Quotes from the U.S. House's debate on Iraq

"In order to succeed in Iraq, there must be diplomatic and political initiatives. There has been no sustained and effective effort to engage Iraq's neighbors diplomatically and there has been no sustained and effective effort to engage Iraqi factions politically. ... President Bush's escalation proposal will not make America safer, will not make our military stronger, and will not make the region more stable. And it will not have my support."

-- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

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"War is never easy and almost never goes according to plan. Al-Qaida and their supporters in the region have been steadfast. ... But because they cannot defeat Americans on the battlefield, al-Qaida and terrorist sympathizers around the world are trying to divide us here at home. Over the next few days we have an opportunity to show our enemies that we will not take the bait."

-- House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

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"This is a global war on terror. Some people from the other side seem to believe that if we pull out of Iraq, that the Iraqi people are going to go back to tending sheep and herding goats. That's not what's going to happen. If we pull out of Iraq, what's going to happen is you are going to see more bloodshed than we have seen in a long time in this world."

-- Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga.

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"As a new member of the House I feel it is my responsibility to ask serious questions of the president, who refuses to take this institution seriously."

-- Rep. John Hall, D-N.Y.

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"The president's plan to send more of our best and bravest to die refereeing a civil war in Iraq is wrong. It's time for a new direction in Iraq."

-- Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., an Iraq war veteran.

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"We cannot support our troops without supporting their mission. The resolution before us, unfortunately, undermines the ability of our troops to complete their mission."

-- Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif.

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"That is what concerns me about Iraq: the continuing use of our national treasure (the military) in what is an inconclusive, open-ended involvement within a country with long-term benefits do not match what we need to reap. It is why I am opposed to a troop surge that doubles down on a bad military bet that has been tried already."

-- Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., retired Navy admiral.

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"While there is no silver bullet to make our mission in Iraq easier, it is clear that eliminating or cutting funding for our men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America is not a plan for ensuring stability in the Middle East. It is, rather, a recipe for empowering our enemies and endangering our troops."

-- House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo.