Talk to Power continued…

Talk to Power host Judy Woodruff interviewed Senator Thad Cochran in November of 2007 in response to hundreds of questions and comments from Yahoo readers.  Several topics were addressed. Today, the topic we are featuring is Senator Cochran’s view on the Role of U.S. Troops. Click here to read yesterday’s topic, “The Future of the GOP.”

The Role of U.S. Troops:

MS. JUDY WOODRUFF:  First of all, Senator Cochran, thank you very much for participating in Talk to Power.  We had a large number of comments come in from our viewers, our visitors to the Yahoo site, a large number of thoughtful comments.  We tried to choose a good cross-section, and I’m going to begin with Iraq because it is the question that keeps coming up.

This is a reader who describes himself as a naval officer, and here’s what he wrote:  “All I hear about in the news is how we (reporters, politicians, civilians) want our troops to come home from Iraq.  What do you say, Senator, to the tens of thousands of military personnel currently serving our country that believe they are doing the right thing and are scared we are going to be forced to leave Iraq, making everything we and those who have fallen, pointless?” 

SEN. COCHRAN:  Well, the first thing I would say is thank you.  Thank you for serving in the armed forces of our country.  I was a naval officer myself, so I understand the feeling.  I was lucky not to be involved in any combat operations, but nonetheless we were trained and ready to serve and ready to go wherever we were deployed, and I know that’s your situation too.  Thank you for being in uniform and protecting the security interests of our country.

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