAS A LITTLE
HESITANT TO RESPOND.
I UNDERSTAND THE FINE LINE THAT
HE'S WALKING.
HE'S JUST BEEN ELECTED.
I UNDERSTAND THE COUNTRY REALLY
HASN'T BEEN THROUGH THIS
PROCESS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HE DIDN'T
RESPOND EXACTLY THE WAY THAT WE
WOULD EXPECT HIM TO RESPOND.
HE SINCE THAT TIME HAS, BUT I
STILL THINK IT SHOULD AFFECT OUR
NEGOTIATIONS AND WE OUGHT TO GO
SLOW.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA,
WORKING WITH HIS COUNTERPART,
HAVE TAKEN THOSE THINGS INTO
ACCOUNT AS IT RELATES TO THIS
NEXT YEAR.
AND I THANK THEM FOR THAT.
IN EGYPT, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE
ARE SLOWING THIS DOWN A LITTLE
BIT.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH
EGYPT IS APPROPRIATE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND I THANK THE SENATOR FOR
HELPING MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT WITHDRAWING ALL AID WOULD
BASICALLY UNDERMINE TOTALLY THE
CAMP DAVID ACCORD, WHICH MOST OF
US IN THIS BODY BELIEVE TO BE
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO LET ME MOVE TO PAKISTAN.
PAKISTAN IS A PLACE WHERE
DISAPPOINTED.
PROBABLY MOST OF US ARE MOST
WE UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
IN PAKISTAN HAVE WITH THE
NETWORK AND THAT'S BEEN
DISAPPOINTING.
WE UNDERSTAND THE TROUBLE WE'VE
HAD TRYING TO CLOSE DOWN SOME OF
THE AMMONIUM NITRATE PLANTS THAT
ARE THERE ACTUALLY HELPING
CREATE SOME OF THE I.E.D.'S THAT
ARE USED TO DISMEMBER AND HARM
AND KILL OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM IN AFGHANISTAN.
WE'RE DISAPPOINTED IN A LOT OF
THINGS IN PAKISTAN.
OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE MOST
DISAPPOINTING THINGS, ONE OF THE
THINGS MOST DIFFICULT FOR US TO
UNDERSTAND IS THE TREATMENT OF
THIS PHYSICIAN WHO AIDED US WITH
OSAMA BIN LADEN.
YET, THERE IS A LEGAL PROCESS
THAT'S UNDERWAY THERE.
AND I THINK WE SOMETIMES FORGET
THAT THAT IS ALSO UNDERWAY.
AND THERE'S A COURT OF LAW
THERE.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HAVE AN
OUTCOME THAT ENDS UP SHOWING
THAT IT'S BEEN HANDLED IN A
JUDICIOUS WAY.
BUT LET ME JUST SPEAK TO
PAKISTAN.
AFGHANISTAN.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO LEAVE
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF OUR
TROOPS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, A BIG
PART OF OUR TROOPS OUT OF
AFGHANISTAN BY 2014.
DEMSEY.
I MET YESTERDAY WITH GENERAL
HE WAS TELLING ME THAT IN ORDER
TO MEET THAT TIME LINE, WE HAD
TO MOVE A TRUCKLOAD OF EQUIPMENT
OUT OF AFGHANISTAN EVERY SEVEN
MINUTES BETWEEN NOW AND THE END
OF 2014.
EVERY SEVEN MINUTES.
WELL, WHAT IS THE MAJOR ROUTE
THAT WE USE TO MOVE OUR
EQUIPMENT OUT OF AFGHANISTAN?
PAKISTAN.
NOW, IF WE WANT TO CUT OUR NOSE
OFF TO SPITE OUR FACE, I WOULD
SAY LET'S CLOSE OFF THAT ROUTE.
LET'S CREATE ENMITY BETWEEN US,
MORE ENMITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
I THINK MOST OF US REALIZE WE
HAVE A VERY TRANSACTIONAL H.R.
H.R. -- TRANSACTIONAL ORIENTED
RELATIONSHIP WITH PAKISTAN.
NOT QUITE THE WAY MOST OF US
WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.
BUT THE FACT IS THERE ARE A LOT
OF THINGS THERE THAT HAVE TO DO
WITH THE SAFETY OF OUR MEN AND
WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE
ANOTHER ROUTE OUT IN GETTING ALL
OF THIS EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL
OUT OF THERE, YOU'RE PROBABLY
GOING TO TAKE A ROUTE THAT
DOESN'T WORK QUITE AS WELL FOR
OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM.
AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE
SENTIMENT.
OUR PHONE IS RINGING OFF THE
HOOK WITH PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE
SAME SENTIMENT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT.
WHEN YOU SEE ON TELEVISION
PEOPLE ARE RISING UP IN THESE
NATIONS AGAINST US -- BY THE
THESE COUNTRIES ARE NOT
MONO LITHIC, NOT UNLIKE HERE.
WE'VE GOT GROUPS LIKE OCCUPY
WALL STREET THAT ARE ABLE TO
EXPRESS THEMSELVES, BUT THEY
DON'T REALLY REPRESENT MY
VIEWPOINT.
BUT THESE COUNTRIES ARE IN SOME
WAYS LIKE OURS.
DO THINGS.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO PROTEST AND
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE WHOLE
COUNTRY FEELS THAT WAY.
THESE ARE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
HAD STRONG MEN LEADING THEIR
COUNTRIES IN SOME PLACES AND
AREN'T USED TO UNDERSTANDING
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ABLE TO
EXPRESS YOURSELF.
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO
OPERATE IN A SOCIETY THAT'S MORE
OPEN THAN IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT
CERTAINLY -- THAT CERTAINLY
DOESN'T QUELL MY STRONG FEELINGS
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN
BENGHAZI, NOR DOES IT FOR ANYONE
ELSE HERE, I'M SURE.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE NEED TO
DIFFERENT WAY.
LOOK AT FOREIGN AID IN A
I THINK WE'VE TAKEN SOME STEPS
TO DO THAT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY.
I DO KNOW IS THE PAUL
AMENDMENT IS NOT THE WAY TO DO
IT.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE ENERGY
THAT THE SENATOR HAS BROUGHT TO
THIS BODY AND THE MANY GOOD
POINTS THAT HE BRINGS FORTH.
BUT I KNOW THIS: WE DO NOT WANT
AN AMENDMENT TO PASS THAT SAYS
THAT IF TERRORISTS ATTACK AN
EMBASSY OR CONSOLATE, ANYPLACE
AROUND THE WORLD, AID IS TAKEN
FROM THAT COUNTRY.
I DO NOT WANT A TERRORIST
DETERMINING WHAT OUR
RELATIONSHIP IS GOING TO BE WITH
THAT COUNTRY.
AND I THINK ALL OF US KNOW THAT
OUR WITHDRAWAL FROM THE MIDDLE
EAST WILL LEAVE US IN A PLACE,
IN A WORLD THAT IS VASTLY UNSAFE
FOR OUR CITIZENS, FOR PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND WHILE I KNOW THAT OUR
ENGAGEMENT NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND
EVOLVE, I KNOW THAT THIS
AMENDMENT IS NOT THE WAY TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE IT, AND I WILL
VOTE AGAINST IT IF WE EVER GET A
VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT.
AND WITH THAT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
A SENATOR: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
I WANT TO THANK
SENATOR CORKER FOR A VERY GOOD
COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY EXPLANATION,
KIND OF A BIG-PICTURE RATIONAL
APPROACH TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SENATOR PAUL'S
CONVICTIONS; A LOT OF AMERICANS
ARE FRUSTRATED, WE'RE BROKE, WHY
ARE WE GIVING MONEY TO OVERSEAS
WHO HATE US?
THEY ALL DON'T HATE US.
SOME DO, SOME DON'T.
LET'S INVEST IN THE ONES WE WANT
TO LIVE WITH AND STAND UP TO THE
ONES WHO WANT TO KILL US ALL.
ONE MORE WORD ABOUT THE WORLD WE
LIVE IN.
WE COULD GET HIT IN THE NEXT
MINUTE.
WE COULD GET HIT TODAY.
WE COULD GET HIT TOMORROW.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET HERE AS
DESPERATELY AS THEY CAN.
THANK GOD FOR EVERY DAY WE'VE
SURVIVED WITHOUT BEING ATTACKED
ON OUR HOMELAND.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE BEEN
EFFECTIVE AFTER 9/11 IS WE'RE IN
THEIR BACKYARD.
WE'RE DEPLOYED OVER THERE NOT
JUST WITH MILITARY FORCE BUT
WITH ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE MAKING THEIR LIFE MORE
DIFFICULT IN RAISING MONEY AND
MANEUVER.
