[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 24 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S1776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CLARIFYING A STATEMENT ON IRAQ

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I earlier came to the floor and spoke of a 
statement made on the Senate floor by Senator Ensign. I misread my 
notes for that statement. I want to clarify that Senator Ensign did, in 
fact, quote me accurately when he said that I had made a statement:

       If we need initially some troops in Baghdad, for example, 
     to quiet the situation, make it more peaceful so that our 
     soldiers start coming home, then I would accept it.

  That, in fact, was a statement that I had made. The point I would 
like to make at this moment is, that was part of a longer interview. In 
the longer interview I raised questions about whether this would be 
part of a strategy to bring our troops home. That has been my position 
consistently.
  My feeling was, if, as we move troops--we recently moved troops--into 
Baghdad to protect that city, trying to bring peace to it so our troops 
could come home, I could understand that. But I believe today, as I 
believed when I made that statement, that whatever movement of troops 
we would make would have to be with the clear understanding that our 
troops were coming home.
  I apologize if my earlier statement suggested that Senator Ensign had 
said something different. He did accurately quote me, but the quote 
that he used did not accurately reflect my feeling on the entire 
situation.
  I want to make that clear to Senator Ensign. As I said when I 
finished my remarks, my feelings for him are not diminished and my 
feelings that this war should end and our troops should come home soon 
are not diminished either.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Nelson of Florida). Without objection, it 
is so ordered.

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