Excerpts of floor speeches given Tuesday in the Senate on Iraq:

[rodeodance]

SPEECHES SHOW DEEP DIVIDE

Excerpts of floor speeches given Tuesday in the Senate on Iraq:

"... the terrorists are in this war to win it. The question is: Are we? Withdrawing before there is a stable and legitimate Iraqi authority would turn Iraq into a failed state and a terrorist sanctuary, in the heart of the Middle East. We have seen a failed state emerge after U.S. disengagement once before, and it cost us terribly. In pre-9/11 Afghanistan, terrorists found sanctuary to train and plan attacks with impunity. We know that today there are terrorists in Iraq who are planning attacks against Americans. We cannot make this fatal mistake twice."

-- Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

"The question is: Do we continue to send our kids in the middle of a meat grinder, based on a policy that is fundamentally flawed? ... If we don't start bringing home combat forces within the next few months, get them out of the midst of a civil war, we will have so soured the American people on the ability to do even the things that need be done that this president and the next president will be left with absolutely no option -- absolutely no option -- but to withdraw totally from that area and let the chips fall where they may."

-- Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.

"... the enemy is on the run, but here in Congress, in Washington, some members seem to be on the run -- chased, I fear, by public opinion polls. ... I will say to my colleagues today that this war in Iraq will never be lost by our military on the ground in Iraq. The war in Iraq can only be lost with a loss of political will here at home, and perhaps with a loss of political will in Iraq."

-- Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-07-10-iraq-congress_N.htm?csp=1

[unhappycamper]

1. Lindsey Graham's last talking point:

"We are becoming the calvary for Al Queda."

I saw him use that when speaking on the floor yesterday & again in a (s)news conference.

[rodeodance]

2. The goal is to keep the word 'al-quida' in play at all times

[rodeodance]

3. he's not sure of conservative Democrats such as Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the assistant Democratic floor leader, said he's not sure of conservative Democrats such as Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. And Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said he doesn't believe there are enough Republicans ready to vote for a deadline.

"So far, most of them are hedging their bets," Biden said of Republicans during a conference call with reporters. "They're just saying … we think the president has to change strategy. But my guess is most of them will hold off until September to actually beginning to vote with us."

Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Pete Domenici, R-N.M., though outspoken critics of Bush's Iraq policy, both said Tuesday that they will not back a mandatory deadlines for troop withdrawal.

"To the extent it said firmly, 'We're out of there, I wouldn't support it,' " Lugar said.