OPERATING AND BEING ABLE TO
TO AMERICA NOW TO
ATTACK US IS HARDER THAN IT WAS
ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2001, BECAUSE
WE'RE ENGAGED IN THE FIGHT.
AND IF YOU WITHDRAW AID, YOU
TAKE ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE
TOOLS OFF THE TABLE -- AND THERE
HAS TO BE MORE TOOLS IN THE TOOL
KIT THAN JUST BOMBING PEOPLE OR
DISENGAGING FROM THE WORLD.
SO THIS 1% OF THE BUDGET IS A
GODSEND TO THOSE IN THE
MILITARY.
AND NOW, I TURN BACK TO S.J.
RESOLUTION 41.
SENATOR HOEVEN FROM NORTH DAKOTA
WAS MY FIRST REPUBLICAN
COSPONSOR OF THE IDEA YOU CANNOT
CONTAIN A NUCLEAR-CAPABLE IRAN.
AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I
APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP.
SO I YIELD TO SENATOR HOEVEN.
THE
SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SENATOR
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ON THIS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT ISSUE AND ALSO EXPRESS
MY APPRECIATION FOR THE SENATOR
FROM TENNESSEE AND MY AGREEMENT
WITH HIS REMARKS.
I THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT ON WITH
WHAT HE SAID.
AND I SUPPORT WHAT HE HAD TO
SAY.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO
BE A COSPONSOR ON SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION 41 WITH SENATOR
GRAHAM.
HE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THIS
ISSUE.
HE IS DEDICATED -- HE HAS
DEDICATED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF TIME AND COMMITMENT TO THIS
EFFORT.
RECENTLY, I WAS WITH SENATOR
GRAHAM AND SENATOR McCAIN AND
OTHERS, AND WE WERE IN
AFGHANISTAN, AND THEN WE WERE IN
EGYPT WHERE WE MET WITH THE
MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND THEN WE
WERE IN ISRAEL, WHERE WE MET
WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU,
THEN WE WERE IN LIBYA, WHERE WE
MET WITH A NUMBER OF THE MILITIA
GROUPS THAT NOW CONTROL SOME
THINGS, AND WE WERE IN TUNISIA
AS WELL.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, IT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THOSE
COUNTRIES.
SENATOR GRAHAM HAS BEEN THERE
MANY TIMES, AS HAS SENATOR
McCAIN.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, AND
SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT
SENATOR CORKER EXPRESSED ARE SO
TRUE.
WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THESE COUNTRIES.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO
COMMUNICATE WITH THESE COUNTRIES
AS THEY TRAY TRY TO BUILD
DEMOCRACIES.
BUT WE MUST BE CLEAR AND
CONSISTENT IN OUR FOREIGN POLICY
THAT WE SUPPORT OUR FRIENDS, WE
SUPPORT OUR ALLIES, AND WE WILL
OPPOSE OUR OPPONENTS.
AND THAT WE DEMAND SAFETY FOR
ABROAD.
OUR EMBASSIES AND FOR AMERICANS
WE PROVIDE NO LESS TO THE PEOPLE
THAT COME TO OUR COUNTRY, AND WE
EXPECT THE SAME IN RETURN.
NOW, SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 41
IS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT, AND I
THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
WANT TO EXPRESS THAT AGAIN.
IT IS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT.
80 SENATORS STANDING TOGETHER
THEIR SUPPORT,
BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
SENATE FLOOR, AND SAYING TO THE
ADMINISTRATION, WE NEED TO TAKE
A TOUGH STAND WITH IRAN.
WE CANNOT ALLOW IRAN TO DEVELOP
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
IT IS NOT AN OPTION.
CONTAINMENT -- A NUCLEAR IRAN
CONTAINED IS NOT AN OPTION.
IT DOESN'T WORK.
LOOK WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE
MIDDLE EAST RIGHT NOW.
IN EGYPT, IN LIBYA, TUNISIA,
YEMEN, ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT EXTREMIST
GROUPS, FUNDAMENTAL ISLAMIC
EXTREMIST GROUPS THAT ARE
UNDERMINING THE DEMOCRATIC
EFFORTS IN THOSE COUNTRIES.
LOOK AT THE ATTACKS ON OUR
EMBASSY.
AMBASSADOR.
