H4024 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Waters Waxman Woolsey North Atlantic Treaty Organization will be (7) declares that the will pre- Watson Weiner Wu required to sustain a sovereign, free, and se- vail in the Global War on Terror, the noble Watt Wexler Wynn cure ; struggle to protect freedom from the ter- NOT VOTING—16 Whereas the steadfast resolve of the United rorist adversary. Burton (IN) Lynch Saxton States and its partners since September 11, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Capito Miller (MI) Sessions 2001, helped persuade the government of ant to House Resolution 868 and the Carter Mollohan Taylor (MS) Libya to surrender its weapons of mass de- special order of today, debate shall not Cubin Rahall Weldon (PA) struction; exceed 10 hours, with 5 hours equally Gordon Rogers (KY) Whereas by early 2003 and Johnson, E. B. Rothman his criminal, Ba’athist regime in , which divided among and controlled by the b 1202 had supported terrorists, constituted a chairman of the Committees on Inter- threat against global peace and security and national Relations, Armed Services, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Messrs. GUTIER- was in violation of mandatory United Na- the Judiciary and the Permanent Se- REZ, MATHESON and BOUCHER tions Security Council Resolutions; lect Committee on Intelligence, and 5 changed their vote from ‘‘aye’’ to ‘‘no.’’ Whereas the mission of the United States hours controlled by the minority lead- So the resolution was agreed to. and its Coalition partners, having removed er or her designee. The result of the vote was announced Saddam Hussein and his regime from power, The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. as above recorded. is to establish a sovereign, free, secure, and HYDE) is recognized to control 75 min- A motion to reconsider was laid on united Iraq at peace with its neighbors; utes. the table. Whereas the terrorists have declared Iraq GENERAL LEAVE f to be the central front in their war against all who oppose their ideology; Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE Whereas the Iraqi people, with the help of mous consent that all Members may A message from the Senate by Ms. the United States and other Coalition part- have 5 legislative days in which to re- Curtis, one of its clerks, announced ners, have formed a permanent, representa- vise and extend their remarks on H. that the Senate agreed to the report of tive government under a newly ratified con- Res. 861. the committee of conference on the stitution; The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there disagreeing votes of the two Houses on Whereas the terrorists seek to destroy the objection to the request of the gen- new unity government because it threatens tleman from Illinois? the amendment of the Senate to the the terrorists’ aspirations for Iraq and the bill (H.R. 4939) ‘‘An Act making emer- There was no objection. broader Middle East; Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to gency supplemental appropriations for Whereas United States Armed Forces, in the fiscal year ending September 30, coordination with Iraqi security forces and the gentleman from Illinois, the 2006, and for other purposes.’’. Coalition and other friendly forces, have Speaker of the House (Mr. HASTERT). f scored impressive victories in Iraq including Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, one of our greatest Presidents, Ronald ALLOCATING CONTROL OF TIME finding and killing the terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; Reagan, was fond of saying that ‘‘Free- ON H. RES. 861 Whereas Iraqi security forces are, over dom is never more than one generation Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I ask time, taking over from United States and away from extinction.’’ President Rea- unanimous consent that the time allo- Coalition forces a growing proportion of gan’s wise words are still true today. cated by House Resolution 868 to the independent operations and increasingly lead Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. ranking minority members of four the fight to secure Iraq; Res. 861. This resolution is about more committees instead be controlled by Whereas the United States and Coalition than the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. servicemembers and civilians and the mem- the minority leader or her designees. bers of the Iraqi security forces and those as- It is about a global war to protect The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there sisting them who have made the ultimate American ideals, and the democracy objection to the request of the gen- sacrifice or been wounded in Iraq have done and values on which this great Nation tleman from Pennsylvania? so nobly, in the cause of freedom; and was founded. There was no objection. Whereas the United States and its Coali- This resolution, Mr. Speaker, like f tion partners will continue to support Iraq this war itself, is about freedom. Just DECLARING THAT THE UNITED as part of the Global War on Terror: Now, 12 days ago I returned from Iraq. I can STATES WILL PREVAIL IN THE therefore, be it tell this House that the morale of our GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR Resolved, That the House of Representa- fighting men and women there is sky tives— high. They are not suffering from Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to (1) honors all those Americans who have doubt and ‘‘second guessing.’’ And they the rule, I call up the resolution (H. taken an active part in the Global War on are certainly not interested in the po- Res. 861) declaring that the United Terror, whether as first responders pro- litical posturing about the war that States will prevail in the Global War tecting the homeland, as servicemembers often goes on in this city. They know on Terror, the struggle to protect free- overseas, as diplomats and intelligence offi- why they are there. They know they dom from the terrorist adversary, and cers, or in other roles; (2) honors the sacrifices of the United are liberators doing good. And they be- ask for its immediate consideration. lieve passionately in their mission. The Clerk read the title of the resolu- States Armed Forces and of partners in the Coalition, and of the Iraqis and Afghans who It is not possible to talk to these men tion. and women without being inspired by The text of the resolution is as fol- fight alongside them, especially those who have fallen or been wounded in the struggle, their courage, their determination, lows: and honors as well the sacrifices of their their professionalism and their patriot- H. RES. 861 families and of others who risk their lives to ism. Whereas the United States and its allies help defend freedom; I came home from Iraq believing even are engaged in a Global War on Terror, a (3) declares that it is not in the national more strongly, that it is not enough for long and demanding struggle against an ad- security interest of the United States to set this House to say ‘‘we support our versary that is driven by hatred of American an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or rede- troops.’’ To the men and the women in values and that is committed to imposing, ployment of United States Armed Forces by the use of terror, its repressive ideology from Iraq; the field, in harm’s way, that state- throughout the world; (4) declares that the United States is com- ment rings hollow if we don’t also say Whereas for the past two decades, terror- mitted to the completion of the mission to we support their mission. ists have used violence in a futile attempt to create a sovereign, free, secure, and united The clarity with which our men and intimidate the United States; Iraq; women in uniform understand the rea- Whereas it is essential to the security of (5) congratulates Prime Minister Nuri Al- son they are in Iraq is a stark contrast the American people and to world security Maliki and the Iraqi people on the courage to some here at home who talk about that the United States, together with its al- they have shown by participating, in increas- this war as a ‘‘war of choice.’’ lies, take the battle to the terrorists and to ing millions, in the elections of 2005 and on The facts are clear. America has been those who provide them assistance; the formation of the first government under struck repeatedly. Despite the life-end- Whereas the , Al Qaeda, and other Iraq’s new constitution; ing attacks on Khobar Towers, our terrorists failed to stop free elections in Af- (6) calls upon the nations of the world to ghanistan and the first popularly-elected promote global peace and security by stand- East African embassies, the USS Cole President in that nation’s history has taken ing with the United States and other Coali- and the first World Trade Center bomb- office; tion partners to support the efforts of the ing, U.S. policy tended to confuse these Whereas the continued determination of Iraqi and Afghan people to live in freedom; attacks with isolated law-enforcement Afghanistan, the United States, and the and events. We failed to recognize them as

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4025 the escalating strikes that they were. plane, like the patriots at Concord order to support their lifestyle of de- We failed to identify the networks be- Bridge, were not going to let freedom bauchery and brutality. Schoolgirls hind the bombs. We convinced our- be extinguished, not on their watch. were raped. Iraqi patriots were thrown selves that these attacks were just We in this Congress must show the alive into meat grinders. Unspeakable somehow random acts of violence. And same steely resolve as those men and atrocities of all kinds were common, yet the attacks continued. women on United Flight 93, the same including the use of chemical weapons The terrorists did not admire or ap- sense of duty as the first responders on Saddam’s own people, the . preciate our limited response. They did who headed up the stairs of the Twin Saddam invaded the sovereign nation not come to the table to discuss points Towers. of Kuwait. He harbored terrorists in his of political concern, and they did not We must stand firm in our commit- midst, and he defied 17 United Nations de-escalate, demobilize or disappear. ment to fight and the evil it Security Council Resolutions. Our response was inconstant and lim- inflicts throughout the world. We must Just a few days ago, I was listening ited, but their reactions were not. They renew our resolve that the actions of to the radio, and a pundit remarked on plotted and they practiced, while we evildoers will not dictate American the sectarian violence in Iraq. He ob- hoped for the best and fired an occa- policy. And we must decide, right here, served that perhaps the Iraqi people sional cruise missile into the desert. today what kind of a Nation we want were better off under Saddam. Given We were wrong and we slumbered in de- to leave for our children and their gen- the unspeakable and systematic bru- nial. eration. tality of Saddam’s regime, such a re- And then came the day when ter- We are not alone in the fight on glob- mark either reflects a serious rorism slapped us in the face, awak- al terror. I cannot list them all, but misreading of history or a very naive ening us to a stark reality. I remember they include countries large and small, and forgiving nature. it as a crisp, fall day. Where the clear rich and poor: Great Britain, Japan, It might have been easier for us in blue sky was filled with fluffy white Canada, Jordan, Portugal, Denmark, America to turn our heads and look the other way, as much as the rest of the clouds. But that peaceful scene was Mali, Latvia, Romania, Italy, Poland, world did, but I would submit that Sad- transformed in an instant when planes South Korea. In fact, the number of dam was an evil cancer on the world. went crashing into buildings and the countries working to defeat our com- He was a threat to our country, and clear sky turned to choking ash and mon enemy continues to grow. Mr. Speaker, America, not just Iraq, is soot. , a nation that once recog- better off today because Saddam Hus- I stood in my Capitol office, just a nized the oppressive Taliban regime, sein sits in a court of law, answering few yards from where I am speaking has changed its course and now works for crimes he committed against hu- here today. I saw the black smoke ris- closely with the coalition to round up terrorists. , Indonesia, and manity. ing from . The third plane While I was in Iraq, I met with Prime Saudi Arabia have also moved aggres- had hit just across the river from this Minister al Maliki as well as my coun- sively within their borders to fight ter- Capitol building. terpart, the Speaker of the Iraqi Par- rorism. Libya has given up her nuclear On 9/11 the terrorists were not a dis- liament. We talked about the birth of capability. tant threat, they were in our front democracy in Iraq. yard, and they were very real and very Today, more than three-quarters of I looked at the Speaker. I looked him deadly. In that moment, we were al Qaeda’s known leaders and associ- in the eye and I said, ‘‘Mr. Speaker, I afraid. None of us had anticipated the ates have been detained or killed. admire you. The Iraqi people represent lengths to which our enemies would go There is no doubt that since 9/11 our an ancient civilization, but your de- to destroy our American way of life, military, as well as our law enforce- mocracy is just beginning. Your chal- our ideals and our belief. ment intelligence agencies, have made lenges are great, but so too are your Of course, we knew that foreign ter- great strides in uprooting terrorism. opportunities.’’ rorists had caused trouble elsewhere, Nearly a dozen serious al Qaeda plots I urged the Iraqi people to look for- maybe in Israel or in Northern Ireland, have been stopped since September ward and not back, to listen to the but we found it hard to imagine that 11th. But there is good reason for ongo- voices of reconciliation, not division, I they came to our shores hoping to kill ing vigilance because the threat is still urged them to choose unity. tens of thousands of men, women and very real. They told me that they were suc- children, innocent, unarmed people, Just recently, our neighbor to the ceeding in putting together a unity peacefully going about their daily north, Canada, foiled a terrorist plot to cabinet, and shortly after my return, lives. storm that country’s parliament and they announced the names of the last one of its major television head- b 1215 three ministers that deal with critical quarters. The terrorists planned to be- security issues. It is hard, even now, to comprehend head those they captured. Each Iraqi official I met with, even such enormous evil. Mr. Speaker, today in parts of the the Iraqi Speaker, who originally As we watched some of our fellow Middle East, where once oppression viewed the U.S. presence in Iraq nega- citizens leap from burning buildings to choked out freedom, we are now seeing tively, thanked me for the help Amer- their deaths, our fear turned to anger democracy take root. ica has given their country. He went and then anger to resolute determina- Afghanistan was once a safe haven further and urged us to stay with them tion. for the al Qaeda terrorist network. In while they build up the capacity to America’s response started high remote training camps, terrorists take over the task of providing secu- above a corn field in rural Pennsyl- planned and practiced attacks on the rity for their people. vania. Brave men and women, armed United States and other freedom loving Today in Iraq we are working to- with nothing more than boiling water, peoples. Those camps are now gone. In gether with Iraqi patriots, men and dinner forks and broken bottles, stood their place is a developing democracy women elected by their fellow citizens. up, as Americans always do when our with an elected President and a new Along with brave Iraqi soldiers and freedom is in peril, and they struck Constitution that gives unprecedented police, we are moving toward a day back. rights and freedoms to all Afghans. when the Iraqi Government on its own We know from the messages they left Just 3 years ago, Afghan women were has the strength to protect their peo- behind that their final thoughts were whipped in the streets; schooling was ple, a day when our men and women, for their families and their loved ones, denied to girls. Today, women have the and their coalition partners, can come but they also spoke of their love of right to vote, and two Afghan cabinet home. their country. ministers are women. The ‘‘stand up’’ of this new Iraqi Gov- ‘‘Freedom is never more than one In Iraq, just 3 years ago, a brutal dic- ernment, which is the fruit of three generation from extinction.’’ Perhaps tator sat in palatial luxury. Unham- elections where Iraqi citizens held up the brave souls on United Flight 93 re- pered by the United Nations, Saddam their ink-stained fingers and resisted flected Ronald Reagan’s words because and his family stole the Oil-for-Food intimidation, brings us closer to that the generation represented on that money from starving Iraqi children in day.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4026 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 President Bush told us from the be- It is no secret that Iraq is of par- to have to send another 180,000 troops. ginning that this road would not be ticular importance because of its oil. We are going to have overwhelming easy. We have lost many American The United States consumes 20.6 bil- force when we go into Kuwait. lives. And each one is precious to us. lion barrels of oil per day. Yet we And they did have overwhelming But our fighting men and women re- produce only 5.1 billion barrels of oil a force. It went on for 6 months. The main committed to the effort. Active day. China is the second largest con- troops were out in the field, they duty retention and recruiting is meet- sumer, with 6.9 million barrels per day, trained, and when they went in they ing or exceeding all objectives, and we and they produce 3.6 million barrels per did a magnificent thing. It was over- are making progress toward our goal, day. Iraq has the fourth largest oil re- whelming. And it was paid for by other but the battle is not over. serve in the world. Saudi Arabia is countries. Sixty billion dollars came It is a battle that we must endure number one, Canada number two and from other countries. President Bush I and one in which we can, and will, be Iran number three. So all of us agree convinced other countries that they victorious. The alternative would be to Iraq is important. But how do we get to had to help pay for this because it was cut and run and wait for them to re- a conclusion? not only important to the United group and bring the terror back to our Let me compare Gulf War I with Gulf States, it was important to them, the shores. When our freedom is chal- War II. In Gulf War I, Kuwait was at- stability in the Middle East. lenged, Americans do not run. tacked by Saddam Hussein. It was a Now, let me talk about the second ‘‘Freedom is the very essence of our brutal attack. President Bush I imme- Gulf War. The second Gulf War we had Nation,’’ President Reagan said in 1990 intelligence that said there were weap- when a section of the Berlin Wall was diately reacted. He sent his emissary, ons of mass destruction; there was an presented to his Presidential library. Secretary Cheney, to Saudi Arabia. al Qaeda connection. I believed that. America, he said, ‘‘remains a beacon of They got an agreement from Saudi As a matter of fact, I listened to the re- hope for oppressed peoples every- Arabia to use their land to put troops ports, and I was hesitant about the al where.’’ in. He immediately sent in the Air- President Reagan also observed that borne Division, and he immediately Qaeda connection, but I believed that freedom is not passed on at birth. It sent in F–16 fighters to deter Saddam they had biological weapons. Matter of must be fought for and protected and Hussein. All of us knew that there was fact, a week or so before the war start- handed on. And that is happening. a possibility at that time that he ed, Ms. PELOSI, as the new minority Freedom is being handed on. would have complete control of the oil leader, wanted to go overseas on her Our soldiers, sailors, Coast Guards- in the Middle East. So we knew how first trip. She wanted to visit the men, airmen, marines, and our Re- important it was. troops. Even though she had been serves are serving proudly and bravely Then President Bush started calling against the resolution to go to war, she in harsh conditions, far from their fam- up the Reserves. He called a number of wanted to tell the troops she supported ilies. Members of Congress over to the White the troops. And anybody that votes for When I was in Iraq, I told them that House, and he consulted and talked to the Defense Subcommittee appropria- their task was important and how them. I do not remember if the gen- tions, anybody that belongs to the proud we all were of their service. But tleman from Illinois was there, but Armed Services Committee shows their frankly our men and women in uniform there were seven or eight of us went to support of the troops. did not need to be told. In fact, it is we the White House. We talked to him So we went over, and on our way over who should listen to them. about calling up the Reserves and hav- we stopped in Turkey. Imagine, the 4th They know their sacrifices on foreign ing other people pay. Division was sitting outside Turkey. It shores are keeping the battle against This is important not only to the was supposed to outflank the Iraqis. terrorists out of our cities. They know United States. This is important inter- And the State Department asked me, that by going into harm’s way they are nationally. This oil supply, this sta- okay, talk to the Turkish government keeping American freedoms safe, and bility in the Middle East is important about letting us go through. Now, we they know that they are helping a to the whole world, and he went to had the most modern division, the proud but brutalized people to throw work. He called every major nation. He most technologically advanced division off tyranny and stand tall once again. called Egypt, and this was no easy task in the whole world sitting there off They know that they are liberators, for these countries to come around to Turkey. I talked to them and I became not occupiers. decide to support the United States. convinced they weren’t going to let us Our men and women in uniform know Matter of fact, President Mubarak go through, even though they had all this, and they are proud of it. It is said to me that King Hussein came to voted the very day I was there, and time for this House of Representatives him and said if you support the United they voted by a majority, but not the to tell the world that we know it too; States, you will cut the throat of Sad- supermajority they needed to allow the that we know our cause is right and dam Hussein, and yet Egypt decided United States to go through. that we are proud of it. that they were going to go along with I went then to Kuwait and we lis- Stand up for freedom. Adopt this res- us. tened to the commanders. The com- olution. manders told us that there is a red line Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Then he talked about that we needed to have a U.N. resolution, which we did drawn around Baghdad and if we cross the gentleman from Missouri. the red line they are going to use bio- Mr. SKELTON. I thank the gen- have. Then we had to have a resolution logical weapons. And I believed that. I tleman for yielding. in the Congress of the United States. Mr. Speaker, the media just reported But the big thing that he promoted was believed. As a matter of fact, they said the sad news that we have just reached he got a coalition together, and this if you cross this red line, we have al- a sad milestone: 2,500 Americans have coalition ended up with 400,000 Amer- ready verified this by monitoring their lost their lives in the . Mr. ican troops and 160,000 coalition troops. telephones, by monitoring their cell phones. When we monitored cell phones Speaker, I respectfully ask at the out- b 1230 set of this very important debate that of Saddam Hussein’s headquarters they the House observe a moment of silence And I remember during this debate, I said use biological weapons. The troops for all those who have given the ulti- remember calling Secretary Cheney, believed it. They were prepared. They mate sacrifice on behalf of our country. calling General Scowcroft saying, you felt like they could go in there with The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there have got 250,000 troops over there, you protective gear, they could go in there objection to the request of the gen- don’t need any more. Let’s get this war with what they needed and the hot air, tleman from Missouri? going. And General Scowcroft said the winds, would dissipate the weap- There was no objection. something I have never forgotten. He ons. And, of course, they crossed the Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield said, we are going to give General red line and nothing happened. myself 30 minutes. Schwarzkopf whatever he wants. He But I still thought there were weap- All of us know, all of us understand wants more troops, we are going to ons of mass destruction. I still thought stability in Iraq is important, not only give him more troops. And Secretary there were biological weapons. I came to the United States but to the world. Cheney called me and said we are going back and we sent a team over there.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4027 And the team went over and the team there 900,000 people have left the coun- For instance, we went into Fallujah, looked for those weapons of mass de- try. They voted with their feet. The we put 300,000 people outside their struction. Matter of fact, at first a President went in the other day, he homes and only 100,000 have come back fella named Kay, that was so strong says he was glad to see democracy in now. And when we put 300,000 people about it, former CIA, said, we will find action. You know where he went? The outside their home, every one of those them. And he looked for months and same place I go, in the fortress. In the are an enemy. couldn’t find anything at all. Abso- Green Zone. That is where he went. Abu Ghraib. Why did Abu Ghraib lutely no evidence of any kind of weap- They are afraid to go outside the Green happen? Abu Ghraib happened because ons of mass destruction. No biological Zone. we had insufficient forces and un- weapon, no capability, no nuclear capa- When I first went there, the first two trained people and unsupervised people bility, no al Qaeda connection. or three trips I went, I could go any- in that prison. When we go to war, we should go to place. I drove around all over Iraq. The Now, what do I mean by untrained? war, first of all, if it is a threat to our last time I landed at Baghdad Airport, We had one fella, who happened to be national security. It was a threat to they flew me to Anbar Province down from my district, that had a court our national security when you talk in Haditha, and we flew so low because order against him because he had about the first war, because it desta- of the threat we had to come up over abused his family, and he couldn’t bilized and he would have controlled the wires in order to get down, and I carry a gun in Pennsylvania. And he all the oil in the Middle East, which is didn’t see a person the whole time. said, I can’t do this. This is against my so important to the free world. The There were 2 million people in Anbar nature. I don’t know anything about second time was no threat to our na- Province. Not one project. Not one. taking care of prisoners. He is now in tional security. Now, we didn’t find I said on the floor of the House the jail. But the point is he was untrained that out, those of us who voted for it, most important thing in that first sup- in that particular job, and even though didn’t find this out until after we had plemental, in the $87 billion, was the he told them, they put him in the job. gone to war. $18 billion that went for reconstruc- And of course we know the tremendous The second thing is you go with over- tion. And of course there are so many consequence, at the very time we went whelming force. I talked to one of the projects that haven’t been finished. into Fallujah, at the very time we put commanders who was in a meeting Now, after we sent the letter about the 300,000 people outside their home. And listen, I endorse this. I know we with five officials; there was him, there 100,000, and during that period of time, have to have, when we go into an area, was Secretary Rumsfeld, there was we asked a fella named Hamre, who we have to use overwhelming force. Secretary Wolfowitz, General Pace, and was the former Under Secretary of De- That is the way the military has to op- General Myers. And he said we rec- fense, who went over to Iraq and he did erate. But, you see, these payments ommended 350,000 troops. And as you a study for the Defense Department. He from $5 million in 2004 to $20 million know, they gave him a lot less troops came back and said, you have got 3 to last year, that is because when we go than that. The coalition troops at the 6 months to get this straightened out. into a place we kill them inadvert- most were up to 30,000 and now they And what did he suggest had to be ently. And when we kill people inad- are down to 20,000. done? They weren’t big projects. He vertently we make enemies, and Abu The first war, 160,000. And the first suggested we had to have trash picked Ghraib was the biggest public relations war was all paid for. It cost us $5 bil- up, sewage taken care of, electricity, disaster we had since My Lai during lion. The reason I remember this so and jobs. Those are the kinds of things the Vietnam War. vividly is I was chairman of the com- he talked about, and securing the bor- The number of complete or recon- mittee at the time the money came der. Those are the things he said had to structed projects, as I said, in al Anbar through our committee, and we then be done in 3 to 6 months, and if it is not Province, imagine now, this is one- sent it over, reprogrammed it over to done, it will go the other way. And all third of the geography of Iraq, and the Defense Department itself. But the of us know what has happened. All of they have 2 million people, zero. Zero. discrepancy that we have seen, the us know what has happened with the Number of civilians who died in Bagh- mischaracterization, the optimistic insurgency. dad last month, 1,400, in sectarian vio- predictions are the problems that I Now, let me go through why I get so lence. What is the definition of sec- have had. distressed by the reports that I get tarian violence? A civil war. Now, I sent a letter, with DUNCAN about how well it is going. First of all, All of us want to end this thing. All HUNTER and a number of other people, the number of daily attacks in Iraq of us want to find a way to prevail in and I said to the President, we need have gone from in 2004, daily, 53 at- Iraq. This is a civil war and we are 100,000 more troops. Well, the President tacks in 2004, 70 attacks in 2005, and in caught in a civil war. There is less than decided he didn’t need 100,000 more 2006, 90 attacks a day. a thousand al Qaeda in Iraq. They have troops. Now, imagine this, we are on Estimated size of the insurgency. diminished al Qaeda. But we are caught the ground and we have won the war. Now, we are supposed to be making in this civil war between 100,000 Shiias The troops did a magnificent job, as we progress. That is what we hear. The es- and 20,000 Sunnis fighting with each knew they would, but they completely timated size of the insurgency in 2004 other. miscalculated the problems that we was 15,000. In May of 2005 it was 16,000. The average monthly U.S. war ex- were going to have afterwards. In May of 2006 it was 20,000. penditure in Iraq: $4.4 billion in 2003, $5 Now, I talked to a tribal leader the This is the way I measure whether billion in 2004, $6.1 billion in 2005, and other day in Anbar Province. He told there is progress or not progress. $8 billion. The average monthly ex- me that, as far as he saw, the first 6 The amount of cash paid to families, penditure, $8 billion. Now, think what I months we had occupied Anbar. Now, this is an important point, to Iraqi ci- am saying. The first Gulf War, and Anbar is the province we are having vilians killed or maimed by the oper- DUNCAN HUNTER remembers this, they the most trouble right now. It is where ation involving American troops went paid internationally. We paid $5 bil- Ramadi and Fallujah are. Those are from in 2004, $5 million to $20 million. lion. He was on the Armed Services the areas where there is the most con- Now, what does that mean? The prob- Committee. He knows what I am talk- tention. In the first 6 months there lem is that all of us want to solve the ing about. We paid $5 billion and they wasn’t a shot fired. Not a shot fired. I problem, all of us want to have a satis- paid $60 billion. They had 160,000 troops said, let me ask you right now, what factory answer in Iraq. The problem is in the first Gulf War. kind of progress have we made eco- the way we have to operate as a mili- Now, let me talk about the sentiment nomically? No water, no electricity, no tary. The reason we won the first Gulf and talk about the polls taken. We all jobs in Anbar Province. Two million War is we were fighting a conventional look at the polls to see what is going people. force and we wiped them out. Nobody on. Now, the only poll taken of U.S. And we talk about Saddam Hussein. can match our military. They are the forces in Iraq, about 31⁄2 months ago: 72 Almost 900,000 people left when Saddam best in the world. But now we are percent of the American troops serving Hussein was there. They left the coun- fighting a guerilla war, and that is the in Iraq think the U.S. should exit the try as refugees. The time we have been type of problem that we have. country within a year.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4028 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Now, I can understand that. Let me September. We will take care of that. Mr. Speaker, so much of what we do tell you, it is hot, they are wearing 70 We will find a way to do it. But the in this Chamber is inconsequential; but pounds every day when they are out point is the base bill was cut by $4 bil- the subject of this debate is anything there in the field, and I can certainly lion. but trivial. Let us then be serious as understand that. Forty-two percent say Now let me tell you the difference in life and death are serious. they do not know what the mission is. what I believe is the answer. I believe The capacity to reproduce that fear- And that is devastating when they do we redeploy and be ready; that is what ful mushroom cloud which first terror- not understand the mission. I say. I say redeploy and be ready. ized the world in 1945 is multiplying A public opinion Iraqi poll, a segment We are the targets. We are causing and becoming the deadly plaything of of 18 provinces, all 18 provinces: More the problem. You know who wants us rogue nations across the globe. than half the Iraqis say they are head- to stay in Iraq right now, the al Qaeda Partisans have charged the President ed in the wrong direction, and 82 per- wants us there because it recruits peo- with misleading us into war, ‘‘mis- cent say the economic situation is ei- ple for them. China wants us there. leading’’ being a pale euphemism for ther poor or fair. Now, these are the North Korea wants us there. Russia lying. The acquisition is made more Iraqis. Ninety percent say the security wants us there. We are depleting our grave by the assertion that he con- situation is poor or fair. resources, just like Russia depleted cocted the war for purely political pur- And who do they trust? Who do they their resources in Afghanistan. The poses. trust for personal security? Forty- same thing is happening with the By any measure this is a monstrous three percent trust the Iraqi police, 35 United States. We will have spent $450 charge, but questions persist that must percent trust the Iraqi army, 6 percent billion by the end of this fiscal year. be answered if we are to honestly ex- trust the insurgents, 6 percent trust Now think, the first gulf war we spent amine the President’s rationale for the insurgents, 4 percent trust the $5 billion. We have spent $450 billion. intervention. It is essential to first un- armed militia, and 1 percent, 1 percent Stay and we will pay, not only pay in derstand the context in which the deci- sion was made. trust the multinational force. In an- dollars, in money; we are going to pay President Bush has cited two factors other poll taken at the beginning of long term. for his decision to intervene in Iraq: this year, 47 percent approve the at- I figure it took us through the Reagan administration to pay for the the first, his belief that Saddam was tacks on the United States forces, and reconstituting his arsenal of weapons 87 percent of the Iraqis endorse a time- Vietnam War. We had 18 to 21 percent interest rates during the Reagan ad- of mass destruction; and, secondly, table for withdrawal. that the Iraqi dictator was cooperating ministration, and the reason we did Our global image couldn’t have been with al Qaeda and other terrorist orga- was because Lyndon Johnson, the higher after the first Gulf War, with 80 nizations. to 90 percent of the people in the world President of the United States, said we The threat from Saddam Hussein thinking the United States did a mar- can have butter and we can have guns, stretches back much further than velous job. We had recovered from and he didn’t raise the taxes he should many of today’s critics care to remem- Vietnam, finally, in the first Gulf War. have raised when we had the war going ber. Saddam’s effort to develop a nu- Ten of 14 countries polled said the on. clear weapon began in the 1970s, cen- war in Iraq has made the world more So we continue to pay with lives lost tered around the nuclear reactor being dangerous, and most of the countries in terms of financial treasure and more constructed at Osirak. rated the U.S. troops in Iraq a bigger than $8 billion a month. We pay in Despite the alarming evidence of its danger to world peace than the threat terms of international reputation. We purpose, the world casually con- posed by Iran. Britain, France, Ger- pay in terms of the future of our mili- templated what it saw as a distant, many, Spain, Russia, Egypt, Indonesia, tary. We stay and pay. I say redeploy perhaps even benign, development. Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey all have and be ready. But the luxury of inaction was not more favorable ratings of China than Let me tell this one last story. available to Israel because her leaders the U.S. When I came out of Vietnam, they knew that the country was certain to Now, this resolution is a restatement gave me this small bullet. It is a 45 cal- be among Saddam’s first targets. They of the failed policy of this administra- iber without any powder in it. It says: also knew that the responsibility for tion, and it is no surprise that that is ‘‘First Marines, everything is going to Israel’s safety was theirs alone, and what this is. be all right.’’ that the world would do nothing to A month after I came out of Vietnam b 1245 save their country if they failed to act. in 1967, Lyndon Johnson said, and I be- So act they did, launching a bold at- We can’t win this. This cannot be lieved in the Vietnam War. I thought tack in 1981, destroying the reactor won rhetorically. We cannot sit here, we were fighting communism. But Lyn- complex and setting Saddam’s nuclear stand here in an air-conditioned office don Johnson said, and they had an quest back many years. But far from and say we support the troops, say we election, one month after I came out of praising this heroic act that benefited support the policy. Vietnam, everything was going to be humanity, the world community re- I visit the hospitals every week, and all right. Do you know how many peo- sponded with condemnation, even out- the only person to visit them more ple we lost from 1967 until we pulled rage. Yet, in hindsight, is anyone so than I do is BILL YOUNG and his wife. I out? 37,000. foolish as to assert that Israel should see these young people. I am so im- Rhetoric does not answer the prob- have waited for the United Nations to pressed by their determination, and I lem. Only the Iraqis can solve the prob- confirm that a threat existed, that am so hopeful we can end this terrible lem in Iraq. They are fighting with Israel should not have taken action to tragedy. each other, and our troops are caught destroy the reactor, even in defiance of When I got into this 6 months ago, I in between. I say it is time to redeploy the international community? got into it because of the troops and and be ready. Had Israel not acted, the future of because of the fact that I felt we Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my- the Middle East and the West would couldn’t do anything more militarily. self such time as I may consume. likely have unfolded quite differently We had done everything we could do Mr. Speaker, I can’t help but com- and far more tragically. militarily, and, second, because of the ment on my good friend Mr. MURTHA’s Unchastened by this setback, Sad- future of the military. eulogy for the first gulf war. The prob- dam continued his aggressive campaign The bill we are going to pass next lem we have had there is we quit too to dominate the region and control the week, and very few people are going to soon. We quit before the victory was world’s oil supply, launching a decade- vote against it, if you want to really secure. We left the Republican Army, long war against Iran in 1980 during support the troops, that is what you we left Saddam Hussein, we just which over a million people were killed vote for. You vote for that legislation. washed our hands and left. I hope we and in which he used poison gas and That will say we will run out of money learned a lesson from that, what a mis- other means of mass slaughter. for personnel for the troops because we take it was and it led to later difficul- After being beaten back from Iran, cut $4 billion out of the base bill by ties. his attention then turned to Kuwait,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4029 which he invaded and annexed in 1990, logical weapons? To allow the possi- rific events of September 11, the chorus assuming the world would meekly ac- bility that these might be made avail- of voices that had previously advocated cept this fait accompli. able to a terrorist organization, to ac- reducing our intelligence capabilities Many forget that for a time that out- quiesce in the death of thousands, tens quickly reversed their theme. Even come was a real possibility. Much of of thousands, perhaps of millions of they must thank God that they had the initial response in the world com- Americans simply because the avail- been unsuccessful in their efforts. But munity, and in this country, was one of able evidence was not 99 percent, no, on this subject we hear nothing but let’s look the other way and hope for 100 percent certain? deafening silence. the best. For if al Qaeda had had a nuclear de- One inescapable lesson of history is Only when the United States decided vice, there can be no doubt it would that passivity in the face of a threat is to forcefully eject Saddam from Ku- have used it on 9/11 and we would be an invitation to strike. The desire to wait and to assume the principal bur- mourning the death of 3 million Ameri- run away only encourages pursuit. We den for doing so was the international cans, not a tragic 3,000. are seeing that fatal approach gather community finally persuaded to go Which then was the greater risk in strength elsewhere in the world mani- along. We refused to allow our fate and the face of decades of evidence? To act fested in efforts to bind the hands of that of the world to be shaped by a dic- or not to act? To trust Saddam? Who in those who would attack terrorism at tator, and all sensible people are glad this body is willing to assert that it is its source. The hope is that, as with the of it. ever wise, that it is ever moral to risk passing of a storm, the threat will What we providentially discovered the destruction of the American peo- move on and blue skies reappear and after that war astonished the entire ple? That is the context in which the that the nightmare will at last be over. world. Despite years of inspections and decision to intervene in Iraq was But the terrible reality is by suc- the best efforts of numerous intel- taken. cumbing to the fear of terrorism, by ligence services, Saddam had managed Was our intelligence imperfect? In doing too little in the fear that we are to secretly construct a massive pro- retrospect, that is obvious. But when is doing too much, we condemn ourselves gram to develop nuclear, chemical and it ever perfect? Nor was this short- to a future of unending assaults. biological weapons. The experts esti- coming uniquely ours. Every intel- Other countries have learned that, mate that he was only 6 months from ligence service in the world assumed however meager their contribution to an operational nuclear device. Had he that Saddam was once again engaged their own and the world’s security, postponed his invasion of Kuwait by in developing weapons of mass destruc- however ineffectual their actions, in half a year, the world would now be a tion. After the invasion, we learned the the end the United States will rescue much darker place. astonishing fact that even Saddam’s them. We will make the world right This record of unrelenting aggression own generals believed he possessed again. We will defend against all and implacable menace was the only them and was prepared to use them. threats. We, however, no longer have context in which a reasonable person It is certainly worth noting that that luxury. If we do not take action to could view Saddam’s future designs. among the shrillest voices condemning defend ourselves, then we are lost be- This was the background in which the our intelligence failure are many who cause no one exists to rescue us if we events of 9/11 occurred. once devoted their efforts to weakening fail. Imagine yourself as President, con- our intelligence capabilities, who em- So, aware of its responsibilities, fronting the fact that an unknown ployed their energies towards imposing aware of the horrific consequences that group of terrorists had incinerated restrictions, cutting budgets, sounding might occur from indecision and a reli- 3,000 Americans in an attack carried alarms about imaginary ‘‘rogue ele- ance on trust and hope, President Bush out by individuals who gladly com- phants.’’ acted to remove the threat posed by mitted suicide to create this horror. Permit me to quote from some of the Saddam. What he did is called leader- We had no idea how extensive their re- most strident critics of this adminis- ship. And for doing his duty for all of sources were, how global the threat tration and its campaign against the us, he has been denounced by many of was, who were their allies, how massive terrorists. the same people who would have de- were the hidden terrorists to come. The first is a United States Senator nounced him had he not acted, de- In this context, let us consider the now serving with great distinction in nounced by people who bear no respon- alternative to our intervention in Iraq: the other body. And on September 23, sibility, who take no responsibility, The President is presented with evi- 2001, 12 days after the events of 9/11 this even for their own actions. dence that once again Saddam Hussein Senator stated: ‘‘The tragedy is at this Saddam is no longer a threat to any- has developing weapons of mass de- moment that the single most impor- one. That is a salutary lesson for those struction, that he once again refuses to tant weapon for the United States of around the world who watch and wait cooperate with international arms in- America is intelligence. for opportunities for unopposed aggres- spectors, that he has had contact with sion. They now know that their invul- al Qaeda and other terrorist organiza- b 1300 nerability has vanished. Even more im- tions, that he is even harboring ter- ‘‘We are weakest, frankly, in that portant, and almost entirely unnoticed rorist organizations. And yet the Presi- particular area. So it is going to take amid the torrent of criticism focused dent decides not to act. He decides to us time to be able to build up here to on President Bush, is that his actions wait, to see if those same inspectors do this properly.’’ You will find that on have greatly enhanced the credibility who had previously been deceived by CBS’s Face the Nation, September 23, of the United States. For the next time Saddam will again give him a clean bill 2001. this or any President warns a foreign of health months or years in the fu- But this same Senator, in 1995, intro- despot to cease actions we believe are ture, to wait until our allies or the duced a bill, S. 1290, that would have threatening to us, there can be little United Nations grudgingly grant us a reduced the intelligence budget by $300 doubt that we will take decisive and narrow warrant to act. To wait until million in each of the fiscal years, 1996, forceful action, no matter how great Saddam perhaps gives to some terrorist 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. the opposition of the world commu- organization a nuclear, chemical, or bi- Then we have a gentlewoman serving nity. ological weapon to detonate in some with distinction in this body, from No one can credibly question that U.S. city. sunny California, and in 1998 she stat- this greatly enhanced credibility paid To trust our fate to those who would ed, ‘‘it is time to totally eliminate the off with Libya’s decision to abandon its destroy us is to die and leave no de- CIA.’’ CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, March efforts to acquire weapons of mass de- scendants. 18, 1997. struction. Qaddafi understood what Is it possible to imagine the storm of On several occasions in the 1990s, fol- President Bush’s critics still refuse to condemnation that would justifiably lowing the collapse of the Soviet em- acknowledge, that this administration fall on a President who, by not acting, pire, a majority of Democrats in the is determined to eliminate threats to allowed Saddam to arm himself once House voted to cut the U.S. intel- our country, both actual and potential, again with nuclear, chemical or bio- ligence budget. Yet, following the hor- and if necessary, will use force to do so.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4030 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 That is in sharp contrast to the pas- Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of And it arose. And here we are, some 3 sivity of the previous administration, my time. years later. whose failure to react to the repeated Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield Despite the fact that this resolution attacks on the United States only en- myself 2 minutes. is a broad one, let’s talk about Iraq, couraged our enemies to make further Let me comment on a couple of which should be the complete subject attacks. What other conclusion could things the distinguished gentleman of the resolution before us. al Qaeda and others have reached from from Illinois said. Mr. Speaker, this Nation is at a stra- our baffling inaction and response to He talks about early exit. This war tegic crossroads. We are spending $8 their assaults on our embassy, on our has gone on, Mr. Chairman, this war billion a month, over $300 billion on military, on us? They were taught the has gone on longer than the Korean this war. And more strikingly, we are false lesson that they were free to War. It has gone on longer than World losing, Mr. Speaker, a battalion’s slaughter us and we would do nothing. War I, and it has gone almost as long worth of casualties killed or injured Incredibly, senior officials from the as the European War. between Iraq and Afghanistan. By far, administration now shamelessly criti- If I believed we were making most of them are, sadly, in Iraq. And cize this President for taking decisive progress, we can’t win this militarily. there are increasing insurgent inspired measures to address the threat that What I am saying is to redeploy, to get attacks. they themselves could not be brought our troops out of harm’s way is the Now, what makes this resolution so to contemplate. By acting first in Af- key. I see no progress at all in this op- interesting is the fact that it flies in ghanistan, and then Iraq to remove eration. I see the opposite. the face of the law that we passed here Saddam, President Bush has rendered When I see, you talk about al Qaeda in the Congress of the United States the need for future interventions much being encouraged by what we say. Al and the President signed. The bill, the less likely. Qaeda has gone from 15,000 to 20,000. In- defense bill of 2005 said this: ‘‘Calendar It is unfortunate that the quest for cidents have gone from 50 a day to 90 a year 2006 should be a period of signifi- political advantage and a high decibel day. That is the thing that worries me. cant transition to full Iraqi sov- partisanship have intruded into the na- And we are not making progress. We ereignty with Iraqi security forces tak- tional discussions of how best to ad- are losing progress. ing the lead for the security of a free dress the problems we face in Iraq. But I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating there can be no doubt that the more we from Missouri (Mr. SKELTON). conditions for the phased redeployment appear disunited, and the more voluble ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE of the United States forces from Iraq.’’ our dissent into weakness, dissension The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. That is the law of our land. That is and inaction, the greater the aid and LAHOOD). The Chair reminds Members what the defense bill said last year. comfort we give to our enemies. to direct their comments to the Chair. ‘‘Thereby creating conditions for the The world of predictability and rel- Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I appre- phased redeployment of the United ative safety we once knew is gone. We ciate the opportunity to speak on this States forces from Iraq.’’ are now engaged in a cruel, brutal issue today, this important issue for so b 1315 struggle with those who would destroy many Americans across the country, us, one unprecedented in its challenge from my home State of Missouri. So What does this mean to us in the to our perseverance and courage, and many families such as mine have long run? Well, farmers in Missouri one that will be fought not just in for- young people in uniform. But this reso- know that the quality of the corn that eign lands but on our own soil. lution before us today is not what we they plant will bring about the quality To insist that decisions must await requested, nor is it what we were told of the corn that grows. And we find perfect intelligence, that the risk of we would have before us to debate. We ourselves militarily eating our seed action is to be more feared than the expected a resolution confined to the corn in the country of Iraq. Sadly, a risk of inaction, that others will save country of Iraq and the conflict there. few moments ago we had a moment of us, is to guarantee our defeat. But de- That is not what the resolution is. This silence for the 2,500th American that feat in this new and more dangerous resolution covers the Middle East wa- sacrificed a life in that sad country. world means annihilation. The smok- terfront, trying to blend together the But it means eating up the equipment, ing gun that some critics insist on Iraqi war and the war against ter- and we are using equipment right and might well be some of our cities. rorism, which has its genesis in Af- left and it is going to take 3 years to We in this Chamber, our country, the ghanistan. refurbish the United States Army if entire world, owe this President not Mr. Speaker, these are two separate the war would stop today equipment- condemnation but our thanks for act- and distinct wars. We did the right wise. There are challenges in recruiting ing in Iraq, for refusing to wait for an thing by going into Afghanistan, top- and retention. But I have to tell you avowed enemy to strike, for not tempo- pling the Taliban, which supported and how proud I am of those young people rizing and letting the forces of destruc- protected the al Qaeda terrorists. And in uniform today. But if we do not take tion wage unopposed their pitiless war then came along the discussion, the serious thought about the phraseology to destroy everything we believe in. international discussion about Iraq and that is in the law creating the condi- To those faint of heart from tem- Saddam Hussein and the weapons of tion for the phased redeployment of porary setbacks in Iraq or who seek to mass destruction. United States forces from Iraq, I think benefit politically from our differences We made the decision, as a country, that we may be eating our military there, permit me to quote from Thom- to go into Iraq. At that time, Mr. seed corn. And what does this mean? It as Paine. Thomas Paine wrote, ‘‘These Speaker, knowing the history and the means that the United States of Amer- are the times that try men’s souls. The culture of the Middle East, I sent two ica will be less prepared to either deter summer soldier and the sunshine pa- letters to the President of the United or defend an attack that might come at triot will in this crisis shrink from the States, one on September 4, 2002, and some future date. service of their country. But he that one on March 18, 2003, before we went This is serious business. We need to stands by it now deserves the love and into Iraq. My letters warned against remain strong militarily. That is the thanks of men and women. Tyranny, the aftermath. way you deter problems. Should North like hell, is not easily conquered. Yet, They sent an Assistant Secretary of Korea, somewhere in Asia, somewhere we have this consolation with us, that State and an Assistant Secretary of in Latin America, somewhere in Africa the harder the conflict, the more glo- Defense over to see me and said, ‘‘Ike, that would cause us to be involved, the rious the triumph.’’ it will be all right.’’ question is, Mr. Speaker, would we be Charles De Gaulle once said, ‘‘France We know what happened in the after- prepared militarily to meet that chal- would not be true to herself if she math insurgency because we allowed lenge? weren’t engaged in some great enter- the looting, we sent the Iraqi Army That is why it is very important that prise.’’ Our great enterprise is the de- home, rather than give them a pay- we do our very best to take seriously fense of freedom, and may we be wor- check and a shovel, and didn’t have the law regarding transition this year, thy of the challenge. enough troops to quell any insurgency. the significant transition.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4031 And what will it take? It will take threat, the method of acting, and the timing. the Middle East more difficult and may well the Iraqi government to stand up on its Furthermore, any strategy to eliminate provide the rationale for more terrorist at- own, and it is on its way there, to Iraqi WMD must also address several compo- tacks against Americans. These concerns do not make military ac- transfer the security problem and situ- nent issues, each of which raises critical questions. tion in Iraq untenable. They do, however, ation to their police force and to their 1. How to manage Iraq’s transition to a highlight the depth and importance of the military, and we have some 250,000 stable post-Saddam regime: issues to be addressed before we strike. We Iraqi military either fully trained or As I mentioned to you this morning, this is need to ensure that in taking out Saddam, nearly fully trained. We have to hand a crucial question for administration strat- we don’t win the battle and lose the war. the baton over to them. We as a coun- egy to answer in advance of any military ac- 3. How to ensure that the United States try, whether militarily or not, cannot tion. I have no doubt that our military would can execute this operation successfully as decisively defeat Iraq’s forces and remove well as its other military missions: determine the fate of Iraq. The Iraqis As you are well aware, Mr. President, the have to do it themselves, their own Saddam. But like the proverbial dog chasing the car down the road, we must consider consideration of military action against Iraq government, their own military, and what we would do after we caught it. comes at a time when U.S. forces are ac- their own police force. We can be of As Sun-Tzu said in the classic strategic tively engaged throughout the world in a help. We have been of help. We have treatise, The Art of War, ‘‘To win victory is range of missions. Given the operational been there some 3 years. I think it is easy; to preserve its fruits, difficult.’’ Mili- pressures these forces currently face, we must ask what the risks and trade-offs will time for us to seriously look at where tary planners and political leaders alike knew this in World War II. Planning for the be of defeating Iraq, particularly if Iraqi we are, where we are going, and do our forces mass in Baghdad for urban operations. occupation of Germany and Japan—two eco- very best to keep ourselves militarily How many casualties must the American nomically viable, technologically sophisti- strong for those days that are bound to people be prepared to take in a worst-case cated nations—took place well in advance of scenario? What will the impact of sustained happen. the end of the war. The extreme difficulty of operations be on so-called high-demand, low- And, Mr. Speaker, let me remind the occupying Iraq with its history of autocratic density assets? What military operations Members I have been in Congress 29 rule, its balkanized ethnic tensions, and its might we have to forego because of contin- plus years thanks to those wonderful isolated economic system argues both for ued demands in Iraq? Will we still be pre- careful consideration of the benefits and folks in Missouri. During that time, we pared for the range of other threats that risks of undertaking military action and for have had 10 military confrontations might emerge throughout the world? With with other countries. History being detailed advanced occupation planning if little allied support and contributions, will what it is reflects that, and the future such military action is approved. we still be able to maintain military spend- Specifically, your strategy must consider may hold something similar. We hope ing on transformational technologies and on the form of a replacement regime and take sound quality of life for our forces if we are not. But the question is will we be seriously the possibility that this regime bearing a huge wartime cost alone? What militarily prepared when the time might be rejected by the Iraqi people, lead- will be the impact on the domestic economy comes? ing to civil unrest and even anarchy. The ef- The Iraq adventure needs to be of these resources drains and of the long- fort must be to craft a stable regime that term costs of reconstructing Iraq? These looked at in light of the law that we will be geopolitically preferable to Saddam questions must be answered before any mili- passed last year. The calendar year 2006 and will incorporate the disparate interests tary action commences so that the American should be a period of significant transi- of all groups within Iraq—Shi’a, Sunni, and people understand the risks and the sac- tion to full Iraqi sovereignty with Iraqi Kurd. We must also plan now for what to do rifices involved. security forces taking the lead for the with members of the Baath party that con- I ask these questions only to highlight the tinue to support Saddam and with the sci- complexity of the undertaking and the need security of a free and sovereign Iraq, entists and engineers who have expertise thereby creating the conditions for the for Congress, the American people, and our born of the Iraqi WMD program. friends around the world to understand ex- phased redeployment of United States All these efforts require careful planning actly what is at stake and why we must act forces from Iraq. That is the law. That and long-term commitment of manpower and now. Only such a comprehensive strategic is what the Congress passed. That is resources. The American people must be approach will ensure that we commit U.S. what the President signed. And that is clear about the amount of money and the troops consciously and with full knowledge where we are. number of soldiers that will have to be de- of the range of challenges we face—both in Mr. Speaker, I will enter into the voted to this effort for many years to come. the initial campaign and in the long after- 2. How to ensure the action in Iraq does RECORD at this point my letters in full math to follow. Even a strategy that has not undermine international support for the military action as its centerpiece will re- to the President, dated September 4, broader war on terrorism: 2002, and March 18, 2003. quire great diplomatic efforts to ensure its In planning for military operations in Iraq, success. I look forward to hearing the admin- COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, we cannot ignore the lack of international istration’s answers and to working with you HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, support to date. Pre-emptive action against to find the best course of action. Washington, DC, September 4, 2002. Iraq is currently vocally opposed by many of Sincerely, The PRESIDENT, our allies and friends throughout the world IKE SKELTON, The White House, and particularly in the Middle East. Ranking Democrat. Washington, DC. When we are seen as acting against the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: Thank you for invit- concerns of large numbers of our friends, it COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, ing me to the briefing this morning. I share calls into question the ‘‘humble’’ approach HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, your concern about the continuing threat to international relations you espoused dur- Washington, DC, March 18, 2003. posed by Saddam Hussein and his efforts to ing the presidential campaign. More than The PRESIDENT, produce weapons of mass destruction (WMD). that, it has several potentially damaging The White House, I would like to offer my assistance as the ad- long-term consequences. First, it risks losing Washington, DC. ministration considers how to deal with this the large number of partners needed to pros- DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: This is a critical threat. ecute the global war on terrorism. To ferret week for our nation and for the world. As Before Congress can authorize any mili- terrorist groups out of their many hiding you prepare to make the most difficult deci- tary action that might be part of the admin- places, we must have broad allied support. sion of sending our troops into combat, the istration’s plan, we must have answers to Second, it risks seriously damaging U.S. thoughts and prayers of all Americans are more questions than were able to be raised. moral legitimacy, potentially providing with you. My colleagues here in Congress at today’s meeting. Our constitutional duty states like India and Pakistan with a pre- have many different views on the wisdom of requires us to ensure that all implications of emptive option that could drive long-stand- action in Iraq and the severity of its con- such action are considered in advance. The ing conflicts beyond containable bounds. sequences. But we are united in our support case has not yet been fully made as to what Finally and perhaps most dangerously, ac- for all the men and women who serve this the threat is, why military force is an appro- tions without broad Arab support may in- nation. priate way of addressing the threat, and why flame the sources of terrorism, causing un- There is no doubt that our forces will be action must occur now. In short, Congress rest and anger throughout the Muslim world. victorious in any conflict, but there is great and the American people must be clear on This dynamic will be worse if Iraq attacks potential for a ragged ending to a war as we your strategic vision before we can authorize Israel—perhaps with weapons of mass de- deal with the aftermath. I appreciate the ef- a specific course of action. I believe, like struction—and draws them into the conflict. forts that members of your administration Clausewitz, that in strategy there is an ‘‘im- Iran, which has the potential to seize a re- have made to keep me informed about plans perative . . . not to take the first step with- formist path, may well move away from the for the administration and reconstruction of out considering the last.’’ United States in the face of attacks that Iraq following military conflict. Your team Your strategy for dealing with Iraq must could next be taken against them. Together, has thought about many of the things that address the fundamental questions of the these dynamics will make achieving peace in will need to be done.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4032 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Secretary Rumsfeld frequently talks about Saddam attacks Israel with missiles con- lot of those great members of the the list he keeps of things that could go taining weapons of mass destruction. Israel Armed Services Committee, and we got wrong in an Iraq war. I have kept my own retaliates. Arab countries, notably Saudi over there a couple of weeks before the list—of things that could go wrong after the Arabia and Jordan, come under intense polit- Marines were blown up in the terrorist war is over. The list below is indicative of ical pressure to withdraw their support from this broader list. My hope is that this will be the U.S. war effort. U.S. forces are forced to act that all Americans now have heard helpful to members of your administration reposition operational centers into Iraq and about and understand. And the reac- as you continue to plan for all possibilities. Kuwait, complicating reconstruction and tion of the United States to that was These are not complete scenarios but rather transition efforts. basically to move out. And I know we a series of possible problems that could occur OIL RESOURCES all remember the Khobar Towers going in some combination. Saddam sabotages a significant number of up and a similar nonreaction from the INTERNAL DIVISIONS AND EXTERNAL wells before his defeat. Current estimates in- United States. And we remember the INFLUENCES IN IRAQ dicate he may already have wired up to 1,500 embassies going up in North Africa and Without access to Iraq through Turkey, of these wells. The damage takes years to the national derision that followed the U.S. troops are not present in northern Iraq contain at great economic and environ- sending back of a couple of cruise mis- in large numbers. Turkey enters northern mental cost and removes a major source of siles, one of which was alleged to have Iraq to establish a buffer zone and fighting reconstruction funding. breaks out between the Turks and Kurds. A Internal groups, such as the Kurds, seize hit a drugstore, which was at most a significant U.S. military force is needed to oil-rich land before American troops reach symbolic response to the blowing up of separate the groups, complicating the gov- the area, causing internal clashes over these those embassies in Africa. And I re- ernmental transition and international sup- resources. Militant Shi’as seize other wells member the Cole, and we all remember port. in the South. the Cole, and the destruction of that An uprising in Kirkuk leaves the Kurds in INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT control of areas of the city and surrounding ship and the ensuing American casual- area. This triggers a large Turkish invasion The United States takes immediate con- ties and the nonaction by the United to protect the Turkmen minority and to pre- trol of Iraq’s administration and of recon- States. vent Kurdish control of oil resources. Again struction. The United Nations can’t agree on And then we were struck on 9/11, and this would require U.S. military resources how involved to get given the divisions we realized that it was wrong for us to with all the attending effects. among the Security Council about the need treat these terrorist acts as isolated, In the event that Turkey crosses into Iraq, for conflict. The lack of UN involvement in the administration makes the European compartmentalized acts that were un- Iran may do the same, ostensibly to stem the related. And at that point we struck refugee flows from southern Iraq and to pro- Union and others less likely to give. This sit- tect Shi’a interests. uation delays reconstruction and puts more back. And we undertook a mission first Shi’a populations in the south rebel and of the cost on the United States and a small- to Afghanistan, secondly a mission to undertake attacks against Sunnis. U.S. er number of partners. Iraq. troops must step in to protect the Sunnis U.S. reconstruction efforts that give U.S. And I do not think we have to plow and restore peace. These tensions resurface corporations a great role at the expense of old ground about Iraq. I think every- during attempts to build a federal and rep- multilateral organizations and other partici- body understands Saddam Hussein, resentative government. pation—as was detailed in yesterday’s Wall Urban fighting in the south brings Shi’a Street Journal—spur resentment and again Gulf I. But I think it is important and into conflict with Sunnis. The resulting dev- limit the willingness of others to participate. it is good that my friend Mr. MURTHA astation causes a refugee crisis as Shi’a AMERICAN COMMITMENT has pointed out that, in fact, even as make for the Iranian border. The results of Stabilization and reconstruction prove we drove that armored spearhead north Saddam’s policy of forced Arabization of more difficult than expected. U.S. troop re- in this war against Iraq, taking Bagh- areas like Kirkuk yield dangerous con- quirements approach 200,000—the figure Gen- dad, Tommy Franks was intercepting sequences. Groups like the Kurds flow back eral Shinseki has mentioned—for a sustained communications even then from Iraqi into these areas seeking to reclaim their period. This puts pressure on troop rotations, officers to the effect that they were on former homes and land, sparking conflict reservists, their families, and employers and with Iraqi Arabs. the verge of using the ‘‘special weap- requires a dramatic increase in end-strength. on,’’ which we interpreted to be poison Attempts to fashion a federal government Required funding reaches the figure sug- in Baghdad prove difficult. Iran is able to es- gested by a recent Council on Foreign Rela- gas, a weapon of mass destruction, and tablish proxies for its influence among the tions assessment—20 billion annually for sev- he gave out orders that were right Shi’a representatives. Once in Iraq, infight- eral years. During a period of economic dif- down to platoon and squad level, get ing breaks out among members of the former ficulty, the American public calls for greater ready for those weapons of mass de- Iraqi opposition in exile. The United States burdensharing. struction. is unable to transition the administration of It is my hope that none of these I can also remember giving a brief- Iraq effectively and has to remain in place, eventualities comes to pass. But as you and with significant military backing. ing, giving an invitation to every Mem- all military leaders know, good planning re- ber of this House, Democrat and Re- The war involves lengthy urban combat, quires considering the range of possibilities. particularly in Baghdad. Most infrastructure It also requires advance preparation of the publican, before we voted on taking is destroyed resulting in massive humani- American people. You have regularly out- military action in Iraq, to come over tarian problems. The emphasis on humani- lined the reasons for why the United States and listen to intelligence experts in a tarian aid distracts from efforts to establish must disarm Iraq. I urge you to do the same closed briefing with no handlers, no a new government. Once established the gov- in explaining why we must stay with Iraq for White House personnel, and ask any ernment faces massive political pressure the long haul, even with the economic and from the sustained humanitarian crisis. question they wanted to ask about military burdens this will entail. weapons of mass destruction. And they WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION As always, I am willing to help in any way Saddam uses biological and chemical weap- I can to make this case to my colleagues and did that. Lots of them. We had over 100 ons against advancing U.S. troops, but also the American people. Members at several of the briefings. inflicts substantial civilian casualties. Ef- Sincerely, And we had members of the intel- forts to stabilize cities and to establish a IKE SKELTON, ligence apparatus of this country lay- government are complicated by the need to Ranking Democrat. ing out differences. They talked about deal with the large number of dead and to de- Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield the aluminum tubes, how some people contaminate affected areas. myself such time as I may consume. thought those were to be used in cen- Saddam uses biological and chemical weap- Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the trifuges for the conversion of uranium, ons directly against civilian populations or against another Arab country and seeks to chairman of the Intelligence Com- the enrichment of uranium. Others affix blame for civilian suffering to the mittee for allowing me to take a little thought they were to be used for rock- United States. Over the period of occupation, time early in this debate, although I et bodies. But we invited all the Mem- this resentment complicates U.S. efforts to know the Armed Services Committee is bers before they made that vote to give maintain support for reconstruction efforts. going to come up a little later. And I the President license to go into Iraq. U.S. troops are unable to quickly find all wanted to talk about this war and They did that vote from an educated of Saddam’s capabilities, requiring a long, touch on some of the subjects that my standpoint. They had an opportunity to labor-intensive search and anxiety as to when the task is complete. good friend Mr. MURTHA has brought up pull all the information that they Regional leaders, for money or to gain in- over the last 15 or 20 minutes. wanted. fluence, retain caches of WMD and transfer I was a new Member of Congress in Now, it has been stated that we did some to terrorist groups. 1983 when I went over to Beirut with a not have enough troops going into Iraq.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4033 And I remember, as we were driving history when it has been tough to bring show that that was the right thing to that armored spearhead north, and the allies on board, when we had to have do. To have an efficient army, you have Marines taking a piece of it, the Army big pieces of this operation by our- got to have a couple of things. You taking a big piece of it, we had a num- selves and go it alone. And yet we were have got to have an army that has a ber of experts appearing on national fo- able to bring at least 20,000 coalition chain of command which is responsive, rums on a daily basis saying there were members into this operation. that means that the private does what not enough troops. They used the term And it is true we did not have the the sergeant says and the sergeant does we are going to get ‘‘bogged down,’’ French and the Germans. But the what his platoon leader says, and right and what was interesting is even as French and the Germans were looking up the chain of command. they were on talk shows saying that forward to major oil contracts with And you have also got to have an there were not enough troops, the talk Saddam Hussein, and they did not want army that is responsive to the civilian show would be interrupted with a news to go this time against their pocket- government, to that new defense min- flash to the effect that Tommy Franks books, and that is a fact of life. ister that was just put in place. I do had taken yet another stronghold. And Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speak- not think you are going to do that with it was stated at the end of that drive er, will the gentleman yield? 15,000 Sunni generals. I have seen that toward Baghdad with what was de- Mr. HUNTER. I would be happy to statement tossed around so much that scribed by some of the observers, some yield. I hope to be able to talk to some of the of the so-called experts, too few troops, Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speak- folks a couple of years down the line that that lightning attack taking er, I very much appreciate my col- when it is reflected. Baghdad would go down in history as league’s yielding. Incidentally, people like Barry an example of a low casualty level, and You and I have had a great oppor- McCaffrey who have not been great we did have an extraordinarily low cas- tunity to work together in the defense friends of the administration’s oper- ualty level, and a lightning advance in arena in recent years. My chairing our ation have said that looking at the which the enemy in many cases was de- subcommittee in Appropriations Iraqi Army now, they see a core of stroyed long before the American col- brought in clear form to me the con- strength, they see leadership emerging, umns got to their land forces. tribution you have made to the and they see an Iraqi Army that is be- Now let us talk about troops in the strength of America and our role in the coming effective. occupation and the level of troops in world. So what are we doing? We have a the occupation because that has been I may not be able to speak later, but mission, and the mission right now for brought up a number of times, and let me say to the gentleman that very the military is to provide a shield for General Shinseki’s statement about early on in this process, one of the this fledgling government as it goes needing more than the number of great trips I have ever taken was with into place, this new government. We troops that we had there has been used a cross-section of this House, people are nation-builders. We are building a many times. There have been two argu- who voted against the war, people who nation. It is also to train up the Iraqi ments: one, that we needed to have were in the center somewhere, people military, and we are going to hand off more troops to make sure we could who supported the President from the this defense burden, that means our suppress the insurgents; and the other beginning, all of them over a long people come home after we train up statement that was made, sometimes weekend. And together we saw Saddam and mature the Iraqi military. in the same speech, would be that we Hussein for what he was, visiting kill- If the question for us is, who is best needed to put an Iraqi face on the secu- ing fields with 500,000 people that this equipped to decide when we take the rity apparatus. Well, you can’t have it guy murdered, of his own people, while training wheels off, when we let the both ways. You cannot have an Amer- he was building golden palaces. Iraqi military go forward, I think we ican on every street corner and have an As we left, we came together to see should leave that judgment up to the Iraqi face on the security apparatus. what we would do about that big sup- people who tracked down and brought And let me just say one last thing, plemental on the war. To a person, to justice Mr. Zarqawi, a gentleman which is a hard, tough truth for this Democrat and Republican, one of our who said that he was going to take this House. But when the gentleman from Members summarized it by saying this: war to Washington, DC, and London. Pennsylvania and I, as we watched the All of you know where I have been He is going to be a little late for that last of the 1990s unfold and the Clinton coming from. I voted against the war. one, because we have an extremely administration left the White House, It is going to be very unpopular when I competent American military on the we noticed in our defense committees go home. But after seeing what Sad- ground in Iraq right now. I think the that we went into that administration dam Hussein is really about, how could gentleman from Pennsylvania would in the early 1990s with 15 American we do anything else? agree with that. Army divisions. We came out of that And all 13 of those Members came in So let’s use that same judgment of administration with 10, count them, 10. that great debate and supported the those combat commanders who are Roughly 33 combat brigades. That is a President’s fight against Saddam Hus- training those Iraqi units in their areas fact of life. That is what we had to go sein because it was a fight against the of operation who say, okay, this bat- into this operation with. Now we are war on terror. talion is just about matured, this one moving and we are building toward 43 is not, this one needs more equipment, combat brigades right now. But we cut b 1330 this one needs some more training. the military, we cut the U.S. Army, by Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman. Let’s rely on their judgment as to almost 40 percent, and that is what we And, you know, that takes me to an- when we can hand that load off to them had to go into this war with. other point, which is the Iraqi Army. It and let them bear the security burden. Now, with respect to the gentleman’s has been said many times, and prob- Why should a Senator from Wis- statements that in the first war we got ably will be said again in this debate, consin or a Congressman from Cali- lots of folks to chip in and pay for this that we should have kept the Iraqi fornia try to impose an arbitrary date thing, that is right. On the other hand, Army intact. on when that maturity takes place. you had lots of self-interest. You had Now, the road that is not taken is al- You cannot do it. So I would just ask Saddam Hussein’s tanks in third gear ways the smoothest. But looking at the my friends to give to those great Amer- before we threw the 82nd Airborne in Iraqi Army, at Saddam Hussein’s army, icans who are over there working this between him and his objectives, and he had 15,000 Sunni generals. How are mission right now, let’s send a united you had everybody that had an oil well you going to maintain an efficient statement to them that there is value in that region scared to death and will- Iraqi Army that is responsive to a new in this mission, there is value in their ing to pour money into this operation. fledgling civilian government with operation. So it is no surprise that countries out 15,000 Sunni generals running this We are going to complete this mis- of self-interest will pile on and will thing? sion. You know, they are lacking some- help out. It is also no surprise that we We have had to build this army from thing that the Greatest Generation have had lots of times in our national the ground up. I think that history will had. The Greatest Generation in World

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4034 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 War II had a united American public. gap which is the chasm between the The decision to give those lucrative When the 101st went into Northern Eu- President’s promises and reality. contracts to Halliburton has been ex- rope, they had a united American pub- Mr. Bowen is absolutely right: the pensive. According to Pentagon audits, lic. Let’s give the 101st Airborne now in gap is enormous. But it is dwarfed by Halliburton’s total unreasonable and Mosul, and in that tough Sunni Tri- the incompetency and corruption gaps unsupported charges exceed $1.4 billion. angle, let’s give them the same support in Iraq. The consequences of mis- Well, the examples of waste, fraud, and we gave them in Europe, a united management and corruption are seri- abuse are numerous. Halliburton American public and a united Amer- ous. Waste, fraud, and abuse have charged $45 for a case of soda; $100 for ican Congress. flourished. The taxpayer has been re- a 15-pound bag of laundry. Let’s give the 1st Marine Division peatedly gouged. When they had brand-new $85,000 Hal- that is out there in that tough province Iraq is not being rebuilt. We have liburton trucks, they abandoned them in the al Anbar Province out in lost credibility and are now viewed in or torched them if they got a flat tire Fallujah the same support we gave Iraq as occupiers, and our troops did or experienced minor mechanical prob- them when they were fighting Guadal- not get essential equipment when they lems. Halliburton’s contracts are cost- canal. The 1st Marine Division deserves needed it. We have now spent $50 bil- plus. That means that Halliburton is a united American public and a united lion on Iraq reconstruction, including reimbursed for all of its costs, and then American Congress. $30 billion from U.S. taxpayers. receives an extra percentage as addi- So let’s send a message. The main Let’s look at what we got for the tional profit. message that is manifested in this res- money. Despite spending $2 billion, In practical terms, this means that olution is that we should not have an Iraq’s oil production is still well below the more Halliburton spends, the richer arbitrary cut-off point, an arbitrary prewar levels, running about a half it gets. Now we talked to former Halli- deadline, and, secondly, that we will million barrels below 2003 levels. We burton employees who worked in Iraq. complete this mission. Let’s send this have invested $4 billion into improving They told us the informal company message to every soldier, every marine electricity generation. motto was: ‘‘Do not worry about price, who is watching this thing from the Not only is the administration 2,000 it is cost plus.’’ mess halls in Mosul and Tikrit and megawatts short of reaching its goal Halliburton was supposed to be in Baghdad and Fallujah, the message for peak output, but generation is ac- Iraq to provide support for the troops, that the United States House of Rep- tually below prewar levels. And we but the company used one standard for resentatives stands with them. spent $6 billion on oil production and the troops and a completely different Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of electricity generation. And we have ac- standard for its own executives. Halli- my time. tually lost ground. burton employees stayed at the five- Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield The situation is the same for drink- star Kempinski Hotel in Kuwait, where myself 2 minutes. ing water. In essence, we have squan- it costs taxpayers $10,000 per day. This Mr. Speaker, I believe we send them dered $50 billion. Profiteering has been is the five-star Kempinski. This gor- a message when we vote on the armed rampant, and the taxpayer has gotten geous hotel offered maid service, com- services bill. Very few people voted gouged and the work has not gotten plimentary fruit baskets to Halli- against it. I believe we voted, in the de- done. And what is especially shameful burton employees. fense subcommittee of appropriations, about the wasteful spending is that we Our troops stayed in tents in the only 15 or 16 people voted against it. needed this money for our troops. desert. At one point, a cost-conscious But Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘‘If you When we first went into Iraq, our Army official asked Halliburton to disagree with a policy and you do not troops did not have enough body move its employees into air-condi- say anything, you are actually trea- armor. tioned tents, but they refused. sonous.’’ Families had to purchase armor off To their credit, career government I disagree with the policy. I do not the Internet and ship it to Iraq in a auditors identified these overcharges. disagree with supporting the troops. desperate attempt to protect their When they examined Halliburton’s sec- There is no one that supports the loved ones. On congressional delega- ond oil contract, they harshly criti- troops better than the Members of this tions, individual servicemembers have cized Halliburton’s performance, citing Congress. And that is shown by the few taken our staffs aside and begged for profound systemic problems and exor- people that vote against the bill. more night vision goggles. bitant indirect costs. But their rec- One other thing: I think the gen- Patriotic Americans even had to do- ommendations were rejected. tleman made a mistake when he said nate their frequent flier miles so troops After reviewing Halliburton’s first oil we are for the war, against the war on who were dumped at the Baltimore air- contract in Iraq, auditors rec- terror. We are actually fighting for the port by the Pentagon could make it ommended that the Army not pay $263 war on terror is what we are doing. But home for the holidays. This should million in unreasonable and unsup- I appreciate what the gentleman is say- never have happened. It is inexcusable ported charges. But the Army ignored ing. that our troops face desperate short- those auditors and paid Halliburton I appreciate the fact that he and I ages of essential gear while billions of $254 million, over 95 percent of the dis- both asked for more troops at one dollars were frittered away. puted charges. point. He was the lead sponsor at that To understand the magnitude of this, And in spite of the auditor’s findings, particular time. there is no better place to start than Halliburton was paid nearly $100 mil- I recognize the gentleman from Cali- Halliburton. Halliburton is the largest lion in profits and bonuses for over- fornia for 13 minutes. private contractor operating in Iraq. billing taxpayers. Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, before The company has three contracts that Well, Halliburton symbolizes what we went to war, President Bush and total more than $20 billion. We now went astray in Iraq, but it is not the other administration officials made know that political appointees, not ca- only contractor abusing the system. three promises to the American people: reer civil servants, decided to give Hal- Parsons received the contract to re- one, we would find weapons of mass de- liburton a secret no-bid contract for $7 build health clinics throughout Iraq. struction; two, we would be welcomed billion to operate Iraq’s oil fields. But despite spending $186 million, Par- as liberators; and, three, the recon- As GAO has reported, the key deci- sons completed just 20 of 142 health struction of Iraq would pay for itself. sion that led to the award of the secret clinics they promised to build. Well, all three promises proved to be contract violated Federal procurement Another firm, Custer Battles, re- false. Today I will focus on the recon- law. When a career attorney properly ceived two security contracts. A Fed- struction effort in Iraq and the massive objected, he was simply overruled. And eral jury recently found that the com- waste, fraud, and abuse that have un- despite statements from the Vice pany committed 37 separate acts of dermined our efforts. President, we know now that his chief fraud. These are not isolated instances. Stuart Bowen is the Special Inspec- of staff, Scooter Libby, was personally There are over 70 corruption investiga- tor General for Iraq reconstruction. He briefed on this entire plan months be- tions currently under way in Iraq. often talks about the reconstruction fore the war. These cases involve allegations of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4035 fraud, false claims, theft, bribery and this costly war in Iraq. They count on tacked in June of 1996. Our ambas- kickbacks. Some of the worst problems us to make sure that their money is sadors were attacked in Kenya and in Iraq are almost beyond comprehen- spent well, and we haven’t done that. Tanzania in August of 1998 and the USS sion. An honest unsparing look at the Cole was attacked in October of 2000. The U.S. management of the Devel- record of the past 3 years tells us a In 1996 bin Laden declared war opment Fund for Iraq, which was the stark truth. The White House and Con- against the United States in its fatwa. fund that held the proceeds of Iraqi oil gress have failed our troops, the tax- Throughout the 1990s, there were mul- sales, is a classic example of what not payers and the Iraqi people. They de- tiple attacks. Almost 300 people were to do. The Coalition Provisional Au- serve better than a partisan resolution killed, and there was a minimal U.S. thority handed out over $8.8 billion in that pats ourselves and the White response. No one in the 1990s connected cash, in cash, to Iraqi ministries. And House on the back. the dots. they had no idea what happened to the It is shameful that we are squan- But this war is not just limited to money: $8 billion in cash simply van- dering money on Halliburton at the the United States. It is a global war ished. very same time that we don’t have against Western democracies. Our en- One former U.S. official who was in enough money to protect our troops. It emies are active across the globe, and Iraq at the time, Frank Willis, de- is shameful that Congress has abdi- they must be countered across the scribed conditions as the Wild West. He cated its oversight and legislative re- globe, not just by the United States said the lack of controls effectively sponsibilities to rein in the incom- but by our allies. created a free fraud zone. petence and corruption that has under- I would like to yield to my colleague b 1345 mined our efforts in Iraq. from New Mexico, the chairwoman of Iraq was awash in brand-new $100 Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield our Technical and Tactical Intelligence bills with no accountability to prevent myself such time as I may consume. Subcommittee, for a further expla- corruption. All the while, the White Mr. Speaker, this resolution in front nation about the long-term focus of House looked the other way and Con- of us today is about an urgent propo- this war. gress put its head in the sand. sition. We are a nation at war, a nation Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Under the Constitution, we are sup- at war with radical Islamists. The war Speaker, it is important for Americans posed to be a check and balance, but we was not of our choosing, but it is the to understand that the war on terror have abdicated this responsibility. The central struggle of our time, the first did not begin on a cool September Republican majority is terrific at ap- major conflict of the Information Age. morning, that this was something that plauding the President, and they are This debate is a defining one for the had been building over a decade or proving it again today with this dis- House and for our Nation. It is impor- longer, that in February of 1993, radical honest resolution. tant to begin by explaining that the Islamist operatives drove a truck into Congress isn’t doing the serious and threats that we face are real. They are the basement of the World Trade Cen- important work it must do to protect serious, and they are ongoing. We must ter and blew it up. One thousand people our troops, rebuild Iraq, look out for address these threats by continuing to were injured and six people died, and American taxpayers. Congress must be confront them aggressively rather than we treated it as a crime, not an act of more than a cheerleading section for shying away from them because they international terror. the White House. are difficult. We begin the debate fram- On June 25, 1996, American airmen The fiasco in Iraq was a windfall for ing four fundamental issues that define who were conducting operations in the some. Halliburton made more than $2 the war with radical Islam. southern no-fly zone in Iraq were set- billion in profits last year. Its total First, our Nation is engaged in a tling in for the night in their quarters revenue has increased by 66 percent long-term war. That war didn’t begin in Saudi Arabia in a building known as since 2002. Another beneficiary was on 9/11. We should maybe look back to the Khobar Towers when a sewage David Brooks. He is the CEO of a com- 2/26. February 26, 1993, perhaps is when truck drove into the compound, backed pany that makes bulletproof vests. In this war really did begin to come into up to the wall of that building, and the 2001, Mr. Brooks reportedly earned focus. What happened on February 26, people who drove it fled in a white car. $525,000. In 2004, he earned $70 million. 1993? That was when the World Trade They were seen from the roof of the Last year, the U.S. Marines recalled Center was attacked for the first time. building by the security forces, and more than 5,000 of the company’s ar- Second, al Qaeda views Iraq as a cen- they started evacuating the building. mored vests. But by that time Mr. tral front in its war against Western They were about three floors down Brooks had pocketed $186 million. democracies. Bin Laden’s stated goal is when the truck exploded and 19 airmen Well, the American people might to establish a global Muslim caliphate were killed. think that Congress would rise up in whose historical center includes Iraq, In August of 1998, we were here in the face of such unconscionable profit- and Zarqawi was operating in Iraq long this House when we got word that our eering. When our troops are willing to before American troops entered that two embassies, one in Kenya and one in sacrifice so much, and they do sacrifice country. Tanzania, had been attacked by bombs. so much, how can we let others create Third, al Qaeda is a sophisticated The U.S. Attorney in the District of cynical fortunes off their blood? enemy in the first war of the Informa- got 17 indictments, one of As we debate this resolution, 2,500 of tion Age. In a war against terrorism, a them for a man whose name wasn’t our bravest men and women, have been critical battle is over intelligence. We really well known at the time. His killed in Iraq. Over 18,000 have been must use every means at our disposal name was . wounded, and the total cost of the Iraq to obtain information about our en- In October of 2000, the USS Cole was war is over $300 billion. Those of us emies and counter their sophisticated in port in Aden, in Yemen when a small privileged to serve here have been information war. boat came up to it and exploded, tear- spared any of the personal con- Fourth, our Nation must recognize ing a gash 40 feet by 60 feet long sequences of being on the front line, how this battle is evolving. We need to midships on the USS Cole, and 17 sail- but we should not be spared the respon- recognize the threat of home-grown ers died. sibility of doing our job. terrorism, home-grown terrorism that All of these actions we treated as iso- We owe more to our troops than slap- has already been experienced in Spain, lated instances. We played defense inef- ping ‘‘I support our troops’’ bumper the , Australia, the fectively against a transnational, stickers on our cars and extolling their Netherlands and, most recently, Can- loosely connected movement against courage. Instead of wasting time on bi- ada. extremists who exploit Islam and use partisan charades, we should acknowl- We are a nation at war. America has terrorism to bring about their dark vi- edge and fix our mistakes so that been in an armed struggle with radical sion of the future. Iraqis can take over and our troops in Islam for at least 15 years. The first The adherents to this movement are Iraq can come home. clear declaration was the attack on the parasites who thrive in weak states We owe more than empty promises to World Trade Center, 6 dead, 1,000 and in failed regimes. That is why the American families who are paying for wounded. The Khobar Towers were at- terrorists made Iraq a central front in

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4036 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 their war. If they could foment civil every girl that now walks in Iraq and rorism is that they are very sophisti- war, if they could keep self-govern- Baghdad and goes to school, for every cated. They are sophisticated users of ment in Iraq from being born, then young mother that goes to a medical technology using, as Chairman HOEK- they could thrive in the chaos and con- clinic to get treatment where there STRA just mentioned, the Internet in tinue their attacks on us. was none before, for every dead ter- order to recruit, in order to train its That is why it is important to see it rorist in Iraq, we make progress every people, in order to intimidate popu- through in Iraq. We made a decision day. lations to go along. after 9/11 that we would play offense One platoon sergeant in Iraq, and I They use Internet video games in and not defense. As Americans, we quote, I have yet to speak to an Amer- order to help train and indoctrinate know the enterprise that we are en- ican here who thinks we are losing. people in the Arab world to their way gaged in is difficult and requires per- Trust me, no soldier wants to be here. of thinking. They use the Internet for sistence and resolve. That is very hard No one wants to cut and run either. communication. They use videotapes on some days. It is very hard for us to Leaving would send the wrong signal to and DVDs to get their message out. understand why it is important to stay our enemies. They have very adept users of tech- the course. There are only two groups of people nology. But we know this. Our enemies are who want America to leave and with- But they are also adept at using persistent and will stay the course. draw in humiliation, Mr. Speaker, from media. As a matter of fact, Prime Min- They will not stop if we ignore them. Iraq. ister Blair said recently that they play So that is the choice we face as a na- President Bush met with the Shiia, our own media with a shrewdness that tion and why this debate today is so the Sunnis, the Kurds just recently, would be the envy of many a political important. It is a choice between re- just this last week. None of them, even party. They know, for example, that solve and retreat. For me and my fam- the Sunnis, wanted the United States one horrific act of cruelty shown on ily, I choose resolve. to leave. As a matter of fact, they video will get far more attention than Mr. HOEKSTRA. Reclaiming my asked for reassurance that we would a thousand acts of kindness or patience time, I thank the gentlewoman for her stay with them in this difficult and from our soldiers. comments. They are agile and clever in using A quote from Zawahiri to al Zarqawi tough struggle for freedom. cruelty through the media in order to in July of 2005: It has always been my b 1400 achieve their ends; and, Mr. Speaker, I belief that the victory of Islam will That would leave only the terrorists think maybe the most important point never take place until a Muslim state who want an early American with- we can make on their sophistication is is established in the manner of a proph- drawal and some politicians in this that they know they cannot beat us et in the heart of the Islamic world, town. militarily, and that is not their object. end of quote. I would listen to what our enemies Al Qaeda views Iraq as a central part They are sophisticated enough to know said when Zarqawi declared, ‘‘We have that the way they can beat us is to in- of this global war on terror. declared a bitter war against the prin- I would like to yield to my colleague fluence our political decisions, to im- ciple of democracy and all those who from Michigan (Mr. ROGERS). pact our political will. seek to enact it.’’ They will kill Amer- Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Thank There has been a very, what has now ican families at any given opportunity. you, Mr. Chairman. really become a classic study of this Mr. Speaker, Iraq is the central front I would say, Mr. Speaker, that we sort of warfare, often called 4th-genera- in the war on terrorism, despite what should stand with our soldiers. We tion warfare, a book called ‘‘The Sling you hear and, despite the pointing out should stand with our families here and The Stone,’’ which traces this sort of problems in a very difficult task, we that helped take the fight to the ter- of attack from Mao’s Tse-tung all the ought not to be asking politicians here rorists overseas. We should stand for way through al Qaeda and its affiliated in Washington, we ought to be listen- victory, and we should stand with the groups. One of the key points that the ing to our enemy. United States of America. author makes, unlike previous genera- Osama bin Laden, quote, this third Mr. HOEKSTRA. I thank my col- tions of war, it does not try to win by world war is raging in Iraq. The whole league from Michigan for those com- defeating military’s forces. Instead, it world is watching this war. It will end ments. directly attacks the minds of enemy in victory and glory, or it will end in The other thing that we have learned decision-makers to destroy the en- misery and humiliation. is that this is the first war in the Infor- emy’s political will. With what you have talked about mation Age. The Information Age pro- That is what is going on. Their use of earlier, Mr. Chairman, from that letter vides some unique opportunities to our technology, their use of cruelty, their from Zawahiri to al Zarqawi, he went enemy. As we work to deny the terror- use of the media has a target which is on to say that prophet in the heart of ists their physical sanctuary, radical us because, as another author has writ- Islam world, specifically Egypt, neigh- Islamists, using the tools of the Infor- ten, it only takes a few hundred people boring states of the peninsula and Iraq, mation Age, are working actively to in Washington, DC, to decide that this they have declared war against the develop a virtual sanctuary on the war is lost. So they are focusing their United States and all those who seek Internet which enables them to grow attention not on our strength, but on to find democracy and peaceful solu- their movement around the globe. our weakness, which is potentially our tions. Some have said, well, this is a battle political will. Terrorist Abu Nidal found safe haven that should be fought in Afghanistan. That is why this resolution is impor- in Iraq and was killed in Baghdad in This battle is not limited to Afghani- tant. It is why in order to meet a so- 2002. Zarqawi and his network were op- stan or Iraq. Tell that to the people in phisticated threat, a political threat, erating in Baghdad and the Kurdish- Spain, the Netherlands, the U.K., Can- which al Qaeda and its affiliated groups controlled region of Iraq a year at least ada or Australia that this is really just try to pose to us, we have to resist that before the start of the war. As a matter a battle about Afghanistan. sort of manipulation. Part of that re- of fact, from that base of operations, The Information Age is making this sistance occurs on the floor of the they executed the assassination of an a very, very different battle than we House. American diplomat in Jordan in 2002. have ever fought before. To explain I thank the chairman for yielding. Our troops found a suicide vest fac- that in more detail is my colleague Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, this tory that had 800 suicide vests equipped from Texas (Mr. THORNBERRY). battle continues to evolve. We know and ready to go in south Baghdad in I yield to Mr. THORNBERRY. that al Qaeda wants to attack us again April of 2003. Iraq was on the State De- Mr. THORNBERRY. I thank the in our homeland. That is why it is im- partment sponsor of terrorism list. chairman for yielding. portant to stay on the offensive, at- Saddam Hussein paid $25,000 cash to Mr. Speaker, part of the job of intel- tacking them where they are and mak- the family of suicide bombers in Israel. ligence is to understand our enemy, ing sure that they do not have a safe You know, with every sacrifice made and what we should clearly understand haven to plan, to train and to develop by our great American soldiers, for about our enemy in the war on ter- the resources to attack us again.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4037 But the other thing that they are We cannot ignore the threat of home- never yield and about which we have trying to do is to develop the concept grown terrorism. It is imperative that no choice. They also remind us that of homegrown terrorism, and it is we understand which elements of our Iraq has become a recruiting ground something that is evolving. society are vulnerable to jihadist prop- for those international terrorists; that I would like to yield to our chair- aganda, how radicalization occurs, and Iraq has become a proving ground for woman of the committee, Mrs. DAVIS. how we can prevent Americans from those international terrorists; and that Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. becoming pawns of al Qaeda. Iraq has become the motivation for Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The British House of Commons con- many of those international terrorists, Mr. Speaker, some of the worst acts cluded that the U.K. counterterrorism none of which existed before the Presi- of radical have been community did not anticipate the dent’s choice to go to war, a war not of committed by homegrown terrorists, March 2005 suicide attacks because it necessity, a war that was unjustified and homegrown terrorists are citizens did not understand homegrown ter- based upon falsified intelligence. or residents of the Western countries rorism and the radicalization process. In fact, we see the new CIA Director who, without any direct contact with We cannot make that same mistake. said that intelligence that the adminis- al Qaeda, adopt a militant radical Is- At the same time, we cannot let our tration used to make the case for war lamic outlook, and they seek to con- concern about homegrown threats was wrong, inaccurate, and misleading. duct acts of terrorism in support of the breed suspicion and distrust of our fel- There were no weapons of mass de- global jihad. low Americans. The diversity and the struction in Iraq, and there was no con- Propaganda on the Internet, as we harmony of the American people is our nection between 9/11 and Saddam Hus- heard from you and from Mr. THORN- country’s greatest strength, and the sein. BERRY, drives the movement. Groups global jihadist network we are fighting The administration used fear to scare like al Qaeda and the Zarqawi network wants to divide us by inspiring home- this country into war based upon those use it to distribute their slick videos, grown terrorists whose attacks will lies. He refused to properly prepare for to glorify the violent jihad. spread. the war and its aftermath, and now our Homegrown terrorists committed, as And I think Mr. THORNBERRY said it soldiers, our families, and our Nation I think you have said before, recent best, they are using the media, the are paying an enormous price for this acts in Spain, the Netherlands and the Internet. They are using that to divide President’s tragic blunder. Two thousand five hundred Ameri- United Kingdom. our country, and that is what will take cans soldiers, we are informed today, The Madrid attack, for instance, on us down, Mr. Speaker. That is why it is have died in Iraq. 19,000 American sol- March 11, 2004, a group of Moroccans imperative that we continue on this diers have been wounded, many of living in Spain attacked passenger course and we continue to fight this them missing limbs and suffering other trains in Madrid killing 190 people; and war on the away front, not the home very serious debilitating injuries that the plot was conceived, it was orga- front. will afflict them the rest of their lives. nized, and it was equipped with no sup- Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The war has cost almost a half a tril- port from international terrorist Mr. HOEKSTRA. I thank my col- lion dollars in taxpayer money, and groups. league. America’s international reputation and Recent events have demonstrated Reclaiming my time, it is why this respect in the world has been severely that Europe is not the only place where resolution is so important, to send a homegrown Islamic militants can de- damaged. clear signal that we are going to win The President often says that he velop. this global war on terror; that we are On June 4, 2006, the Royal Canadian makes decisions about the future of going to be successful in Iraq; that we Iraq based upon what the generals say; Mounted Police arrested 17 Canadians are going to fight the enemy where but when the time came to listen to for planning to attack Canadian gov- they are using all of the techniques the generals prior to Iraq, the Presi- ernment buildings. that they use in an Information Age; dent refused to listen to them. He re- We have seen homegrown Islamic ex- and why we need to redouble our ef- fused to listen to them when they ques- tremist groups in the United States. forts to make sure that they cannot at- tioned the force structure that was Our Federal, our State, and our local tack us; and that we stop the develop- available to us to go into Iraq at that law enforcement agencies have so far ment of homegrown terrorism in this time, but he went anyway. He refused been able to stop them before they country. to listen to them when questions were could launch attacks. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of raised the day after we seized Baghdad. In August 2005, for instance, the FBI my time. What we now see is massive national arrested four members of the JIS plot- Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield chaos for which our soldiers were not ting to bomb military recruiting of- myself 1 minute. trained, not given any instructions on fices and synagogues in southern Cali- This all sounds good. It is all rhet- how to deal with, and certainly did not fornia, and this is the interesting part: oric. It is rhetoric. The number of daily have sufficient numbers to deal with. The JIS was founded by an inmate at attacks in Iraq have gone from 2004, 53 The President sent the troops into that the California State Prison in Sac- attacks per day; May 2005, 70 attacks war with that poor planning, that poor ramento, and most members of the JIS per day; May 2006, 90 attacks per day. structure, and that poor understanding are American citizens who were born Electricity is less than prewar level. of what would take place afterwards. and raised in the United States. They No water available to all, only 1 hour a The American public had to witness were radicalized and recruited into JIS day, Mr. Speaker, and the oil produc- soldiers being forced to buy their own while they were in prison; and as far as tion which was supposed to pay for the body armor, have their families buy it authorities know, none of these mem- war is less than prewar production. because we did not have a proper sup- bers had any contact with foreign ter- Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the ply prior to going into that war. Many rorist groups. gentleman from California (Mr. men and women were sent into battle Last February, the Justice Depart- GEORGE MILLER). with unarmored, old Humvees that ment indicted three men in Ohio for (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California were used for flood control in the Cali- aiding insurgents in Iraq and planning asked and was given permission to re- fornia rivers before they showed up in to attack U.S. troops there. Two of the vise and extend his remarks.) Iraq, and those soldiers died because of men were naturalized U.S. citizens, and Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. that inadequate equipment and because one was a permanent legal resident. Mr. Speaker, there is no more pressing of the roadside bombs that are the The men learned their craft by issue in our country today than bring- number one killer in Iraq. downloading terrorism instructional ing an end to the war in Iraq as quickly We see the torture of detainees was videos from jihadist Internet sites. as possible. approved at the highest levels in the They had no contact with al Qaeda. I thank my colleagues on the other Pentagon; and this, again, has led to an Had they not been arrested, they may side who just completed their discus- undermining of our position in the have started looking for local targets sion of the war on terror. They remind world, our moral position in the war in that they could attack. us that it is a war in which we can Iraq and the war against terrorism.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4038 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 This is a policy blunder of historic have been asked to do. It is time for them to are going to turn the Department of Defense proportions by this President, and it is serve their nation where they are needed into the Department of Foreign Aid and at- very important that we understand most, and that is surely not in Iraq. tempt to be the policeman of the world. that we are paying a huge price for Now is not the time to stay the course of This is contrary to every traditional conserv- these mistakes by this administration. failure. ative position on defense and requires huge Tragically, we stand here on the floor America needs a new direction in Iraq—a deficit spending. of this Congress today 3 years after the new direction that will make Americans safer. The conservative columnist Georgie Ann beginning of this war, but for 3 years b 1415 Geyer wrote: ‘‘Critics of the war against Iraq questions were not raised in this Con- have said since the beginning of the conflict gress about that force structure, about Mr. HOEKSTRA. The historic blun- that Americans, still strangely complacent that preparedness, about the detainee der is that we didn’t address this prob- about overseas wars being waged by a minor- policy, about these actions that have lem in the 1990s when it started rearing ity in their name, will inevitably come to a so severely undermined us. its ugly head. point where they will see they have to have a Yes, we saw the taking of Zarqawi, I yield to my colleague for a unani- government that provides services at home or and what do we have there? We have mous consent request. one that seeks empire across the globe.’’ the real use of smart intelligence on Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I request Mr. Speaker, we need to start putting our the war against terror. As you pointed unanimous consent to place a state- own people first once again and bring our out, they are not going to come after ment concerning this resolution in the troops home, the sooner the better. the 130,000 troops. They are not going RECORD at this point. Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to come after our strengths, but that is The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without 3 minutes to our chairwoman, Mrs. what people have been saying for a objection, the gentleman’s statement DAVIS. long time. That is what people have will be placed in the RECORD. Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. been writing about at the military There was no objection. Speaker, an issue that hasn’t received schools, about the networking of ter- Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, much of this enough attention in the debate on the rorism and how you had to go after it. resolution is language that everyone supports, global war on terror is what happened We went after it exactly the wrong especially the praise for our troops. to American intelligence during the way, in exactly the same way, as peo- They do a great job everywhere they are 1990s. ple who made these historic blunders sent, and it is certainly no criticism of them to To effectively wage the war on ter- throughout history, when confronting criticize this war. rorism, we need a robust intelligence this kind of force. In August of 2002, two months before Con- community that is capable of gath- Yes, we should provide the special gress voted for the war in Iraq, Dick Armey, ering intelligence aimed at eliminating ops; yes, we should provide the surveil- then our Republican Majority Leader, in a the terrorist threat. Unfortunately, as lance; yes, we should provide the intel- speech in Iowa, said: the war escalated in 2001, the intel- ligence and we should work together. ‘‘I don’t believe America will justifiably make ligence community was still reeling In the case of Zarqawi, we saw, once an unprovoked attack on another nation. It from policies that were implemented in the Jordanians were insulted enough would not be consistent with what we have the 1990s which undermined the ability by the attacks on their land, they put been as a Nation.’’ of our intelligence agencies to predict their intelligence sources to work, Jack Kemp wrote before the war, ‘‘What is 9/11 and to effectively fight the war combined with ours, and Zarqawi was the evidence that should cause us to fear Iraq today. Simply throwing people and run down, and we provided the 500- more than Pakistan or Iran. Do we reserve the money at the issue, it doesn’t solve the pound bombs. We provided the special right to launch a preemptive war exclusively problem. Developing expertise to re- ops. for ourselves or might other nations such as place what was lost in the 1990s is a That is not what is happening day to India, Pakistan or China be justified in taking long endeavor. It takes 5 to 7 years of day in the war in Iraq, and our troops similar action on the basis of fears of other na- training and experience to bring an op- are paying a horrible, horrible price for tions?’’ erations officer up to full performance. the lack of preparation, the lack of Mr. Kemp said, based on evidence that he Mr. Speaker, I would like to list a planning and the lack of prosecution of had seen, there was not ‘‘a compelling case few examples of what happened in the this effort and the initial mistake and for the invasion and occupation of Iraq.’’ 1990s that hampered our intelligence lies by the President of the United William F. Buckley wrote that if he had community efforts leading up to and at States. known in 2002 what he knew then in 2004, he the onset of the war. The President’s policies in Iraq have se- would have been against the war. Between 1992 and 1999, the CIA’s pres- verely undermined America’s national security Last year he wrote another column against ence overseas declined by almost one- and made the world less safe. the war saying: ‘‘A point is reached when te- third. Our intelligence agencies had In response to the clear failures in Iraq, the nacity conveys not steadfastness of purpose their hands tied by the Deutch Doc- Republican Congress has acted like a but misapplication of pride.’’ trine, forbidding recruitment of rubberstamp for President Bush rather than The very popular conservative columnist sources that had shady backgrounds, the elected representatives of the people of Charley Reese wrote that the war was limiting our ability to get information America. ‘‘against a country that was not attacking us, Republicans in Congress have hid their on potential terrorist attacks. The did not have the means to attack us, and had heads in the sand and refused to question the number of officers declined and over- never expressed any intention of attacking us, President, instead sheepishly pretending suc- seas facilities were closed. And as a re- and for whatever real reason we attacked Iraq, cess is around the corner. sult of the crises in the Balkans and in As a result, Iraq is engaged in a civil war it was not to save America from any danger, Africa, et cetera, officers were sent to that threatens to consume the country. imminent or otherwise.’’ areas where many times they had little Congress has done nothing to stop the civil Many years ago, Senator Robert Taft ex- knowledge of the issues there and, in war in Iraq, nothing to hold the President ac- pressed the traditional conservative position: some places, the targets had little and countable for the failures in Iraq, and nothing ‘‘No foreign policy can be justified except a sometimes no presence. to put our troops on a safe and speedy path policy devoted to the protection of the Amer- As a result, overall intelligence col- toward home, or to other parts of the world ican people, with war only as the last resort lection was decimated. James Pavitt, where they are needed to fight against ter- and only to preserve that liberty.’’ the former CIA Deputy Director for Op- rorism. Millions of conservatives across this Nation erations, told the 9/11 Commission in The President and his allies in the Repub- believe that this war was unconstitutional, April of 2004 that we were vastly under- lican leadership in Congress have made up unaffordable, and, worst of all, unnecessary. funded and did not have the people to their minds. It was waged against an evil man, but one do the job, and noted that spending on They have a plan for Iraq. It is the same who had a total military budget only two-tenths CIA human collection was cut by 20 failed plan they started the war with. It is of one percent of ours. percent during the 1990s. chaos with no end in sight. We are not going to be able to pay all our Analysis suffered equally in the 1990s, There is no more that we can ask of Amer- military pensions, social security, Medicare, with low priority accorded to terrorism ica’s troops. They have done everything they and all the little things we have promised if we analysis. Intelligence analysts were

