Remarks
Currently showing results related to Al Qaeda
McConnell Remarks On Support For Israel, Justice For Terrorists
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities: “The attacks of October 7th brought the world face-to-face with the savage terrorists who have tried to destroy the Jewish state for decades. “They forced us all to take a sober look at what our ally, Israel, has to defend against every single day. “In the months since, I’ve insisted repeatedly that America should provide Isr… Continue Reading
09.23.21
'Global Wars Do Not Simply End Because a President’s Speechwriter Says So'
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Biden-Harris Administration's foreign policy and national defense pandemonium: "The free world faces many serious threats, from rising authoritarians to resurgent terrorists. Even declining authoritarian powers like Russia pose significant challenges. These threats demand clear-eyed leadership from the world's greatest power. "But earlier this week at … Continue Reading
09.14.21
“Time for Hard Truths and Accountability” on Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Afghanistan: "Providing for the common defense. Protecting the American people. It's one of the fundamental responsibilities our founders entrusted to the federal government. "It's a core obligation of the Commander-in-Chief. "Yet, to a deadly degree, a parade of mistakes in Afghanistan tells us President Biden and his team have failed this most basic tes… Continue Reading
08.09.21
Biden Team’s Afghanistan Denial Costing Afghan Lives and American Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Afghanistan: "When the Biden Administration announced its reckless retreat from Afghanistan in April, I made my opposition very clear. "But I was hardly alone. One of the most prominent liberal editorial boards in the country responded to the President's move with this headline, quote: 'Biden takes the easy way out of Afghanistan. The likely result is disa… Continue Reading
07.22.21
U.S. Must Keep Helping our Partners Fight Terrorists in Iraq
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Iraq: "Next week, President Biden is set to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. "This meeting comes at an important moment for our shared efforts toward peace and security in Iraq and the region. ISIS has been significantly weakened in Iraq and Syria after years of shared efforts, but the terrorist organization remains a grave threat. "And … Continue Reading
07.13.21
McConnell on President Biden’s Chaotic Retreat from Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Afghanistan: "Three months ago, President Biden announced his intention to completely withdraw U.S. forces from the ongoing fight against terrorists and terrorist enablers in Afghanistan. "I said then this was a shortsighted decision. And sure enough, our reckless rush for the exits is becoming a global embarrassment. "Just take the reports that our force… Continue Reading
06.21.21
McConnell on Biden’s Afghanistan Retreat: A Series of Avoidable Crises
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Afghanistan: "Later this week, President Biden will meet with the leaders of Afghanistan's civilian, democratic government. It doesn't take an administration leak to know what will be on the agenda. "President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman Abdullah Abdullah will arrive in Washington as a grave situation in their country rapidly deteriorates. The strategic and … Continue Reading
06.17.21
McConnell: Repealing 2002 AUMF Won’t Solve Terrorist Threat
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security: "The House of Representatives will vote today on a bill from Representative Barbara Lee to repeal one of the key authorities behind nearly two decades of U.S. efforts to fight terrorism: the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force. "House Democrats claim this vote is an urgent act of Congressional oversight, and the Democratic L… Continue Reading
06.09.21
Biden Afghanistan Withdrawal Leaves Unanswered Questions
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Afghanistan: "I've been outspoken on the importance of sustaining America's support for local partners who are leading counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan and elsewhere. "Even when doing so has put me at odds with presidents of both parties. "When the previous Administration considered precipitous withdrawals from Afghanistan and Syria, I sponsored a … Continue Reading
11.16.20
Premature Afghanistan Exit Would Jeopardize Trump Administration’s Record of Success
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the ongoing presence of U.S. forces in the Middle East to combat terrorism: "The last several days have brought renewed speculation about the prospect of rapidly withdrawing all U.S. military forces from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. "Here in Congress, a small minority in both parties seem to think it is in America's power to unilaterally resolve conflicts b… Continue Reading
09.10.20
McConnell Honors Heroes In Advance of the Nineteenth Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the upcoming nineteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks: "Nineteen years ago tomorrow, thousands of our fellow Americans were murdered by terrorists. National landmarks were burning. Brave first responders in New York City, Arlington, and Pennsylvania rushed into mortal danger, putting their lives on the line to save strangers. "And as the dust… Continue Reading
05.13.20
McConnell: Our Enemies and Competitors Are Not Standing Down During this Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the need to renew key authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA): "The Senate has work of our own to do this week to ensure the safety and security of our nation. "In addition to fighting this historic pandemic, it is also our job to keep sight of the other threats to national security that are still evolving, independent of COVID-19.… Continue Reading
10.22.19
McConnell Introduces Syria Resolution in the Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor introducing his legislative measure regarding the proper role for American leadership in Syria: "My colleagues know that I opposed President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria. So I am encouraged by press reports his administration is considering retaining a military presence in that country to keep the pressure on ISIS. "Since September 11, our natio… Continue Reading
09.21.16
McConnell: The United States Must Live Up to Its Commitments
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today in support of the United States' commitment to assist Saudi Arabia in combating al Qaeda and ISIL: "Today the Senate will consider a motion to discharge a resolution of disapproval from the Foreign Relations Committee. "I oppose that motion because I believe it would harm our nation's long term strategic interests in the Persian Gulf and the broader Middle East. It would fu… Continue Reading
04.04.16
We Must Work With Our Allies to Fight Terrorism
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today that America must continue to work to defeat a global terrorist threat: "In recent weeks we have again been reminded of the pervasive threat posed by Islamist terrorists to the world. We've seen ghastly images in places as diverse as Brussels, Yemen, and Lahore. "Attacks seem to be coming nearly weekly now; it feels like we hear of a new one almost every time we flip on the news. … Continue Reading
02.24.16
President Must Follow Laws He Signed Prohibiting Transfer of Gitmo Terrorists to U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the President's announcement on the secure terrorist-detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba: "President Obama has left the American people to wait many years for a serious plan - one that poses no additional risk to our nation or our armed forces, for instance - in pursuit of his desire to close the secure detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. "Americans have been w… Continue Reading
02.23.16
Bipartisan Prohibition Remains Against President Sending Guantanamo Terrorists to U.S.
'Today we received the descriptions of where the President would like to detain terrorists within the United States…his Attorney General recently confirmed that it is illegal to transfer any of these terrorists into the U.S…We will review President Obama's plan but since it includes bringing dangerous terrorists to facilities in U.S. communities, he knows that the bipartisan will of Congress has already been expressed against that proposal.' WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority… Continue Reading
10.06.15
Defense Authorization Provides Tools to Protect America’s National Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor in support of the National Defense Authorization Act: "Henry Kissinger recently said that our country faces the most 'diverse and complex array of crises' since the Second World War. It's hard to disagree with him. "Consider the daily situation reports received by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs: "Taliban forces overrunning Kunduz in Afghanistan, retaking their first provincial capit… Continue Reading
06.02.15
McConnell Opposes Bill that Weakens Counter-Terrorism Tools
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the USA Freedom Act: "Earlier this year I observed that President Obama's national security policy has been noteworthy for its consistent objectives: drawing down our conventional and nuclear forces, withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan, ending the tools developed by the previous administration to wage the War on Terror and placing a greater reliance upon international organi… Continue Reading
05.31.15
Senate Working to Continue Key Counterterrorism Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding legislation to preserve important counterterrorism tools to protect American lives: "Last week, I proposed giving the Intelligence Committee the time it would need to work toward the kind of bipartisan legislative compromise Americans deserve - a compromise that would preserve important counterterrorism tools necessary to protect American lives. "That effort was blocked. "Jus… Continue Reading