LOOK AT THE KILLING OF OUR
WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT, AND WE CAN
ONLY PREVENT THAT THROUGH
STRENGTH, THROUGH STRENGTH.
SO WE'VE GOT TO STAND UP FOR
AMERICA'S INTERESTS IN ALL OF
THESE COUNTRIES, AND WE'VE GOT
TO PREVENT A NUCLEAR IRAN.
HELPING THE EXTREMISTS
THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE
COUNTRIES, SUPPORTING BASHAR
ASSAD IN SYRIA, HEZBOLLAH,
HAMAS, ALL THESE GROUPS THAT ARE
UNDERTAKING VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT
THE MIDDLE EAST, NOT ONLY
AGAINST THE AMERICANS BUT
AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE,
UNDERMINING THESE DEMOCRACY.
THE WAY THAT WE HELP STOP THAT
AND THE WAY WE HELP SUPPORT
FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IS THROUGH
A STRONG, CONSISTENT FOREIGN
POLICY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION
ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS IS ALL
ABOUT, IS SAYING TO THE
ADMINISTRATION WE MUST STAND UP
TO IRAN AND WE MUST PREVENT IRAN
FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
AND IF IRAN WERE TO DEVELOP A
NUCLEAR WEAPON, THAT COULD ALSO
START A RACE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES
IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO DEVELOP
NUCLEAR CAPABILITY, LOOK AT THE
UNSTABLE SITUATION THERE NOW.
IT IS CERTAINLY NOT A SITUATION
WHERE NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAN BE
ADDED TO THE EQUATION AS WELL.
WE HAVE WORKED IN THE SENATE, IN
THE HOUSE TO PROVIDE TOOLS TO
THE ADMINISTRATION TO PUT
SANCTIONS IN PLACE TO PREVENT
IRAN FROM DEVELOPING A NUCLEAR
WEAPON.
THE KIRK-MENENDEZ LEGISLATION,
WHICH WAS PASSED AS PART OF THE
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL,
PROVIDES STRONG SANCTIONS
AGAINST IRAN THAT STILL HAVEN'T
BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED.
THE BEST WAY TO STOP IRAN FROM
GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON IS
THROUGH SANCTIONS.
ALL OPTIONS HAVE TO BE ON THE
TABLE.
WE MUST SUPPORT ISRAEL IN
WHATEVER ACTION ISRAEL
DETERMINESDETERMINES IT MUST TAKE TO
DEFEND ITSELF.
ALL OPTIONS MUST BE ON THE TABLE
AS WELL.
BUT THE BEST WAY TO STOP IRAN,
IF WE CAN, IS WITH SANCTIONS,
BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING TO
WORK IS IF THEY ARE FULLY
IMPOSED TO THE FULL EXTENT
POSSIBLE.
EXAMPLE.
LET ME USE KIRK-MENENDEZ AS AN
WHAT DID THAT LEGISLATION
PROVIDE?
THAT LEGISLATION PROVIDED A TOOL
TO THE ADMINISTRATION WHICH
ESSENTIALLY BARRED ANY COMPANY
OR COUNTRY THAT DOES BUSINESS
OR ITS CENTRAL BANK
FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH THE
CENTRAL BANKING SYSTEM IN THE
UNITED STATES.
THAT IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL
BECAUSE IF IRAN CAN'T SELL ITS
TOOL, IT CAN'T CONTINUE TO
FUNCTION.
SANCTIONS.
WE MUST FULLY IMPOSE THOSE
WE MUST STAND STRONG WITH OUR
CLOSEST FRIEND AND ALLY, ISRAEL,
IN THE REGION.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A BIPARTISAN
MESSAGE TO OUR ADMINISTRATION
SAYING, STAND STRONG.
WE CAN AND WE MUST PREVENT IRAN
FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
WITH THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I SEE
OUR -- THE MAJORITY LEADER AND
THE MINORITY LEADER ARE ON THE
FLOOR, AND I WILL TURN THE FLOOR
BACK TO THE ESTEEMED SENATOR
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AND THANK
THE CHAIR.
MR. PRESIDENT,
COULD I HAVE JUST TWO MINUTES TO
WRAP UP BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER.
I WANT TO THANK SENATOR REID AND
SENATOR McCONNELL FOR
SCHEDULING THIS VOTE.
82 SENATORS STAND BEHIND