It's a hard case to make that the United States and others should be investing resources into a country that is squandering its own resources. |
It's within the ability of the Liberian people to seize their destiny, ... Unless he's brought to the bar of justice, eventually all of West Africa will be in jeopardy. And Nigeria won't be immune. |
Of course, AGOA can be strengthened. |
Our challenge is to use this environment of dramatic change to push for better governance and for protection of human rights. |
Over the years, I have visited manufacturing sites where AGOA is working, and seen job creation first-hand. And, as anyone who knows Africa is aware; one formal sector job often supports an extended family. Formal sector jobs also support many informal sector jobs. In sum, AGOA has benefited millions of Africans. Without it, there would be far fewer jobs in several very poor African countries, period. They would be in China and elsewhere, especially the apparel jobs, |
Several of the energy companies want to do the right thing. It's a matter of leveling the playing field though for them and that's why corrective action here is necessary. |
They don't have a right to hold Congress hostage to the position that we're not going to have enforcement of our laws until such time as we acquiesce on the issue of an amnesty and broader temporary worker program, |
This killing goes on day in, day out, |
This, post 9/11, is a situation that we can't explain or can't afford from a national security standpoint, |
We have a serious concern with the fact that, while people are struggling in Zimbabwe, we see this type of free spending and transfer of assets out of Zimbabwe and to accounts in the United States, |
We need to start pushing back on this notion that Iran and other countries have the right to the full nuclear fuel cycle under the [Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty] leaving them steps away from possessing nuclear weapons. |
You certainly can expect the U.S. to continue to ratchet up the pressure for free and fair elections between now and March 9, |