Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions lauded President George W. Bush's nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court.

The senator met with a small gathering at 12:30 on Friday, August 12, at the Brantley Methodist Church to have a question and answer session and to give a legislative update.

During that time, he spoke of the man who has been nominated to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

"He is a man of incredibly high skills," Sessions said. "His philosophy is that judges should read and follow the laws of the Constitution as they are written.

They have no right to impose their personal opinions and views on the people of the United States.

Our Supreme Court needs to be faithful to the Constitution."

"What does Judge Roberts believe his role as a judge is?

That's what I care about the most," Sessions said. "I believe he'll be confirmed, and I believe that he is sound."

When asked about Iraq, the senator had nothing but praise for the U.S. military.

"Our military is doing so wonderfully," he said.

"I've been there three times, and I feel like our soldiers are making progress."

"However, I'm very unhappy that some people have convinced Americans that we are mistreating the Iraqi prisoners," Sessions explained.

"That is simply not true.

The prisoners are fed well, treated well, and they get proper healthcare.

They have prayer time five times a day, and they get exercise time."

Sessions explained that the soldiers who were guilty of misconduct have been reprimanded, and those few make up a very small minority of the U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

"We have to remember that they (the terrorists) came after us first," Sessions said.

"We can never give them a place from where they can attack us again.

We have to keep them on the run.

I believe it's the right thing.

However, I think we're a little slow in training the Iraqi forces, but, overall, it's coming along."

When it came to a regional outlook, the senator had plenty of good things to say about the Wiregrass area.

"The Southeast Alabama Wiregrass has a progressive, positive spirit," Sessions said.

"It is growing. The people feel that things are happening here, and employment is good. As a matter of fact, Alabama is number one in industrial recruitment for the third year in a row."

"I realize that some areas are still struggling," he said.

"We want higher paying jobs, but better benefits and good retirement are what we really need. The goal is to continuously move forward."