Robert Byrd

“ Winston Churchill once said about war: "The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events."
It is those unforeseeable and uncontrollable events that may be precipitated by a war with Iraq that keep me awake at night. I wish I could share the President's confidence that the toppling of Saddam Hussein and his regime will set into motion a peaceful revolution in the Middle East. ”

“ But what I will not support is a blank check for this Administration to allow military action in Iraq to slowly creep into other operations, into other lands. We have seen how the goal of disarmament in Iraq has changed to fighting terrorism in Iraq to ousting the leadership of Iraq to bringing peace to the Middle East through war in Iraq to forcing Saddam Hussein and his sons from Iraq. Is it any wonder that I and others worry what goal may be next? Where is this strategy taking us? Where are we taking the world? ”

“ The American people know that war is looming. The Senate knows that war is looming. Yet the budget resolution before the Senate ignores that war. It ignores the obvious costs that are staring us square in the face. This Senate ought to be up front with the nation and anticipate the costs of war in this budget. ”