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4039 discouraged from writing original out- Major General Batiste, who com- a plan and without support. For that, of-the-box assessments that might manded 22,000 soldiers on the ground in you need the sit-and-watch compla- have raised awareness to terrorists Iraq. ‘‘Rumsfeld and his team turned cency of a Republican Congress. staging unconventional attacks. And, what should have been a deliberate vic- Mr. HOEKSTRA. This Congress will instead, our analysts were pressured to tory in Iraq into a prolonged chal- not walk away from a mission, it will craft politically correct analysis. lenge.’’ not walk away from its troops, and it The death of Zarqawi and the arrests Eight generals have raised serious will not walk away from its allies. of 17 terrorist suspects in Canada are questions concerning Secretary Rums- With that, I would like to yield 3 recent successes in the global war on feld’s leadership. I don’t know, maybe minutes to my colleague from Michi- terror. However, we still have a long the Pentagon suffers from the soft big- gan (Mr. ROGERS). way to go to rebuilding our networks otry of low expectations and social pro- Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. of human sources. Reform has to con- motion as a policy. Maybe these gen- Speaker, I am a little bit saddened by tinue, and we must acknowledge that erals weren’t just qualified; or maybe, the comments of the gentleman from many of the problems facing U.S. intel- just maybe, they had to speak up be- Illinois. You know, our enemies do not ligence agencies today are the product cause the Republican Congress was si- have a first Tuesday in November plan. of unwise and neglectful intelligence lent. You have adopted an approach of They have a plan for a caliphate. They policies of the past. ‘‘see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no have well established themselves to It is simple to destroy, but it is much evil’’ with abandon. murder Christians, Jews, Muslims, more difficult to build. Over the past 6 America was told this would be a women, and children. They will behead years, we have worked to rebuild our quick war, and it turned into a long you, they will shoot you, they will Nation’s intelligence capability, and it war. This Congress walked away from blow you up. They do not care. may take a few more years to com- its oversight responsibility. America To have the talk of rhetoric, because plete. There is not a moment to waste was told 130,000 troops would be the electricity isn’t where it is, let’s in carrying out these essential reforms enough, but more were clearly nec- come home in defeat; because the oil to our intelligence community. essary. This Congress, the Republican isn’t going exactly the way we would And I will say, Mr. Speaker, that we Congress, walked away from its over- like it, let’s come home in defeat; that must continue this war. We must con- sight responsibility. America was told is no standard for victory. tinue to let our intelligence commu- this would be a conventional war. It What is the standard for victory? nity do their job. turned into an insurgency. This Con- Where were we 4 years ago? Let us look Mr. MURTHA. I yield myself 1 gress walked away from its oversight at it in the global war, this World War minute. responsibility. America was told oil III that Osama bin Laden declared in One of the Members said, ask Spain would pay for reconstruction, and the his own words. Pakistan, 4 years ago, about the threat. Fifty-six percent of taxpayers are left with a $480 billion was the only government supporting the population of Spain believes the tab. This Congress walked away from the Taliban in Afghanistan. They were U.S. in Iraq is the most dangerous its oversight responsibility. America working against the United States in threat to world peace. They rank Iran was told we would be greeted as lib- Afghanistan. They supported, financed, lesser of a threat than the United erators, but they have become and are gave as much comfort as they could to States. treated like occupiers. This Congress And one other thing. When we look the enemy to produce terrorists, to at- walked away from its oversight respon- tack Americans and Westerners all back at the intelligence cuts, President sibility. Bush I felt it was a peace dividend and over the world. In Iraq, we know that And when Don Rumsfeld, a man who Zarqawi was there a year before the started to cut the intelligence budget expressed contempt for the idea of na- war; that they used that operation to years ago. So we have to make sure we tion-building, was assigned the respon- kill an American in Jordan, a diplomat don’t let our rhetoric get ahead of the sibility of rebuilding Iraq and mis- of great service to our country. In facts. managed the war against the insur- Libya, they had a nuclear weapons pro- I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman gency, this Congress, the Republican gram and self declared they would from Illinois (Mr. EMANUEL). Congress, walked away from its over- share it with anyone. Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, since sight responsibility. So 4 years later, not because I gave a day one of the war in Iraq, Democrats Mr. Speaker, the Republicans want have provided the President with ev- to portray the greatest foreign policy great speech on the House floor but be- erything he asked for, yet Republicans challenge of a generation as simply the cause very brave men and women put have denied the President the one choice between more of the same or a on the uniform and fought the terror- thing he needed: Oversight. new direction. And we Democrats wel- ists with a military uniform so our In a post-9/11 world, the American come that. The debate today is about children wouldn’t have to fight it in a people need the vigilance and the patri- whether the American people want to school uniform here at home, and now otic determination of every Member of stay the course, with an administra- what has happened? Pakistan has Congress to demand answers to the tion and a Congress that has walked joined us in the fight against terror. questions their constituents are ask- away from its obligations, or pursue a There are our allies just 4 years later ing. Instead, the Republican Congress real strategy for success in the war on in hunting down al Qaeda. sat and watched the administration terror. Afghanistan is now an ally in the war make mistake after mistake after mis- Twenty-five hundred brave Ameri- on terror. Their intelligence services, take. cans, male and female, have given their their military, as a matter of fact just And don’t listen to just one Member lives in trying to stabilize Iraq. Last this morning, launched a 10,000 troop of Congress. Consider the words of month was the bloodiest in Iraq’s his- crackdown on terrorists. This morning. Three Star General Greg Newbold, top tory. According to Major General Rick Last week, Iraq launched a 70,000 secu- Operations Officer for the Joint Chiefs Lynch, attacks against civilians in- rity personnel crackdown on terrorists. of Staff. After a scathing critique of creased 80 percent since November 2005. This week, they are our allies now in Secretary Rumsfeld, he says, ‘‘The We cannot achieve the end of victory the war on terror. Bush administration and senior mili- and continue to sit and watch, stand Libya. That is the components of the tary officials are not alone in their cul- pat, the status quo. That is the Repub- nuclear weapons program of Libya. It pability. Members of Congress de- lican policy. Democrats are determined is now in the possession of the United faulted in fulfilling their Constitu- to take the fight to the enemy. In the States of America. They gave it to us tional responsibility of oversight.’’ words of President John Kennedy, ‘‘We not because we stood here and debated General Anthony Zinni, former Com- shall pay any price, bear any burden, but because we had brave men and mander of the U.S. Central Command meet any hardship, support any friend, women with boots on the ground who in the Mideast: ‘‘We are paying the oppose any foe in order to assure the showed courage and commitment and price for the lack of credible planning, survival and success of liberty.’’ said we will take the fight to you. We or the lack of a plan. Ten years of plan- Democrats will never put American will not allow you to take the fight to ning were thrown away.’’ servicemembers in harm’s way without us.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4040 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Which country would you have go crats and raise the President’s poll telligence Committee, the gentleman back? Which one would you say, ah, it numbers. Our country deserves so from Alabama (Mr. EVERETT). wasn’t important that they became an much better. Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, in No- ally? Four Muslim nations have stood The President wants this Congress to vember 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini, the up against the ravages and the terror simply applaud his current course in former radical Islamic leader, seized and the brutality of terror today be- Iraq, which is an indefinite, open-ended power in Iran, riding the slogan, cause of actions our brave soldiers take commitment of U.S. troops in the mid- ‘‘Death to America.’’ Just 4 months overseas. dle of a sectarian religious war. By the after his rise to power, it became evi- So don’t get confused in every little President’s own words, 3 more years, dent that agents of radical Islam would problem that happens, and there are a with generals now talking about 10 stop at nothing to kill Americans. This lot of them. Sir, you served in Viet- years and permanent bases. doctrine of hatred resulted in terrorists nam. You know this challenge. They I want to be clear. I do not want to killing over 600 people prior to 9/11. are great, they are hard, and some- stay the course with this policy which My colleagues, my chairman has times they are disappointing, yes. But will make us less safe, undermine our mentioned this, Congresswoman WIL- at the end of the day, every great vic- military, help the terrorists, cost many SON mentioned part of this, and I wish tory, every great victory ends with our thousands of lives and cost another everyone who got up here would go heads held high and safety and security trillion dollars. This Congress has over this list. for the United States. never held the President and his ad- In April 1983, 63 people died at the Let us not come home in humilia- ministration accountable, even when U.S. Embassy in Beirut. That is not tion. Let us not tell all of those fami- there were no plans. rhetoric; that is dead Americans. lies that their loved ones died in vain In October 1983, 241 died at the U.S. b 1430 because we have a November time Marine barracks in Beirut. That is not frame and not a time frame for victory. This President, more than any other, rhetoric; that is dead Americans. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE has politicized this war, ignoring the In February 1993, six people were The SPEAKER pro tempore. The advice of the military at every step, killed at the World Trade Center. That Chair would ask Members to address from General Shinseki’s call for more is not rhetoric; that is dead Americans. their comments to the Chair. troops to General Casey’s admission In June 1996, 19 American servicemen Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield that our troops’ presence was inflam- died after a truck bombing at Khobar myself 2 minutes. ing violence. They have imposed polit- Towers in Saudi Arabia. That is not This is rhetoric. It is not getting bet- ical judgments from ideologues at the rhetoric; that is dead Americans. ter. I spoke out November 17, and White House at the expense of our mili- In August 1998, 224 died at the U.S. things have gotten worse than it was 6 tary’s best advice. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. That months ago. They are worse today than And this Congress supported the is not rhetoric either; that is dead they were then. White House politicians, not the gen- Americans. When I left Vietnam in August of erals when our course was set. This In October 2000, 17 died on the USS 1967, they gave me this bullet, and they Congress supported the White House Cole in Yemen. That is not rhetoric ei- said in this bullet that everything is politicians when they did not give our ther; that is dead Americans. going to be all right. The President of troops the body armor and Humvee If some people continue to preach cut the United States said we just had an armor they needed. Now, when the and run from this war, then they will election, and we have a new election in President says just support the politi- continue to kill Americans, kill Ameri- Vietnam, and this was a month after I cians in the White House one more cans and kill Americans. The global got out of Vietnam, and everything is time, they are here with this resolu- war on terrorism must be fought. We going to be all right. We lost 37,000 peo- tion. can do it on the streets of our home- ple. What our troops need is a policy that towns, or we can take the war to the It is not a matter of whether we want is good for America and for our mili- terrorists. Either way, it has to be to prevail in this operation, it is a mat- tary. Being bogged down in Iraq indefi- done; and personally, I prefer doing it ter of how we are going to do it, and I nitely will make us less safe. All of the over in Iraq rather than in New York disagree with the way we do it. I dis- countries in the world and the region or Washington, D.C. or San Francisco. agree with the policy. That is what I and the Iraqi people need to hear that For the first 20 years, we allowed the terror- disagree with. I think our troops have America will redeploy over a respon- ists to fight this war on their terms. 9/11 become the targets. Incidents have in- sible period. The current course allows served as a wake-up call for us in the sense creased every day, and more Americans countries a free ride at the expense of that we could no longer afford to sit on our are being killed every day. And we are American troops and taxpayers. A pol- hands and let the terrorists continue to kill in- going to pay a heavy price in people icy of responsible redeployment will nocent Americans. Under the leadership of the being killed and also we are going to force others to play their role. Bush administration, and with the support of pay a heavy price for the individuals in No one on this floor is for a precipi- this Republican-led Congress, we took the the future with the debt increasing at tous withdrawal, and the President’s fight to the terrorists, wherever they may be. $8 billion a month. statements are reckless, political and a Mr. Speaker, right now their choice is Iraq. I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman disservice. We all agree, as did both It is the central front in the war on terror. In from Connecticut (Ms. DELAURO). bodies of the Congress, that 2006 would fact, Osama bin Laden has said he believes Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is to be a turning point. The White House the war going on in Iraq is nothing short of the my great regret that at key moments politicians have ignored that resolu- Third World War. The importance of Iraq in like this the President of the United tion. achieving al Qaeda’s objectives of killing States does not seek to unify the coun- I support a redeployment of our Americans is clearly spelled out in a 2005 let- try. He does not use these moments to troops to meet critical security needs ter from Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden’s clos- bring people together, to strengthen over the next 12 months, with a signifi- est advisor, to Musab al Zarqawi, the man us. He does not rally the country be- cant reduction by the end of 2006. Oth- tapped by bin Laden to head al Qaeda oper- hind our men and women in arms and ers support redeployment by the end of ations in Iraq. He said that getting the U.S. out in harm’s way. 2008, and some by the end of 2007. But of Iraq is critical if they are to turn Iraq into a We applaud our troops. Thank God we all believe America’s interest and permanent base of recruitment, training and for their willingness to sacrifice for our our troops are served by a new course. operations just like the one they had in Af- Nation. I take every moment to sup- So I ask the President to change. ghanistan. port them and their families. But the Why not speak to the country’s better This is why it is imperative that we stay the President and the Republican leaders, virtues and unite the country? We course and ensure that the democratically within moments of our soldiers’ valor want you to succeed. We should work elected government can take hold. A demo- in eliminating one of the worst terror- together for a stronger America. cratic Iraq will be the death of al Qaeda, and ists, is rushing for some political ad- Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield those aren’t my words Mr. Speaker, they are vantage, some way to hurt the Demo- 3 minutes to a colleague from the In- the words of Zarqawi.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4041 Mr. Speaker, we have accomplished so Iraq until we involved the Iraqi people Towers. They did not react the first much in the global war on terror, highlighted in the reconstruction efforts. We see $9 time when they attacked the World by the recent death of Zarqawi. We have sig- billion that we can’t account for. We Trade Tower. We have continued to nificantly degraded the al Qaeda network by see construction going on up in the make ourselves vulnerable by not re- denying them a safe haven in Afghanistan and northern part of the country. But in sponding to the worldwide war on ter- capturing or killing many of their leaders and Baghdad, in and around that part of ror. associates. We have also built an unprece- the country, we see a failed policy. Thanks to American training and in- dented international coalition to combat and That is what is causing the problem in telligence aid, the Philippine Govern- prevent terrorist financing and dismantle ter- Iraq. We must begin to involve the ment was able to rescue Gracia rorist support networks. Iraqi people in the reconstruction of Burnham. Martin Burnham died in the Mr. Speaker, America is safer, but we are their country. rescue attempt. It was probably be- not yet secure. The enemy we are fighting is Eighty-five percent of the country is cause we couldn’t get close enough into determined and serious about its desire to kill without electricity. Almost 60 percent the fight. Americans. We can not allow Iraq to become of the country is without drinking But the important thing that we a breeding ground for terrorist activity. water. We are never going to be suc- need to remember is if we back off now, A free and democratic Iraq is absolutely es- cessful until we tackle these problems, according to the paper, or the letter sential to fighting the terrorist threat and build- and that is where we are failing be- that was written from al Zawahiri to ing long-term peace and stability in the region. cause there is no accountability on the the now-deceased al Zarqawi, it will be I urge my colleagues to support the resolution. domestic front in Iraq. considered a victory for al Qaeda if we Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield Mr. Speaker, I go back to Charleston leave. Al Qaeda is the one that has de- myself 2 minutes. I was in Beirut the the day after tomorrow because we are cided to bring this war to Iraq and to day after the attack, and I rec- going to bury Uncle Joe. He stayed fight Americans. That information is ommended to President Reagan, I rec- alive long enough for me to make my available on their Web sites and in the ommended to the President of the report to him. And for over 45 years in information that we collect. It is what United States, get out of Beirut be- my consultations with him, he never the captives tell us when we interview cause we didn’t have enough troops; 2 wanted to talk about his experiences them. months later he got out of Beirut be- on the USS Arizona or his experiences They want to take this fight to the cause he didn’t have enough troops. after returning home. Why? Because he Americans in Iraq. I tell you, if we are I know what rhetoric is, and I know was never sufficiently included in the going to have to fight terrorists, I what fighting on the front lines are. I building of this great Nation. And the would rather fight them at a place know the difference between them. I people of Iraq are not being sufficiently where every American carries a gun know that standing here does not solve rather than on the streets of New York the problem, and it has gotten better, included in the rebuilding of their or Washington or Wichita because they it has gotten worse. That’s the prob- country. Until we do that, we will lem. And you are not talking about never be successful with this policy. have brought the fight to us. It is not Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield Iraq. The gentleman up there was talk- we who decided to do this. 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kan- I think it is very important as we ing about the war on terror. I am talk- IAHRT), my colleague from pursue this worldwide battle against ing about Iraq. That’s what I am talk- sas (Mr. T ing about. the committee. terrorism that we insist on doing it Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gen- Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I thank with our full resources, with full dedi- the gentleman from Michigan. tleman from South Carolina (Mr. CLY- cation, and that we disrupt their fi- Mr. Speaker, this is an important BURN) for 4 minutes. nances, that we disrupt their places of Mr. CLYBURN. I thank Mr. MURTHA week for us to have this debate on the safe haven, that we disrupt the coun- for yielding me this time. necessity of the global war on terror, a tries that are providing protection for Mr. Speaker, last Saturday I visited war that we did not ask for, but a war them, and that we go to the terrorists the Johnson VA Medical Center in that came to us. and we find the root causes of this ter- Charleston, South Carolina. That med- The gentleman from Pennsylvania rorism and sever the root. ical center is named for a young man pointed out that after Beirut, we left. I think the reason we have seen so who is the recipient of the Congres- We did not react to it. Several other in- much money from al Qaeda going to sional Medal of Honor because just out stances like that occurred during the Iraq, the reason that they have sent so of high school he went off to fight in 1990s. We were attacked at the Khobar many weapons into Iraq, the reason so Vietnam and he threw himself on a gre- Towers; we did not react. We were at- many foreign fighters have gone into nade to save the others in the foxhole tacked at the Kenya embassy; we did Iraq is because that is where they want with him. not react. We were attacked the first to fight this battle. I went to the hospital last Saturday time at the World Trade Center; we did If we leave now, it would be giving to visit one of my heroes, Joseph Henry not react. The Tanzania embassy was them a victory and we would be once Washington. Joseph Washington was bombed; we did not react. The USS Cole again putting another picture on the on the USS Arizona on that fateful day was bombed; we did not react. What did board here saying we should have at Pearl Harbor. I went because I want- it yield us? A continuing battle against fought harder; we should have stopped ed to report to Joseph Henry Wash- terror around the globe. it back in 2006. ington on my recent trip to Iraq be- I would remind my fellow colleagues Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield cause he questioned the wisdom of my that one such incident of attacking myself 1 minute. going there. Americans happened in the The problem is that the opposite is I said to Joe that I was very pleased when Gracia and Martin Burnham were happening. That is the problem we with what I had found militarily in kidnapped, along with a constituent have. We can stand here and say we Iraq. I told him that I thought that our from Representative BONO’s district. want to fight the terrorists in Iraq. Ac- military forces were doing an admi- The leader of the Group, tually, al Qaeda we think is less than rable job, and I thought they were ASG, was trained by al Qaeda in Af- 1,000. meeting with significant success. ghanistan. That training occurred be- We think we are caught in a civil But I said to him, Uncle Joe, I am cause we did not respond to these prior war. It is the way that we are doing it. very, very disappointed in what I have attacks. We left them alone. The military cannot win this war. The found on the domestic front. We are In the Indonesian al Qaeda training military commanders, even General not going to win the hearts and minds papers they found, they said one of the Pace admits we cannot win this mili- of the people of Iraq until we can give things that America is vulnerable tarily. them a police force that believes and is about is they don’t follow up. You can What we are caught in, we have be- committed to law and order, not one attack them, and they withdraw. They come the target of the insurgency of that is 80 percent corrupt. withdrew from Vietnam, they withdrew the sectarian violence. It is the way I said to him that I did not think from Beirut, they withdrew from the that we are doing it is what I disagree that we were going to be successful in Cole, the Kenya embassy, and Khobar with.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4042 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the Why don’t you criticize General to keep America what was created at gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Baptiste, General Zinni, General Van so many sacrifices. And many of us LARSON). Riper, all of these generals? Are they have had the opportunity to visit those Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. all wrong too for speaking truth to cemeteries and to pay our respects to Speaker, I thank Mr. MURTHA for hav- power? Shouldn’t we be talking about those fighting warriors who went ahead ing the temerity to speak truth to how we can collectively move forward and did what was necessary to do to power. Thank you for having the te- in a new direction for this country, in- preserve this great America. merity to separate the war on terror stead of a tried and true playbook of There are American heroes in Iraq from the travesty that is taking place political jargon on a resolution that is today and American heroes in Afghani- in Iraq. nonbinding? Speak truth to power. stan today. And as Mr. MURTHA said It is amazing to me, and this used to I am proud to associate myself with earlier, he and I have spent a lot of be a place, as Professor Remini writes, Mr. MURTHA and everything he stands time visiting with a number of those where Members would come down, for. wounded heroes at our military hos- unrehearsed, without charts or graphs. ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE pitals. But they will tell you, and they They would speak from their heart. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. will be the first ones to tell you, we They would talk about this institution LAHOOD). The Chair would renew his have got to win this war. And the atti- and what it means to democracy all request that all Members should ad- tudes of these young men and women over the world. dress their comments to the Chair and are outstanding because they will tell What a sham today. We should all not to other Members. you that what they want is to be glorify in the aspects of democracy Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield healed from their injuries and to get that take place all around the world 4 minutes to the distinguished gen- back to the fight because they believe and in Iraq. But what a sham this is tleman from Florida, the chairman of in their country. They love their coun- today when we are denied any alter- the defense appropriations sub- try, and they believe that it is impor- native resolution. committee, Mr. YOUNG. tant that we stop the threat to this b 1445 Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, great Nation of ours from those terror- Mr. LANTOS eloquently stated that this debate is not about politics. This ists, the terrorists who attacked us on earlier today, when he talked about debate is about America. It is about September 11 in New York, in Pennsyl- Bob Michel and his eloquence standing Iraq because Iraq is one of the many vania, at the Pentagon, those terror- on this floor, talking about speaking battlefields on which we fight the glob- ists who attacked the USS Cole, killing truth to power. And that is what is so al war on terror. Afghanistan is an- many of our sailors and wounding upsetting to the American people and other battlefield on which we fight the many more, those terrorists who blew why Mr. MURTHA has been recognized war on terror. But there are many bat- up the Khobar Towers, which was a all around this country for standing up tlefields on the war on terror, and we home for American airmen in Saudi and speaking the truth to the Amer- don’t want any of them to be here in Arabia, those terrorists who blew up ican people, something this adminis- the United States of America. the American embassies in Kenya and tration and, frankly, this Congress, has Mr. Speaker, as I said, this is a lot Tanzania. These young troopers, these been unable to do. Level with the about America, not only America warriors understand the threat. Amer- American people. Let’s start with lev- today, America past, but America in ica understands the threat. And ladies eling with the American troops, lev- the future. The world still remembers, and gentlemen, it is important that we eling with all of those families of re- and many Americans still remember stand up to that threat and that the servists and National Guardsmen who I December 7 of 1941 when American ter- America that we know is the America speak with on a regular basis, who ritory was attacked by an enemy. An that our kids will know and that our have been deployed, redeployed, de- America that was built out of the wil- grandkids will know in the years to ployed and redeployed again many derness and was built by settlers, that come. times because we haven’t had a plan. was built by industrialists, that was Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I recog- Here we are in a race between co- built by just plain ordinary people, nize the gentlewoman from California operation and catastrophe, and you brick by brick, block by block, busi- (Ms. HARMAN) for 30 minutes. guys bring to the floor a political docu- ness by business, school by school, hos- Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank ment not designed for a new direction pital by hospital, an America that the gentleman for yielding and, as or to bring the country together to dis- many Americans paid a great price to prior speakers have done, I commend cuss this issue the way it should be, create, to achieve. And that America him for speaking truth to power. but instead as talking points outlined has come under attack in many ways. Mr. Speaker, 1,184 days ago American by Karl Rove in New Hampshire, sand- As I said, December 7, 1941, some of troops invaded Iraq to rid Saddam Hus- wiched in between the President’s us remember that day and where we sein of weapons of mass destruction. photo op and a picnic this evening. were. Others will never forget Sep- The weapons weren’t there. But Americans are outraged that we tember the 11th of 2001, where we were, American troops still are. I have met don’t have a citizenry and Members what we were doing and what it did to some of those troops on my three trips here who are willing to stand up and this great country of ours. to Baghdad and Afghanistan, as well as have accountability. We all support the The global war on terror must be Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Our war on terror. And this party, from won. It is real. The threat is real. If Armed Forces and intelligence per- Roosevelt to Truman to Kennedy, to you don’t believe the threat is real, sonnel are extraordinary. Many are on JACK MURTHA, has stood on the watch look at the old news reels of the Twin their third or fourth tours. wall of freedom and stood there val- Towers in or the field in As a mother of two sons and two iantly, but collectively with the Amer- Pennsylvania where Flight 93 crashed daughters, and as a newly minted ican people and in this body and in this into Mr. MURTHA’s district to avoid grandmother, my heart goes out to Chamber, but that is not going on here that aircraft from attacking this families who have lost their dear ones. today. Instead it is right out of the United States Capitol. I am deeply moved by the courage, dig- playbook, attack JACK MURTHA. Attack And just a few minutes ago I came nity and patriotism of the men and the messenger. That is a formula that from the Pentagon where a celebration women recovering from grievous works. It worked against Max Cleland. of the dedication of the Pentagon Me- wounds at Walter Reed and other U.S. It worked against . Geez, morial was unveiled where 184 Ameri- hospitals. And I have visited with that will work against JACK MURTHA cans lost their lives in that vicious at- them. also. Discredit this guy. Discredit what tack on the Pentagon. Our action in Iraqi created a failed he has had to say because he had the Mr. Speaker, this war has to be won. state and, tragically, our postwar mis- temerity to speak truth to power in an All over the world there are cemeteries sion, as presently defined, cannot suc- administration that can’t level with where Americans lie in rest, Americans ceed. There are too few troops to sta- the American public, can’t level with who lost their lives in different parts of bilize the country. They are inad- you. the world to keep America what it is, equately equipped.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4043 They are fighting an insurgency we taken our eye off the ball in Afghani- us to leave Iraq in better shape than we didn’t predict, at constant risk from stan, where Taliban fighters are recon- found it. IEDs we can’t find, with no clearly de- stituting themselves, even as the Mr. Speaker, the next 3 months are veloped goals to help the new Iraq gov- United States reduces the number of critical. We have a moral obligation to ernment achieve political and eco- troops there. Osama Bin Ladin and assist Iraq on its path to democracy. nomic security, and no exit strategy. Ayman al Zawahiri are still at large, But if clearly defined minimum objec- Two major failures led us to war, and inspiring a new generation of recruits tives cannot be achieved within that we had best learn some lessons or risk to the jihad. time frame, the prospects for success in making the same mistakes again. As Just as constant deployments to Iraq Iraq could all but disappear. ranking member on the Intelligence cause burnout in the Army, National So a change in course is urgently Committee, these failures haunt me. Guard and Reserves, we are also burn- needed. The President’s visit to Bagh- Had we got the intelligence right, I ing out large numbers of intelligence dad was important, but it is not a sub- believe we could have made different professionals. And assigning them to stitute for needed policy changes. And choices, and the pain and loss and Iraq means they are not available to Congress cannot be infinitely passive. anger many feel could have been avoid- address other national security chal- This debate today will only have mean- ed. lenges, like Iran and North Korea. ing if, in fact, it leads to a change of First was a massive intelligence fail- There has been good news. U.S. intel- course in Iraq. ure in assessing Saddam’s WMD capa- ligence agencies operating with Special Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress bility. The second, equally grave, was Operations Forces have tracked down to lead. This resolution, in my view, is the politicization of intelligence by the many key terrorist leaders. The take- a press release for staying the course in President and a White House deter- down of Zarqawi showed the impor- Iraq. It does not signal a change in pol- mined to push us toward war. tance of fusing human intelligence, im- icy, and thus I cannot support it. Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield The failure to assess Saddam’s WMD agery, signals intelligence and a mili- 3 minutes to my colleague from Ari- capability accurately has been well tary strike capability in real time. zona, a member of the Intelligence documented. As CIA weapons inspector That is how intelligence ought to Committee, Mr. RENZI. David Kay put it, ‘‘we were all wrong.’’ work. It was a huge tactical victory. Mr. RENZI. I thank the chairman. Overriding the advice of intelligence But tactical victories alone are not I have respect for the gentlewoman professionals, administration officials enough. We need a new strategy for from California. I also listened to her put stock in bogus sources like Iraq, a dramatic change of course. We words carefully, and I want to remind CURVEBALL, and self-promoters like need to hold senior officials account- her that on October 9 she spoke about Ahmed Chalabi. able for massive policy and manage- Saddam Hussein and his development But simply calling Iraq an intel- ment failures. Replacing Donald Rums- of weapons of mass destruction, saying ligence failure ignores the larger policy feld, the chief architect of the postwar that he is impulsive, irrational, vi- failures that created the false momen- policy, is long overdue. He ignored the cious, and cruel and that left un- tum toward war. advice of senior military advisers, ig- checked, he will grow stronger, only to The administration cherry-picked in- nored the careful recommendations of develop the capability to match his telligence and hyped the threat. They those who understood nation-building, disdain for America and his Middle talked in ominous tones about ‘‘mush- and ignored those horrified by a prison East neighbors and that he poses a room clouds,’’ even though many ques- situation careening out of control. And clear and present danger. tioned evidence suggesting Saddam had he prides himself, even now, on refus- Those were the words of the ranking nuclear weapons capability. ing to change a failed policy. member. That was the belief of Bill They made a mantra of the claim b 1500 Clinton. That was the belief of HILLARY that 9/11 hijacker Mohammad Atta met CLINTON. That was the belief of Mad- with Iraqi agents in Prague, a claim Congress must also provide aggres- eleine Albright. And yet we are told that has been thoroughly discredited. sive oversight to learn why the admin- today that this is a press release. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul istration erred so grievously. al Qaeda is a cancer. It has metasta- Wolfowitz famously predicted we would Since I returned from my third trip sized itself throughout the world. be greeted as liberators, that Iraqis to Iraq last September, I have been There is a lot of negativity, whether or would throw rose petals, ignoring intel- calling on the administration to de- not we want to join and take the war in ligence community assessments about velop an exit strategy, and I believe it Iraq and link it with terrorism. It is a the potential for armed resistance. is now time to begin a phased, stra- cancer. It needs to be carved out, and Writing in Foreign Affairs, Paul Pil- tegic redeployment of U.S. and coali- the American people need to show the lar, the intelligence community’s sen- tion forces out of Iraq on a schedule de- will and the endurance. Our troops do. ior Middle East analyst, described how signed by military commanders. A Our people at home, I believe, have the Bush administration disregarded schedule designed by military com- that will. the community’s expertise, politicized manders, not designed by the U.S. Con- I believe there should be no arbitrary the intelligence process, and selected gress. date set for withdrawal and yet no per- unrepresentative raw intelligence to I believe the U.S. is part of the solu- manent, unending deployment. No cut make its public case. tion in Iraq, but our large military and run, yet measured progress in help- To date, nobody has been held ac- presence is part of the problem. Begin- ing a people who want to be free with- countable for this misuse of prewar in- ning to reduce the ‘‘footprint,’’ while out an illusion of overnight success. telligence. maintaining an over-the-horizon strike This enemy wants to take the fight The intelligence failures did not end force, will improve our chances for suc- into the later rounds. They want to when we invaded Iraq. Our President cess. prey on what they perceive is our lack declared ‘‘Mission Accomplished’’ in I think we have 3 to 6 months to ad- of concentrated focus, and their cap- May 2003. Senior U.S. officials in Iraq vance three objectives: first, helping tured documents refer to the U.S. being asserted in July 2003 that insurgent at- the new Iraqi Government provide elec- worn down and quitting. tacks represented ‘‘a limited problem trical power, particularly in Baghdad, Today’s resolution is very similar to of some bitter-enders’’ loyal to Sad- and deliver other critical economic and Rosie the Riveter. We bring out and dam. social services to the Iraqi people. Sec- ask the American people to stay Yet, 3 years after Saddam’s fall, 2,500 ond, supporting the Iraqi Government strong. During World War II, we fought U.S. troops are dead, a number con- in its effort to disarm Shiite militias an enemy whose goal was to invade and firmed by the Pentagon just today, and and integrate them into a trained Iraqi dominate the land and the geography insurgents appear more active than national security force. Third, con- and to gain power and spread fascism. ever. tinuing the process, begun by our able Terrorism is like fascism. While dif- We have surged intelligence re- Ambassador Khalilzad, of obtaining ferent tactics may be in place, sources into Iraq in a frantic effort to buy-in from Sunni political leaders. Islamofascists want to establish a ca- find the next IED. As a result, we have Achieving these objectives will enable liphate covering Southeast Asia,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4044 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Southern Europe, and North Africa, not on the table, as far as I am con- political stunt. This is about respect. very similar to the same geography cerned. They are in a difficult mission. This is about respect for our role to do that we saw in World War II. They are performing superbly. And we our jobs as a Congress in oversight. Zarqawi died in Iraq. Saddam was are very, very proud of them. That is We can win this war with a com- pulled out of a spider hole in Iraq. The not the question. prehensive and reasoned approach to Taliban was defeated in Afghanistan. Last December IKE SKELTON and, I do deployment of our troops. But the Taking the fight to them works. With not know, 12 or 15 of us, and I do not President’s supporters characterize any continued detainee reporting, coalition know how I got invited, but we got in- disagreement as cutting and running. and allied sharing of intelligence, the vited to the White House to meet with It does not wash. This is unfair and it Iraqi people working with us to iden- the President, the Vice President, Mr. is disingenuous and this is unpatriotic. tify safehouses, and the greatest group Rumsfeld, Ms. Rice, General Pace. And The real choice is between blind ad- of unsung Americans sequestered in the whole conversation was everything herence to Secretary Rumsfeld’s ill- the backrooms of our intelligence is going really, really good in Iraq. And conceived strategy and the somber as- agencies, we can keep the pressure on. I got a chance to engage in conversa- sessment of the proper way to fight This resolution is about prevailing tion with the President, and I said it against an insurgency. Congress has an against our enemies, about achieving a seems to me what I am hearing here is important role to play in this process, shared success, Republicans and Demo- we have got 90-plus battalions, at that and that is what today’s debate should crats with the Iraqi and the Afghani- time, and now it is over 100, 20-some- be about. stan people. This is about taking the thing brigades, several divisions, In my role as a member of both the fight to those who will strike America armed, equipped, and in the field. And Intelligence and Armed Services Com- again and will wound this Nation and I have been to Iraq. A lot of us have. I mittees, I traveled to Iraq and paid a kill our innocent civilians. am not sure about that, but if that is great deal of attention to the effects of America must endure, endure and true, then why don’t we start a with- this war and their impact on our mili- prevail. drawal program carefully? tary, on their families, and our intel- Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I ask Do you know when we do best? We do ligence apparatus. There have been and unanimous consent that the gentle- best when we are under a little bit of continue to be critical gaps in our in- woman from California control the 30 pressure, when we know we have got to telligence system in this war. minutes and yield to people. perform, we got to get the job done. When the Vice President says that The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there And I think that applies to everybody our troops will be greeted as liberators, objection to the request of the gen- in my life experience, Iraqis included. I have to think that we were not pre- tleman from Pennsylvania? Under pressure, we went through the pared. When the Army’s chief of staff There was no objection. liberation from Saddam, regardless of tells us that a successful campaign Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, how how we decided to make the decision. would require many more troops than much time of my 30 minutes remains? We can debate that if you want to, but we were planning to deploy, I have to The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- I do not want to do that. I supported think that we were not prepared. When tlewoman has 21 minutes remaining. the resolution based on what informa- the administration cannot get its story Ms. HARMAN. It is now my intention tion I had. But regardless of that, if we straight about the rationale for war to yield to members of the minority of would look at it in this sense: we have and the connection between Iraq and al the House Intelligence Committee who liberated the people from Saddam. He Qaeda, I have to think that we were are here. is in jail. He is on trial. Now we are oc- not prepared for this war. First, I would yield 31⁄4 minutes to cupiers. We want to help them get set- These mistakes, these gaps in our Representative BOSWELL who is rank- tled. They had a great election. We all knowledge, frankly, cry out for over- ing member on our Subcommittee on understand that. They have established sight. It is not about resolve versus re- Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Anal- a government. And it is pretty tough. treat. It is about respect for this Con- ysis and Counterintelligence. They got it done, I am told. gress doing its job in oversight. This (Mr. BOSWELL asked and was given You know, it is kind of like putting Congress could have and should have permission to revise and extend his re- the team on the field. You haven’t seen done a better job of conducting over- marks.) them play yet together. Maybe they sight and vigorously questioning the Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, first off, will do well, or maybe they won’t. I statements that have been made by I want to say to Mr. MURTHA, I salute don’t know. We don’t know. But we this administration: statements about you, sir. We both served in Vietnam. I wish them well. We want them to suc- the presence of WMD or about connec- had two tours. I never told you this. I ceed absolutely. tions to 9/11 or about the war taking no don’t go around talking about it much. My point is this: they need to take longer than 6 months. You don’t either. But Charlie some responsibility and the pressure is In fact, when I asked the administra- Beckwith, you remember that name, on to do it. They have got 254,000 tion, before we went to this war, don’t you? In the Iron Triangle? Some- troops trained, equipped, and in the whether there was a connection be- times we had those assaults and some- field. We have a right to start, orderly, tween al Qaeda and Iraq, the answer times we had to go bring them out. with a plan, bringing our troops home. was no. We could have made America When we had to bring them out, there We ought to do that. Not run, but an safer by conducting vigorous oversight, were lots and lots of casualties. We did orderly withdrawal. but we as a Congress have failed to do not like to do that. And I salute you for that, Mr. MUR- that. So this exercise we went through a THA. At the same time, while most of our few months ago, saying that you want- Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I now men and women have served honorably ed to make an immediate withdrawal, yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from and bravely, the unsustainable pace of that is not what you said. I know that, Texas (Mr. REYES), a senior member of our operations combined with an over- and we all know it because that would our committee and a member of the stressed force has led to major prob- be chaos. It needs a plan. Armed Services Committee. lems. It led us on the road to Abu So I come today to share that little Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Ghraib and to some of the most hei- bit with you. I finished up my tours in gentlewoman for yielding me time on nous allegations lodged against our the military as an instructor at the this very important matter. American troops in history. Command Staff College, Department of To my good friend Mr. MURTHA, I Mr. Speaker, I am afraid that the Tactics. We rewrote 101–5. We might also salute you as a Vietnam veteran, conduct of this war has made us less want to talk about that sometime. You one that knows what the cost of war safe. This is what this debate should be might find it interesting. And I would does to a family and to our country. about. It has distracted us from the say without reservation, LEONARD BOS- My friends on the other side of the global war on terror. It has hurt re- WELL, JACK MURTHA, and probably ev- aisle would have you believe that this cruiting and retention in the military. erybody in this Chamber support our is a simple choice between retreat and It has broken our Army for possibly troops, absolutely, 100 percent. That is resolve. This is a false choice. It is a the next decade or more. It has hurt

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4045 our ability to work with other nations. Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I now The generals understand that. You I think that is where the real debate yield 3 minutes to Mr. HOLT of New have heard that today. The large ma- should occur. Jersey, ranking member of the Intel- jority of the Iraqis understand that. b 1515 ligence Policy Subcommittee. The U.S. public understands that. And, Mr. HOLT. I salute Mr. MURTHA, and yes, even seventh graders in New Jer- Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 I salute the servicemen and -women in sey understand that. minutes to my California sister, a the field, recovering at Walter Reed, Let us begin our redeployment imme- member of our committee, the ranking and waiting to serve. diately, rather than approve a mean- member of the Technical and Tactical This is a critical matter that we ingless stay-the-course resolution. Intelligence Subcommittee, Ms. ESHOO. waited far too long to debate on this Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank our floor. And instead today we now get a 3 minutes to our colleague from Cali- distinguished ranking member of the meaningless resolution that says, well, fornia, a member of the Intelligence House Intelligence Committee and stay the course, whatever that means. Committee, Mr. ISSA. Congressman MURTHA. We salute you Well, today I was meeting with some Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I certainly for your extraordinary leadership. seventh and eighth graders. And I think it is important that this debate Mr. Speaker, we are here today be- asked them to help me put in perspec- go back and forth as it has between the cause the majority has brought a reso- lution before the House. It is a resolu- tive what we are talking about here defeatist attitude of my colleagues and tion. It is a nonbinding resolution. For today, what would we say that 10 years what I believe is the appropriate stay those that are listening in, it just from now we wish that we had said the course of this side of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, we are often alleged of means that we are going to talk. There about the war in Iraq. is not any action that will come out of The first one said, too many lives only doing two things in the Congress, it. have been lost already. The second one either nothing or overreacting. Today, Let us think about the context, the said, the reasons for going to war were by a measured response of saying stay broader context of where we are today, wrong, maybe even deceptive. The the course, we are doing exactly what June 15, 2006. Across this magnificent third said, the Iraqi people are worse we need to do. This is not meaningless. country, almost two-thirds of the off today than they were before. Just in the last week a declassified American people, it matters not where We should ask ourselves how pos- document taken from the safehouse in they live, what their economic back- terity will regard Congress for giving which Zarqawi met his appropriate ground is, what their political affili- President Bush everything he asked for punishment, and I will read just short ation is, have now lost faith in the without oversight, without account- excerpts, our time is short, but they President’s war in Iraq. ability. There are shifting rationales are meaningful and I think many Mem- They have also lost faith in the for war: oh, it was weapons of mass de- bers listening throughout their offices President. He had high ratings. He is struction; oh, no, it was retribution for and here on the floor probably have not now down to about 33 percent. And it is September 11; no, actually it was about yet read this. about this issue of war in Iraq. Why? human rights abuses under Saddam; Zarqawi says, however, here in Iraq, Why? Because what was advanced? We no, actually it was containment and speaking of why time is on the side of had to go in because there was an emi- disarmament and the U.N. were not al Qaeda, however, here in Iraq, time is nent threat. If we did not get them, working. now beginning to be of service to the they were going to get us. Except that No. No. It was to stand up a democ- American forces and harmful to the re- premise, the President even acknowl- racy that could be emulated through- sistance for the following reasons. edged, did not turn out to be so. out the Middle East. No, it was to pro- He goes on to talk about the forma- We all honor and support our troops. tect America’s strategic interests, in- tion of the National Guard. He goes on None of us will stipulate to anything cluding oil. And today we have heard to talk about the impact on the resist- less. We all honor the tradition that over and over again a response that ance of various improvements there. they have set. We all stipulate to that. this is about terrorism. He goes on to talk about how we the We know that there are terrorists in No, it is not about terrorism. This is Americans and the Iraqis have under- this world. And we will pursue them in not about Khobar Towers. It is not taken a media campaign against the the pursuit of the protection of our Na- about the USS Cole; it is not even resistance and it is working. tion. about the World Trade Center. Today’s He goes on to say, the resistance has But there is a difference between Iraq debate is about Iraq, a war of choice. had its financial outlets cut off and re- and the war on terrorism. And some And this is a resolution that says, stay stricted. He talks about how, in fact, people in the Congress, unlike people the course. we have been effective in creating big in the country, do not want to ac- The other side, Mr. Speaker, is en- divisions among the ranks of what he knowledge that. So where are we gaging in classical misdirection. This called the resistance. today? Our intelligence agency demor- has nothing to do with terrorism ex- He then plots to find a way to get alized, intelligence manipulated, the cept that Iraq has now become a breed- America embroiled in yet another con- American people ashamed of what we ing ground and a training ground for flict with another enemy. And he is are doing instead of being proud. terrorists. And meanwhile the war has speaking of Iran. He then plots on how It is too bad, my friends, that the warped American priorities and cost us he might convince us that Iran was fur- term ‘‘cut and run’’ is ever used dearly. ther along in its weapons of mass de- against a man that has served so hon- Numerous powder kegs around the struction. He then plots no more. orably and has the medals to show world are being ignored. International Mr. Speaker, we have done, for once, them. I submit that it is the Congress standing and our ability to counter ter- the even, middle-road thing we have to that has cut and run on accountability, rorism is hurt. Here at home, I must do. We did not go into this war the way on not doing oversight, on not watch- say, Hurricane Katrina crystallized we went into, as Congressman MURTHA ing where the money is going. American thinking when they realized said, Beirut, only a little bit, only not Potable water has not been improved that the President and Congress were enough, and only for a little while. in Iraq. Even retired generals, for the putting our attention, our resources in We have gone into the war on ter- first time in my life of 63 years have I Iraq and not for the needs of the people rorism with commitment from this ever heard retired generals that have here at home. Congress, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in spoken out and said this is not a pol- History will remember this war as a the South of the Philippines, wherever icy, stay the course is not a policy. colossal blunder. When we leave Iraq, the terrorists may be; and we said we Yes, we need a debate. We need a de- and I hope we will begin immediately, will stay the long haul in each of these bate about alternatives. About alter- no one will wish that we stayed longer. places. natives. This is a regrettable instru- No one will look back and think the My time is short. I just want to do ment that you have brought to the current course could ever have been two things. One is, to say that, unlike floor today. I think two-thirds of the successful. This war is not making us Congressman MURTHA, I did not serve American people understand it. safer. It is not making Iraq safer. in combat. But I entered the Army in

