Nominations of General Petraeus and General Odierno

Floor Speech

NOMINATIONS OF GENERAL PETRAEUS AND GENERAL ODIERNO -- (Senate - July 10, 2008)

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, we also have an opportunity today to confirm the nominations of two of our Nation's leading generals. Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen have both, rightly, talked about the challenges facing the Nation as we transition from one Presidential administration to the next during a time of war. The next President will be fortunate to have General Petraeus and General Odierno responsible respectively for central command area of operations in Iraq.

It is the nature of world events that the next President will be confronted with some international emergency that could not have been anticipated. What we know is that our strategic interests in the Middle East and Persian Gulf are longstanding and are being challenged. We know that the threat of an Iran regime bent on securing a nuclear weapon will not end when a new President is sworn in next year.

We know that despite the real progress made as a result of the surge of forces into Iraq, that the transition of forces, responsibilities, and missions must be managed with a steady hand.

Both of these fine officers are well prepared for their next responsibilities. As a nation we are lucky to be able to call upon such men at this critical point in American history.

I yield the floor.

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