I would listen with growing outrage as hypocritical and obtuse American senators made all these demands of Iraqi legislators and yet themselves could not even pass budgets or appropriations bills, not to mention deal with tough challenges like the budget deficit, Social Security, and entitlement reforms. So many times I wanted to come right out of my chair at the witness table and scream, You guys have been in business for over two hundred years and can't pass routine legislation. How can you be so impatient with a bunch of parliamentarians who've been at it a year after four thousand years of dictatorship? . Robert M. Gates
About This Quote

The United States has a lot of problems right now. The biggest problem is that Congress is unable to pass budgets or appropriations bills. However, it's not like the United States has no other problems. There are many other issues the American people are dealing with, including Social Security, the budget deficit, and entitlement reforms. After four thousand years of dictatorship, it's no wonder that Iraqis are so impatient to get their own government up and running.

Source: Duty: Memoirs Of A Secretary At War

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