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4046 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 1970, and I entered as a grandson of been created and their own forces are with the international community, ral- Lebanese immigrants. now protecting them. lying to the side of Americans, rallying And throughout the 1970s and 1980s It will also give the American public to our aid. Our intelligence personnel, and 1990s, I visited Lebanon, and I vis- new hope that the Iraqis are taking special ops forces, military and our al- ited the region, and I got to know my more control of their country and U.S. lies were there. fellow Arabs of the world. And I knew troops are not put in the dangerous sit- But it was not the same case in Iraq there was a problem and they knew uation of patrolling the Iraqi streets where this President, President Bush, there was a problem and we were not every day. prematurely diverted troops and re- addressing it. We are now addressing it. This perimeter strategy will allow sources out of Afghanistan, before that So we will be punished by the opposi- the American military to do what it mission was completed, before Osama tion any time we either do nothing or does best. Our intelligence analysts can bin Laden, al Qaeda and Taliban lead- do something. But I would rather do use technology to locate insurgents ers were captured, and before Afghani- something in the interests of freedom. and al Qaeda operatives. stan was stabilized. Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, many on Our special operations forces can President Bush and Secretary Rums- this side advocate a strategy for suc- focus on high-value targets, and our air feld chose to start the Iraqi conflict on cess. power can be used to take them out. selective and incomplete intelligence Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to an- Changing the mission of U.S. forces, re- when there was no imminent threat to other member of our committee, Mr. deploying them to perimeter areas, and the United States, without letting the RUPPERSBERGER of Maryland. lowering the profile of the U.S. forces international inspections run their Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speak- in urban areas will break the depend- course, without building international er, whether you are for or against the ency the Iraqi military has on U.S. support, without a plan to stabilize and war in Iraq, the fact is we are there forces. rebuild the country and bring our now and we must support our troops. Mr. Speaker, you know, it is not troops home, and ignoring the advice of We must give them the resources they about being a Republican or Democrat. leading generals about troop strength need to protect themselves. It is about having the right strategy, it and strategy. As a result of those failed judgments In Congress and across the country, is about having the Iraqi military se- made over and over again, our troops we all want the same thing. We all cure its own cities, and it is about have suffered in the field, not having want the Iraqi military to be able to bringing our men and women in uni- adequate body armor and vehicle take control of their own country and form home. armor. They have been deployed an un- secure their cities so that we can bring I believe this new perimeter strategy reasonable number of times, and they our men and women home that are in will help us do that. I also, with the re- are under unbelievable stress and dan- uniform. maining time that I have, want to talk ger. Our veterans have received inad- What we disagree on, though, is about the issue of the Iraqi war versus equate care, some $3 billion short of strategy. We have been staying the terrorism. There is no one that I know course and continuing down a bumpy, what they should be having, and we in the Democratic Party that is not be- have experienced a harmful lack of dangerous and deadly road for a long hind the United States fighting the war time. The American people are losing oversight and accountability. strongly against terror. The Iraqi people, more than half of confidence in the war in Iraq. Ameri- them, are without clean water, 85 per- cans are turning on the news and open- b 1530 cent lack electricity, oil production is ing up the newspaper to see more and Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is now less than what it was before the war more stories about troops being killed my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the started, and there is unemployment of by roadside bombs and suicide bomb- rookie on our committee, Mr. TIERNEY up to 40 percent and billions of dollars ers. of Massachusetts. of American taxpayer money being The Department of Defense released Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Speaker, regret- spent without getting it where it is today that 2,500 troops have died in the fully this debate on America’s role in supposed to go, our troops not getting war in Iraq since it began more than 3 Iraq has been converted into a debate the safety equipment, Iraqis not get- on the war on terror. years ago, and more than 20,000 have ting the reconstruction done, and the The Republican leadership has mim- been injured. American taxpayer $360 billion out of The only people sacrificing in this icked this divisive White House and pocket. The policy of the Bush admin- sought a political squabble instead of a war are the troops and their families. I istration has done more to harm our policy debate. The majority leader’s have been to Iraq four times and just military strength and more to harm memorandum that was circulated di- returned from my most recent trip and misdirect resources away from ter- recting his Members to politicize and over the Memorial Day recess. I also ror. serve on the House Select Intelligence name call and obfuscate the issue is a United States troops have done their Committee where I am briefed often on disservice to this House and to the jobs. They got rid of Saddam Hussein, the situation in Iraq and the global war country as a whole. they allowed for the constitution to be on terror. Nothing was gained when the admin- drawn and elections to be held, and Mr. Speaker, I believe we need a new istration first conflated the issue of they trained Iraqi security. The time strategy in Iraq. I believe we must Osama bin Laden and terrorism with has come for Iraqis to have the incen- have the Iraqi security forces take on Iraq, and nothing is gained here today tive to take control and responsibility more responsibility in securing their by this bald attempt to avoid discus- for their own security. This idea of an country. I believe we must move Amer- sion of Iraq policy and again try to open-ended commitment to stay the ican troops to the perimeter of the conflate the issue of international ter- course just impedes this goal. urban areas and let the Iraqi military ror with Iraq’s insurgency. The troop presence of our country patrol the streets in their cities. Our country’s democratic system re- impedes success and fuels the insur- Under this perimeter strategy, the quires the active involvement of Con- gency. Nine out of 10 Iraqis want a American military will still back up gress on key policy questions, particu- timeline for withdrawal. Seventy per- the Iraqis in an emergency. This will larly the issue of war. Its Members cent, including the Prime Minister, reduce the Iraqi dependence on Ameri- have a patriotic duty to hold the exec- want a time set for withdrawal. It ap- cans and help them gain confidence in utive branch accountable, especially pears that the Bush-Rumsfeld group their own ability to secure their coun- during a time of war. Troops as well as wants to be more Iraqi than the Iraqis. try. our citizens at home deserve and ex- It is time to shift the focus to polit- This perimeter strategy will free up pect no less. ical and diplomatic solutions. It is American troops to start the process of Back in 2001 this entire Congress time we disavow any intention to per- bringing our servicemen and -women went into Afghanistan against al manently remain or to keep permanent home. Having the Iraqi military patrol Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, the Taliban bases. It is time to revitalize our mili- their own streets will show the Iraqi and essentially every Member, Repub- tary, refocus on Afghanistan and people that their new government has lican, Democrat or Independent, agreed Osama bin Laden and the Taliban, and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4047 secure our own country by fulfilling progress. They talk about schools and York (Mr. MCHUGH), a member of the the 9/11 Commission’s recommenda- hospitals that are open. Members, let committee. tions. me read for you from an e-mail that Mr. MCHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I will be Mr. HOEKSTRA. Zarqawi’s docu- came back from a Minnesota soldier very brief. I just want to make a couple ment: back to Minnesota. This was after the of observations. To my colleagues on However, here in Iraq, time is now first election in Iraq. the minority side, ladies and gentle- beginning to be of service to the Amer- He said, despite everything that has men, debate what you wish to debate. ican forces, harmful to the resistance, been going on around them, they still No one is telling you what to debate for the following reasons. voted. Despite all the violence, they here today. All I have heard you do is Time is on our side. We are making stood in line to be heard. Word is that complain about what you can and can- progress. despite the insurgents’ best efforts, not say. I very much want to hear your Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the voter turnout may be as high as 72 per- strategy. gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. GUT- cent across the country. Shoot, even in Ms. HARMAN talked about we have a KNECHT). the States, that would be a great turn- strategy for success. The gentleman Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, out. from Illinois, Mr. EMANUEL, talked today we have heard a lot about who is All I can say is that together we, the about we want to take the fight to the right and who is wrong. Let me quote, United States and the Iraqis, no kid- terrorists. I would love to hear how. at the outbreak of the Civil War, from ding, we did it. I know full well that That is what we are doing at this mo- Leroy Walker, who later became first this doesn’t solve everything. Sure, ment. There is an old country and Confederate Secretary of War. He said there will be tough days yet to come. western song that teaches you, you that he could wipe up with one hand- But for today, we won, we all won. know, while I was busy dreaming about kerchief all the blood that would be Our returning military personnel tell yesterday, tomorrow hit me right be- spilled in the coming dispute between us something else. Iraqi and Americans tween the eyes. the North and the South. He was have one thing in common. They want What you are doing is dreaming wrong. American forces to come home, but not about yesterday. We are in Iraq. Mr. We have been wrong, too. We were just yet. Members, now is not the time wrong about weapons of mass destruc- HOLT had it right. It is today a training to go wobbly. Let’s give victory a ground, a recruiting ground for terror- tion. We were wrong about the costs, chance and a lasting peace will surely and we were wrong about the tenacity ists. It is interesting, it is instructive, follow. and we should talk about how that hap- of this insurgency. But Tony Blair Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield pens so we don’t repeat it in the future. came here about a year and a half ago myself 15 seconds to explain to our col- and he gave a great speech, and he said But it is the reality for the moment. leagues that this side is not trying to What do we do to end it? Where do we something very important we ought to go wobbly. We are trying to articulate draw the line? Where do we say this is be reminded of. what we believe would be a better where we have to win? It is Iraq, and He said if we were wrong about weap- strategy for success in Iraq. ons of mass destruction, and all we did For our final 2 minutes, I will yield we better get it right. Ms. HARMAN. To the prior speaker, was liberate a noble people from a bru- the first minute to Representative we are trying to articulate exactly tal dictator, he said that history would CROWLEY of New York, a member of the forgive. But had we failed to act, and International Relations Committee. what we should do. had we been right about weapons of Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I Mr. Speaker, I now yield the final mass destruction, he said that history thought we were going to start this de- minute of the Intelligence Committee’s would not forgive. bate this evening to talk seriously time to Mr. VAN HOLLEN of Maryland, a So this debate about who is right and about the problems we are facing in member of the National Security Sub- who is wrong, I think, misplaces the in- Iraq and begin to talk about our con- committee of the Government Reform terest of the United States. We were stitutional oversight powers to begin Committee. right that Saddam Hussein and his sa- to address this situation. I was wrong. I thank Mr. MURTHA for yielding me distic sons were a clear and present The American people want a change the 30 minutes. danger to his people, his neighbors, the in our Iraq policy, and as their rep- Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, we region, and to American interests. Sad- resentatives, we have an incredible op- can say what we want on the floor of dam Hussein plotted to kill a former portunity to speak to those concerns. this House. We can debate and vote on U.S. president. But, quite frankly, we won’t do that nonbinding resolutions like this. But And just like megalomaniac leaders today. what is most important to the Amer- of the past, he attacked his neighbors As a New Yorker, and as the only ican people is not what we say here but in Iran, and he invaded Kuwait. Some Member of this House to lost a relative what we do here. prefer to ignore the historic compari- on 9/11, I am sickened that once again This resolution does not commit this sons to the Sudetenland and my colleagues on the other side of the House to do anything. It does not re- Liebensprau. Montezuma was right, aisle continue to try to spin this as an quire this Congress to take any meas- those who refuse to learn from history answer to 9/11. ures to hold the Bush Administration are doomed to repeat it. If we thought that ’s or ourselves accountable for what is Dr. was right, too, criticism of the who fought happening in Iraq. when he said that with domestic pol- for an independent inquiry into the 9/11 The Bush administration was totally icy, actions have consequences. But attacks was bad, today Ms. Coulter wrong about weapons of mass destruc- with foreign policy, inaction can have pales in comparison to this Republican- tion in Iraq. No one has been held ac- consequences. We are now seeing the led Congress. They still use the victims countable. The Bush Administration suffering played out in Darfur and So- of 9/11 as a reason for being in Iraq in totally miscalculated the number of malia because of inaction. the first place, when all evidence, all troops that would be required to pro- Millions of innocent women and chil- evidence says otherwise. vide greater stability on the ground in dren are now at the mercy of the fol- When I hear my colleagues continue post-invasion Iraq. No one was held ac- lowers of bin Laden and al Zarqawi, to talk and say that Iraq is a stop in countable. The Bush Administration and al Qaeda understands what some in the war in terrorism, what happened to got the costs of the war totally wrong. this body refuse to acknowledge, that the first stop? What happened to Again, no one was held accountable. Iraq and Afghanistan are part and par- Osama bin Laden? Five years later, we It is a simple principle. If you reward cel of their war against us. When they have yet to capture or eliminate the and ignore failure today, you are going are defeated there, and I pray that they person responsible for that action in to get more failure tomorrow. This will be, their ability to wage terrorist the first place. But yet we find our- House has ignored those failures. While war against us will be diminished dra- selves in a quagmire in Iraq. I intend to our men and women have been fighting matically. vote ‘‘no’’ on this resolution. bravely in Iraq, this House has been When we talk to the troops who come Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield AWOL when it comes to providing home from that region, they talk about 1 minute to the gentleman from New oversight.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4048 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Instead of providing a system of checks and We Americans cannot continue to be However, Congress has done virtually balances, this Congress has been a blank free if we spend all our time ques- no oversight of this war, no hearing, no check and a rubber stamp. tioning our mission. Many Americans acknowledging the generals that are If we were a board of directors, we would want to debate the validity of prewar trying to tell us about Mr. Rumsfeld’s be sued by shareholders for gross negligence. intelligence or weapons of mass de- mismanagement of this war. We have I proposed a simple amendment to this res- struction. Whether one nation or an- not done the oversight, and today, we olution. It would have required this Congress other supported al Qaeda, how many find that we have this debate. It is not to actually do something—to conduct ade- troops do we need? Americans have to sufficient, nor has it been properly quate oversight and to implement the 9–11 look beyond the tactical challenges. characterized. This resolution we are Commission’s recommendations, including We must do as Tony Blair did. The debating is a sham. those requiring this body to reform its own in- people who are fighting us, he said, As a matter of fact, it is a trap. It is telligence oversight process. The Republican know what is at stake. The question is, an attempt to force Democrats to sign leadership refused to allow us to debate or do we? on to a resolution that will do nothing vote on my amendment. It apparently wants b 1545 to bring our troops home. Oh, they this House to remain an accountability free want to make us sound as if we are un- zone. Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 60 patriotic. They want to make us sound Ten hours of debate does not excuse years minutes to the gentlewoman from Cali- as if we do not support our troops. We of giving the administration a blank check on fornia (Ms. WATERS) from the Out of love our troops. We are as patriotic as Iraq. A non-binding resolution is not a sub- Iraq Caucus, and I ask unanimous con- anybody, and so I would implore my stitute for an action plan. Let’s start doing our sent she control the time. colleagues not to get caught into this job. We owe it to our troops and the American The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there trap. people. Shame on this House for abdicating objection to the request of the gen- This resolution is not intended to its constitutional responsibility. tleman from Pennsylvania? solve any problems or chart a new Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I yield There was no objection. course that will permit us to preserve 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the lives of our troops or to be success- Pennsylvania (Ms. HART). myself as much time as I may con- ful in Iraq. Ms. HART. Thank you Mr. Chairman, sume. I know what is happening. My friends for yielding me a few moments today Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on this on the opposite side of the aisle are to speak with our colleagues and with resolution as the chairperson of the 72- getting frightened. They went home on the American people. member Out of Iraq Caucus of the the break, and they heard the Amer- As I traveled with seven colleagues House of Representatives. Tomorrow ican people. They saw the polls, and earlier this year to visit our troops in will mark the 1-year anniversary of the they came back with a Karl Rove-con- the Middle East and Central Asia, I Out of Iraq Caucus. structed resolution to try and make it learned a great deal about the Amer- My colleagues and I joined together seem as if now they get it. But this res- ican spirit, the spirit of our volunteer to form the Out of Iraq Caucus to pres- olution does nothing. It will only con- servicemen and women and what drives sure the Bush administration into tell- tinue to mislead. them to risk it all. It is the defense of ing the truth about what is going on in We formed the Out of Iraq Caucus to freedom. It is the understanding that Iraq, to admit their mistakes, and to oppose any permanent bases in Iraq. vigilance and sacrifice are require- admit their misjudgments, and to force We support H.J. Res. 73 to redeploy ments for our Nation’s security. them to devise a plan to bring our U.S. forces from Iraq, commonly re- Back home in the comfort of their troops home. ferred to as the Murtha resolution. living rooms though, many Americans The Bush administration cannot There are a lot of misconceptions lack that focus. They forgot about deny that they misled the world about about what the Murtha resolution is. Iraq’s violation of U.N. Security Coun- the reasons we invaded Iraq. There So let us take a minute and explain cil resolutions and the mounting inci- were no weapons of mass destruction in clearly what the resolution says. dence of attacks on our Nation leading Iraq. There was no connection between Section 1 says: ‘‘The deployment of up to 9/11. They began to loudly dissent the unfortunate destruction of 9/11 and United States forces in Iraq, by direc- and doubt and distract from our mis- Saddam Hussein. We have not been tion of Congress, is hereby terminated sion in Iraq. welcomed with open arms in Iraq. We and the forces involved are to be rede- One of the generals who I spoke with have no substantial support for this ployed at the earliest practicable while I was in Kuwait took the oppor- war by other countries. Yet, Mr. Bush, date.’’ They would have you believe tunity in a quiet conversation to ask a Mr. CHENEY, Mr. Rumsfeld, Ms. Rice, this is meant to withdraw imme- very pointed question. He said, is Mr. Wolfowitz, and Mr. Karl Rove con- diately. That is not what it says, and America fighting this war, or is it just tinue to squander the American tax- let us get that straight today. What our military who is fighting this war? payers’ dollars on a war that cannot be that means is there will be no more We today, together with all Ameri- won with a military solution. U.S. troops sent to Iraq and that the cans, must answer that general’s Here we are 3 years later, 2,500 Amer- troops in Iraq will be redeployed as thoughtful question. We must answer ican soldiers dead, 18,498 U.S. soldiers soon as possible, a judgment that it for him, for ourselves, for the rest of seriously injured, and Congress has ap- should be made by military officials on the world, but especially for our en- propriated over $320 billion for this the ground. So stop misrepresenting emies, so they know America is truly war, and the costs will only continue what this resolution is all about. committed to liberty and the victory of to rise. Even admit- Section 2 says that ‘‘a quick-reaction civility and opportunity for all who ted there have been thousands of U.S. force and an over-the-horizon love freedom and support democracy. missteps. The American people are in- presence of U.S. Marines shall be de- These enemies have long been com- creasingly aware of this mismanaged, ployed in the region.’’ That means a mitted to robbing the world of liberty. corrupt, and bungled war. group of marines will remain in the The United States and others have The company that Vice President Middle East to respond to threats that been targets of these terrorists many CHENEY served as CEO of, Halliburton, destabilize our allies in the region or times leading up to 9/11 because of our has been awarded no-bid contracts for the national security of the United commitment to the ideal of freedom. billions of dollars, and they have had States. These enemies include regimes which over $400 million in unsupported costs Section 3 says: ‘‘The United States of harbor terrorists, but most especially and another $1 billion in questioned America shall pursue security and sta- those loosely connected terrorist orga- costs. In simple words, they are cheat- bility in Iraq through diplomacy.’’ This nizations operating outside a national ing the American people. Yet they are war cannot be won through military framework who share an ideology of not being held accountable for their means alone. We must put the full oppression, tyranny, control, hatred re- criminal actions, and the administra- weight of the United States behind di- sentment. They value no life, no man, tion has facilitated these illegal ac- plomacy in order to end bloodshed in no woman, no child. tions. Iraq.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4049 The Murtha resolution endorses Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolu- Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to these principles, and there is no reason tion and I commend the brave American and thank the gentlewoman for yielding why the entire Congress of the United coalition soldiers and all other personnel who and for her leadership and her strong States cannot get behind this resolu- have risked their lives to fight terror and pro- voice over the years on so many issues, tion. mote freedom both at home and abroad. especially with regard to this unneces- Mr. Speaker, the Out of Iraq Caucus These courageous men and women have sary war. supports the Murtha resolution as the made tremendous sacrifices to ensure our se- It has been almost 4 years since Con- clear plan for America. We support curity, and they deserve our utmost respect gress authorized this unnecessary war, bringing our troops home, and stop and appreciation. and we are really still not having a de- saying we do not have a plan. We have There have been three successful elections bate on Iraq policy. So, quite frankly, a plan. It is a good plan. It is the Mur- held in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam this debate is a sham. It attempts to, tha resolution. Hussein’s regime, and in recent weeks signifi- and you have heard this before and you Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of cant progress, both politically and militarily, will hear it again, it attempts to link my time. has been made in the region. As a former the war on terror with the bloodshed Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I member of the House Intelligence Committee, and violence and killing in Iraq. How ask unanimous consent to be able to I firmly believe that the elimination of al- deceptive can you be? control the remainder of the Intel- Zarqawi will prove to be a key psychological As a founding member of the Out of ligence Committee’s time on this side and organizational blow to al Qaeda’s terrorist Iraq Caucus, I believe that we should of the aisle. network. be debating and passing the Murtha The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Still, the facts are undeniable—progress in resolution today. The Murtha resolu- objection to the request of the gen- Iraq and Afghanistan has come at a tremen- tion would redeploy our troops from tleman from Texas? dous cost. My small State of Delaware alone Iraq at the earliest practicable date There was no objection. has lost fourteen brave soldiers, each of and pursue security and stability in Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I whom honorably served their State and Na- Iraq through diplomacy. yield 2 minutes to the distinguished tion. My heart goes out to these noble Dela- Instead, the Republicans continue to gentleman from Delaware (Mr. CAS- wareans and their families. play political games at the expense of TLE). And while elections and military victories are our brave troops. Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank crucial, many challenges still lie ahead. We This resolution is a disingenuous at- the distinguished gentleman for yield- are now facing a critical stage in the war on tempt by the Republicans to really re- ing. terrorism, and it is essential that the inter- write history by claiming that Iraq is Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the national community come together to support linked to the terrible tragedy of 9/11. resolution, and I commend the brave Iraq’s efforts to build a strong, unified govern- This is deplorable. We all know that American and coalition soldiers who ment capable of steering the country toward a Iraq had nothing to do with the tragic have risked their lives to fight terror path of peace and democracy. attacks of 9/11. Yet, the President mis- and promote freedom around the world, Although, several of my colleagues have led the American people into a war of including the 14 courageous Dela- suggested that the U.S. should set a hard choice, with no end in sight. wareans who have lost their lives while deadline for withdrawal from the region, I be- We could have avoided this, and you honorably serving their State and this lieve such a course would be unwise. An im- remember Congressman SPRATT and Nation. mediate withdrawal, or the establishment of a myself, we introduced substitutes to Despite weeks of significant progress, hard deadline to withdraw, would be com- the use of force back in 2002, which we are now facing a critical stage in parable to an abandonment of the new Iraqi would have allowed the United Na- the war on terrorism. I believe an im- government and would encourage the terror- tions’ inspectors to ensure that Iraq mediate withdrawal or the establish- ists and violent factions to bide their time, in- was not developing weapons of mass de- ment of a hard deadline to withdraw viting mayhem and guaranteeing chaos. Such struction. will be comparable to an abandonment a decision may also embolden our enemies to And what is the cost of finding out of the new Iraqi Government and would once again attack our homeland and interests that there are no weapons of mass de- encourage the terrorists and violent abroad, thus further endangering American struction? Today, we reached the sad factions to bide their time, inviting citizens. The future of the Middle East, and milestone of 2,500 American brave mayhem and guaranteeing chaos. the security of free nations around the world, troops who have given their lives; and Such a decision may also embolden depends upon the development of a strong by the end of the year, we will have our enemies to, once again, attack our and stable democracy in Iraq. committed close to $400 billion. homeland and interests abroad, thus Therefore, in order to reach an acceptable Are we any safer as a result of this further endangering American citizens. level of stability in Iraq, it is extremely impor- purposeless war in Iraq? Not according The future of the Middle East and the tant that we intensify our efforts to reduce the to the 9/11 Commission, whose report security of free nations around the influence of militias, restore electricity, rebuild card gave the administration a failing world depend upon the development of schools, and assemble a modem and sustain- grade in virtually every category relat- a strong and stable democracy in Iraq. able economy for the benefit of all Iraq’s citi- ing to terrorism preparedness. Therefore, in order to reach an ac- zens. A greater emphasis on the development The Republicans try to claim that ceptable level of stability in Iraq, it is of the Iraqi security forces—with a focus on Iraq is the central front on the global extremely important that we, as an the selection and education of effective mili- war on terror, but the fact is that it international community, intensify tary officers, is absolutely imperative. Over the has undermined our ability to protect our efforts to reduce the influence of last few years, we have trained and equipped our Nation. National security profes- militias, restore electricity, rebuild thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police officers sionals recognize this, Mr. Speaker, schools, and assemble a modern and and it is now crucial that we do more to im- and let us be clear: we are spending bil- sustainable economy for the benefit of prove this process, so that we may begin sup- lions of dollars to occupy a country all Iraq’s citizens. A greater emphasis planting our forces in the region with Iraqi that did not have weapons of mass de- on the development of the Iraqi secu- troops at the earliest date possible. struction or terrorist ties. At the same rity forces, with a focus on the selec- Mr. Speaker, the thousands of Americans time, we are cutting programs to se- tion and education of effective military who have served in the war on terrorism ex- cure our ports and keep nuclear mate- officers, is absolutely imperative so emplify the very courage and honor on which rials out of the hands of terrorists. that we may begin supplanting our our Nation was formed. It is essential that we There is something really wrong. forces in the region with Iraqi troops recognize their service by continuing to work Worse still, this President and the at the earliest date possible. with our international partners to promote de- Republican majority really refuse to Mr. Speaker, it is essential that we mocracy and protect freedom around the level with the American people about honor our brave soldiers by continuing world. when our troops are coming home, also to work with our international part- Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 really if they are coming home. ners to promote democracy and protect minutes to the gentlewoman from Cali- While we are debating this very freedom around the world. fornia (Ms. LEE). bogus resolution, the most substantive

