Joe Pitts Quotes

We in America should see that no man is ever given, no matter how gradually or how noble and excellent the man, the power to put this country into a war

Presidents do not go into war lightly. It's a tremendous responsibility in making decisions, and I know Bush must deeply believe this is the only course.

Whenever America sends its citizens into harm's way, it must do so with eyes wide open.

To send our troops, our ships, our planes to this war is ridiculous.

The issue of what my role in the - in persuading the Bush administration to go to war has been greatly exaggerated.

Can any of us even imagine, after Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt suggesting we negotiate a resolution or that we could simply prosecute those involved? Of course it is unimaginable. We are right to be in the Middle East, and we are right to treat this as the war it is.

It was essentially for self defence that we went to war in Afghanistan and would go to war in Iraq.

If Iraq and Afghanistan have taught us anything in recent history, it is the unpredictability of war and that these things are easier to get into than to get out of, and, frankly, the facile way in which too many people talk about, 'Well, let's just go attack them.'

The Iraq war was not necessary.

President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military attack against our enemies, regardless of the risks and collateral damage, so long as it is over by the time I have to announce it.'

I knew we were going to get into this sort of a mess when we went in there. And I don’t see how we’re ever going to get out of it without fighting a major war with the Chinese.

The United States, as the world knows, will never start a war.

No one will question that this power [the war power] is the most dangerous one to free government in the whole catalogue of powers.

There is going to be no involvement of America in war unless it is the result of the Constitutional process that is placed upon Congress to declare it.

The United States will never take part in an aggressive war.

I will not put the life of an American service member on the line unless that is the option of last resort.

The decision to put American lives at risk is a decision that has a very high hurdle to pass.

I think when the president of the United States calls for military action, he should do it for a united people, especially when the methods have been so cruel, so explicitly directed at Americans.

The decision to use military force should always be one made with the utmost caution, with U.S. interests at stake, and with the consent of Congress.

The framers understood that the momentous decision to go to war requires the informed consent of the American people, expressed through their elected representatives.

I would not plan to base my campaign primarily on opposition to the war in the Persian Gulf.

Surely our inaction with respect to Syria is a poor precedent if we're fighting a war on terror.

I cannot think of any circumstances in which a government can go to war without the support of parliament.

War is much too serious a thing to be left to military men.

Next to upholding the Constitution of the United States, the president's highest duty is to protect the security of this country - our national security.