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4050 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 decision on Iraq policy in very recent A stable, free Iraq, a stable, free Af- what the President calls American pol- days was taken out by the Republican ghanistan will be a blessing to the itics is actually a majority of our citi- majority behind closed doors. They Iraqis, a blessings to the Afghanis and zens outraged at the loss of life, the stripped from the war supplemental an a blessing to the region and the world hundreds of billions spent, and the amendment that we offered to prevent at large. global credibility we have squandered. the establishment of permanent mili- The war on terrorism is the next The American people, as of this tary bases in Iraq. stage of the . Civilized people morning, see 2,500 U.S. troops killed, The American people do not want an who believe in the rule of law, justice, more than 18,000 U.S. soldiers gravely open-ended war and occupation. Quiet- equality and freedom cannot allow self- wounded, and thousands more mentally ly removing a measure that was ap- anointed fanatics to rape, pillage and and physically traumatized from their proved by both the House and the Sen- murder at will around the globe. experience in the war. They see the ate is a gross abuse of the democratic A great Islamic theologian once said, United States losing an equivalent of process and is further evidence that ‘‘One hour of justice is equal to a hun- one battalion every month in Iraq, and Republicans are afraid to level with the dred-year prayer.’’ The world wants to the American people want answers. American people about their real plans hear from us. It is our job to end the They do not want partisan resolutions for Iraq. war in Iraq successfully. The United like the one before us today, a resolu- Let me tell you, there will be a day States, with the assistance of and for tion that does nothing to end this war. of reckoning. The American people are the good of the civilized world, can and They see all the sacrifices, Mr. demanding answers. They deserve a will defeat terrorism. This debate is Speaker, and they ask, for what? They truthful accounting of how we got into our hour of justice. know none of it is making Americans this unnecessary war, how the billions in Iraqi safer. In fact, the presence of b 1600 of dollars have been misspent and when nearly 150,000 American troops in Iraq our troops are coming home, and also, General Eisenhower said, ‘‘The em- has become a rallying point for anti- they really deserve to know if our phasis of the military is on authority American extremists in the Arab troops are coming home, given recent and obedience; the emphasis on public world. The people of this country sup- reports that the administration is con- office is communication and consent.’’ port our troops. They see nothing in- sidering leaving a permanent force of As we craft this resolution, I urge you consistent about having the deepest 50,000 troops in Iraq and indications to keep these themes in mind. contempt for this war while expressing that establishing permanent military And as we will eventually walk the utmost admiration for the soldiers bases are not off the table. across the graves in Arlington Ceme- on the front lines. So, Mr. Speaker, the American peo- tery, listen to these words: ‘‘We are the Last fall, I traveled to Iraq and I vis- ple will not forget that, instead of an- dead. Short days ago we lived, felt ited with our troops. My conversations swers to their questions, the Repub- dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and were with them confirmed what I already lican majority keeps giving them rhet- loved. And now we lie in Flanders knew: These are uniquely loyal, intel- oric and posturing like they are doing Field.’’ Let us work together through ligent, and courageous Americans. If today, and the American people de- this debate to figure out how to end only those civilians who are running serve better. the war. this war had half the honor and integ- This sham resolution, it really Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to rity of the men and women who are should be rejected. We should support the gentlewoman from California, Rep- the Murtha resolution. That is what we fighting it. resentative WOOLSEY, 5 minutes. It is time, Mr. Speaker, this Congress should talk about today. That will Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, many of caught up to the American people. It is take steps to end this war. It would us voted against this war from the very time that the Commander in Chief take steps to bring our young men and beginning. In fact, 60 percent of the women home; and I tell you, if we do stepped up by offering a solution, in- Democrats voted ‘‘no’’ to the war in stead of dismissing American anxiety not debate this, we do not know when Iraq. Since then, we have hosted infor- the opportunity to debate or to have a as just politics. It is time to establish mal hearings, we have founded the Out a multilateral security force to keep real debate will take place. of Iraq Caucus, we forced a debate and It should have been a real debate the peace in Iraq while shifting the vote on the House floor, Mr. MURTHA today. Unfortunately, this has deterio- U.S. role from military occupier to re- offered his intelligent proposal to rede- rated into posturing into rhetoric and construction partner. It is time to give ploy our troops, and last night I gave into misrepresenting what the facts Iraq back to the Iraqis, not continuing my 151st 5-minute speech on Iraq. are. to occupy the bases, not attempting to I thank the gentlewoman for her Mr. Speaker, it has been almost 39 control their oil. leadership. months since our troops were sent to This is what the American people Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, be- Iraq, and today, more than 37 months want, Mr. Speaker. They want an end fore yielding to the gentleman from after the President declared ‘‘Mission to this war. They are not certain ex- Maryland, I yield myself 30 seconds to Accomplished,’’ our troops are still actly how or when, but that is our job read a quote we mentioned earlier in there. to execute those details. They are look- this debate from Osama bin Laden. He Just this week, the President of the ing to us for leadership. It is time this said, ‘‘This Third World war is raging United States said this about Iraq, and Congress and the President of the in Iraq. The whole world is watching I quote: ‘‘My message to the enemy is United States provided the leadership this war. It will end in victory and don’t count on us leaving before we to bring our troops home. glory, or misery and humiliation.’’ succeed. Don’t bet on American poli- Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I That is not this side of the aisle. That tics forcing my hand, because it is not yield 3 minutes to the distinguished is Osama bin Laden. going to happen.’’ Except, Mr. Speaker, gentleman from Mississippi, a leader Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the it is completely unclear what con- on national defense affairs, Mr. WICK- gentleman from Maryland (Mr. stitutes success or when the mission ER. GILCHREST). will be accomplished under these cir- Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, what is Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I cumstances. Saying we will stand down the status of our effort in Iraq today, thank the gentleman for yielding. when the Iraqis stand up? Well, that is and where do we go from here? As we debate the war in Iraq, Afghan- just talking points that give the Amer- Some of my friends on the other side istan and the war on terrorism, there ican people no clear guide as to when of the aisle see the situation getting will be strong, heartfelt feelings and they can expect this war to end. worse and worse. I see real progress. I expressions on this House floor. Let us, By leaving this question vague, by see three successful elections, I see the however, as we debate have a powerful defining success entirely on his own completion of a national unity govern- sense of resolution, a powerful sense of terms, the President is allowing him- ment, and I see the elimination of Abu urgency, a powerful sense of urgency to self an open-ended commitment and a Musab al Zarqawi. But more than any- end the war and to end the war success- blank check in Iraq. As for his hand thing else, Mr. Speaker, it is the re- fully. being forced by American politics, turning troops I talk to who convince

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4051 me that our mission is succeeding and the factions they control and the deci- JACK has a plan: Strategic redeploy- that their sacrifice is accomplishing a sions they make about whether to co- ment. It is smart, proud, honest and ef- valuable service for our effort and for operate with the Iraqi government will fective. You can’t win a war with rhet- our people. I haven’t surveyed many determine what we can do. The extent oric and resolutions. You win with a seventh graders, but the soldiers I see of our involvement, the length of our thoughtful plan. I support the Murtha express support for what we are doing stay, the number of our dead is con- resolution that puts in place a plan to and frustration over the coverage they trolled by religious clerics in Iraq be- protect our soldiers, protect American see in the media. cause we have no strategy except to interests in the Middle East, and pro- Now, as to the question of where we wait for the Iraqis to stand up. tects American people here at home. It go from here, two things are certain: Republican leaders in this Chamber is a battle plan that resolves to bring Iraq is ground zero in our global war on say we will stay because Iraq is a our troops home on a timetable driven terror. And the decisions we make will model of success and it is helping us by the United States, not subject to affect U.S. credibility for decades to win the war on terror, as if a resolution the approval of Iraqi clerics. It is a come. they alone write will somehow make commitment to secure the peace by Al Qaeda attacked our homeland Iraq the role model for projecting U.S. being smart about the war. unprovoked on 9/11, and it is that same influence around the world. The American soldiers need a battle al Qaeda we fight today in Iraq. We Today, the American people say with plan, not a resolution that reflects a must defeat them there and anywhere a growing voice that Iraq was a mis- bunker mentality of the Republican else until their terrorist threat has take, and staying with no plan or time- Party losing its grip on political con- ended. But make no mistake, this is table is the wrong course for our sol- trol. the same enemy that demolished the diers and our Nation. The unending Two grim things came out of the World Trade Center and attacked the war, the permanent bases, the fortress Pentagon today. When the President Pentagon. embassy we are building all make a declared ‘‘mission accomplished,’’ 141 Another argument we have heard powerful argument that our involve- people had died. Today, the 2,500th per- today is that this war was a mistake to ment in Iraq is more an occupation son died. The other thing that came begin with; that it was unnecessary; than a liberation. This promotes ter- out was a 74-page booklet to help Re- that it was in fact based on a lie. This rorism. This helps recruit terrorists. It publicans manage spin control during view, of course, ignores the fact that doesn’t help end the terrorism. the Iraq debate on the floor. It is called intelligence agencies not only in the U.S. soldiers in Iraq are doing an he- ‘‘The Iraq War Debate Prep Book.’’ U.S. but from Israel, Great Britain, roic job, but we are not doing ours. It The Defense Department is putting Germany, and France, to name a few, is not partisan politics to insist that a out PR pieces. That is an affront to the were unanimous in their conclusions nation at war have a plan to achieve American people. It is not a front on that Iraq had weapons of mass destruc- the peace. The resolution and its back- the war. The American people want tion. President Bill Clinton and Sec- ers seem to think it is unpatriotic to change because the Pentagon under this administration distributes PR retary of State Madeleine Albright ask questions and to demand a plan. plans. Debate talking points. What is cautioned that it was a real possibility That is not true. Our foreign policy the military doing with that kind of Saddam would use these weapons or fails when we fail to ask enough ques- stuff up here on the Hill in this body? share them with terrorists intent on tions, not too many. American soldiers are falling every We see no military plan. attacking the U.S. again. Support U.S. soldiers by passing Jack But if you think about it, Mr. Speak- day, and there is no one, not a single Murtha’s plan to get out of Iraq. er, what such an argument really advo- person in this House who does not re- Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I cates is a present day Iraq with Sad- spect and support our soldiers. But this yield 3 minutes to the distinguished dam Hussein still in power. That would resolution is intended to paper over the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. truth about the Iraq war and it does have been the logical result of their MURPHY). point of view. An Iraq still ruled by in- not support our soldiers and will not Mr. MURPHY. After September 11th, timidation, humiliation, rape, and tor- make a difference in winning the war. Mr. Speaker, bin Laden’s deputies said, ture. A Saddam Hussein still free to Our soldiers need and the American ‘‘People of America, your government continue his proven network of chem- people expect their leaders to develop a is leading you into a losing battle. Re- ical and biological weapons research. A battle plan that will work in the field member, your government was de- Saddam Hussein with plans and ad- because it is based on military intel- feated in Vietnam, fled in panic from vanced designs for long-range missiles ligence, not political expediency. Lebanon, rushed out of Somalia, and to threaten our allies and our inter- We are in a war and we need a battle slapped across the face in Aden. Your ests. plan from the President, not a message government today is leading you into a To some, this may be an acceptable memo from the House majority leader. losing war.’’ alternative. But it is not to me. The War isn’t waged by a political party And no wonder. Look at our past. No- world is a better place because Iraq is nor is it won by political ideology. Iraq vember 1979: 52 Americans taken hos- free of Saddam Hussein, and the world needs a credible battle plan. There is tage at the U.S. embassy in Iran. We will be safer if we maintain our resolve. only one at the moment, and we should had a failed response. April 1983: 17 The administration has embarked on a be debating it. Americans killed at our embassy in sound plan for freedom and stability in JOHN MURTHA put forward a plan 6 Beirut. We took no action. October the region and for better security for months ago and only today are we able 1983: 241 Marines killed, 100 wounded. our citizens. Stay the course. to discuss it at all, with no ability to Our Marines were redeployed. April Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to alter the resolution before us. This is 1988: 259 killed in the bombing of Pan the gentleman from the State of Wash- not an honest debate, an honest at- Am Flight 103. We sought indictments. ington, Representative MCDERMOTT, 5 tempt to seek answers for our problems February 1993: Six killed and a thou- minutes. in Iraq. It is a debate about a letter of sand injured after the explosion of the (Mr. MCDERMOTT asked and was endorsement for the President, not an first World Trade Center bombing. We given permission to revise and extend examination of our options. took them to court. October 1993: 18 his remarks.) JACK MURTHA has emerged with a U.S. servicemen were killed and 84 Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, this battle plan, and it is no surprise. He is wounded in Somalia. We withdrew our debate begins with one fundamental a decorated combat soldier who re- troops. August 1998: 224 killed at U.S. truth. We are in Iraq and our leaders flects what the best military minds be- embassies. We fired cruise missiles in have no plan to get us out of Iraq. lieve. As a veteran myself of the Viet- Afghanistan and Sudan. The President says U.S. soldiers will nam era, I must say that Jack is a sol- stay in harm’s way for as long as he dier’s soldier, a combat hero who has b 1615 says so. ‘‘We will stand down,’’ our one and only one goal: To defend our October 2000, 17 U.S. killed and 30 leaders say, ‘‘when the Iraqis stand Nation with the finest military and the wounded in the USS Cole attack. We up.’’ In other words, Iraqi clerics and best plan. took no action.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4052 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 However, since September 11 we have The President said in May 2003, ‘‘We predicted the Iraqi reaction to our oc- been much different. We fought the found the weapons of mass destruc- cupation: wrong. They got the recon- Taliban in Afghanistan, and now we tion.’’ struction of Iraq wrong. When it came are fighting al Qaeda in Iraq, and the And Donald Rumsfeld on the cost, to providing needed equipment, they U.S. is sending a message to the terror- ‘‘Well the Office of Management and got it wrong. ists and the world, and we are different Budget has come up with a number And who will pay the price for those and we will respond. that is something under $50 billion for mistakes? None of the architects of Now, there will be disagreements be- the cost. How much of that will be the this war. No one of them has been held tween leaders who are retired and cur- U.S. burden and how much will be accountable. The only ones paying the rent ones. This is part of history. Wit- other countries is an open question.’’ price are dead and wounded soldiers, ness the disagreements between Lin- DICK CHENEY said May 30, 2005, ‘‘I our men and women in uniform. coln and McClellan, Patton and Mont- think they are in the last throes, if you We need a new direction in Iraq. The gomery, MacArthur and Truman. will, of the insurgency.’’ majority has nothing to offer in terms But now we are having success. Our And what happens to those experts of a plan, just more political ploys, troops are being redeployed outside of who tell the truth? Are they heeded more talk, more mistakes like those the cities of Iraq. We are transferring and embraced by the Bush administra- cited today. the battle to Iraqi security forces and tion? Hardly. Although it is now uni- It is time to redeploy our troops from their police, and now they have a gov- versally agreed we didn’t have enough Iraq. There is a plan, the Murtha plan; ernment where they must face the troops to avoid the chaos and violence and we should make sure that we are scourge of al Qaeda, and we cannot let after the initial invasion, when the not establishing a permanent military them face it alone. Army’s top general, Eric Shinseki, tes- presence there. I wish we could finish quickly, but I tified in February 2003 ‘‘something on PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY know we cannot finish hastily. I think the order of several hundred thousand Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, par- one wounded soldier said it to me, soldiers’’ would be necessary to achieve liamentary inquiry. summed it up best, he said, I want to victory in Iraq,’’ he was immediately Mr. Speaker, a while ago one of the go back and finish the job, I want to and publicly repudiated by Secretary members of the Armed Services Com- fight them there, not in our suburbs. Rumsfeld who said that ‘‘the idea it mittee said under the rules of the de- I know we cannot fight them in our would take several hundred thousand bate today that we can discuss any- courts. I know we cannot fight terror- U.S. forces I think is far off the mark.’’ thing we want to, debate anything we ists with our police in our streets. I Shinseki was quietly ushered into re- want to. It occurs to me while this is not a know surely we cannot fight terrorist tirement, and Secretary Rumsfeld re- proposal for statutory change, it is a murderers with diplomacy. Let’s finish mains in place leading the failed Bush sense of the House resolution. Under the job of terrorism, then we bring administration policy in Iraq. the rules of this debate, may I present them home. When Dr. Lawrence Lindsey, former my amendment to reestablish the Sub- Ms. WATERS. I yield 5 minutes to assistant for economic policy to the committee on Oversight and Investiga- the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. President, told the Wall Street Journal tions in the House Armed Services SCHAKOWSKY). in September 2002 that the war’s cost Committee so we may properly provide Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, as could reach $200 billion, he was fired by oversight? Is that allowed under the a founding member of the Out of Iraq the President. rules of this debate today? Yet by the end of this year we will Caucus, I rise in strong support of our The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. brave troops and in strong support of have spend $450 billion in Iraq. Some REHBERG). Under House Resolution 868, say at the end of the day the war will Congressman MURTHA’s plan for a re- the previous question has been ordered cost $1 trillion taxpayer dollars. sponsible redeployment from Iraq. on adoption of the resolution without Americans want the truth about the Since the time the President an- intervening amendment. Iraq war. Americans deserve the truth, nounced on May 1, 2003 that ‘‘major Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I and despite all the talk from those who combat operations in Iraq have ended,’’ yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from more than 2,350 U.S. soldiers have lost declared this war, ineptly pursued this Arizona (Mr. SHADEGG). war, and still today justify this war, their lives, and the President has not Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I wel- the American people in overwhelming attended a single one of their funerals. come this debate, and I thank the gen- numbers have determined for them- And the United States is spending in tleman for yielding. selves the truth about this war. excess of $8 billion a month to wage the I rise in opposition to terrorism and Polls taken even after the killing of war. That is $266 million a day, $11 mil- in support of honoring our commit- al Zarqawi show that only 33 percent of lion an hour, $185,000 a minute and ments. I rise in support of this resolu- American adults think that the results $3,100 a second, every second for this tion. of the war were worth the loss of life war. Certainly we could have afforded It is clear that one-half of those en- and other costs. Only 33 percent ap- body armor and proper Humvees for gaged in this debate believe we need to prove of the way George W. Bush is our soldiers. get out of Iraq and believe we need to handling the situation in Iraq. Only 26 We could have insured 165 million get out soon. In support of their posi- percent of Americans feel that the children for 1 year, provided more than tion, they cite mistakes that were United States is better off because of 13 million American students with 4- made leading to the war and mistakes the war. year scholarships at public univer- that have been made in conducting the The American people in their wisdom sities, fully funded global anti-hunger war, and they cite the recent increase have been able to distinguish reality efforts for 11 years, give basic immuni- in terrorist attacks and incidents. from rhetoric. The truth has been a zation to every child in the world for 92 Let me make it clear, Mr. Speaker, major casualty in the war of Iraq. years, and I believe that would have reneging on our commitment to defeat It is worth reviewing just a few of the bought us more security than invading terrorism in Iraq now would be a mis- statements presented as truth that Iraq has done. take of monumental proportions for have been proven to be not true, never Our military men and women have which future generations would pay true, and still today not true: done a magnificent job in the Iraq the- and pay deeply. DICK CHENEY said in August 2002, ater and deserve better. The civilian Of course mistakes have been made. ‘‘Simply stated, there is no doubt that leadership in the White House and the In every human endeavor, mistakes are Saddam Hussein now has weapons of civilian leadership in the Pentagon made. That is the nature of human en- mass destruction.’’ have failed. Time after time they have deavors. In March 2003, Donald Rumsfeld said, been wrong. They projected the cost of I personally am convinced we had too ‘‘We know where they are. They’re in the war and got it wrong. They pre- few troops in Iraq when Baghdad fell. I the area around Tikrit and Baghdad dicted the length of the war: wrong. joined my colleague JOHN MCCAIN in and east, west, south and north some- They predicted the existence of weap- visiting Iraq. I have been there mul- what.’’ ons of mass destruction: wrong. They tiple times, and it was obvious to me

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But whatever reasonable democratic procedure, will If we did not have these hundreds of mistakes have been made, they do not have no opportunity to say so. billions being drained there, we could justify cutting and running. Here is the tactic that is being used: take care of the agenda. Recently, a constituent of mine, a they take a number of things that peo- Finally, it constrains us elsewhere in Vietnam War helicopter pilot, ap- ple agree with, they mix in with them the world. It has led to an increase in proached me in Phoenix and said, This things which are quite controversial. anti-Americanism which I deplore, war is unlike Vietnam. It is unlike They treat them as if they were not with which I disagree, but it is a fact. Vietnam, he explained, because were separable. Our ability to deal with the potential we to abandon this effort without suc- Let me say what I have said again be- Iranian nuclear weaponry is con- ceeding, make no mistake about it, the fore. The majority party thinks the strained by the fact that we are in consequences would be far reaching and way to legislate is the way you feed a Iraq. In fact, the Iranians have been disastrous. pill to a dog: you take the unpalatable among the major beneficiaries of what Let’s talk about some of those. with the popular. we have done in Iraq. First, it would be a humiliating de- Now I will have to say this: one of So you went into a war on the basis feat for the United States. Look no fur- the things we are trying to do is to per- of two lies. You have handled it incom- ther than the words of Osama bin suade the people in Iraq to be able to petently. We are now at the point, well, Laden. He said: ‘‘The whole world is work together and make democracy does that mean you pull out? And here watching this war and the two adver- work. We are trying to persuade, we is the point. You tell us on the one saries. It’s either victory and glory, or are told, the Shiia and the Sunni to hand that there is great success. We misery and humiliation.’’ work together. We are trying to tell have built a government, et cetera, et Future commitments by the United the majority Shiia to share power. cetera. But also, you tell us simulta- States could be scoffed at by our allies Mr. Speaker, how can you and your neously that if we withdrew American and by our enemies around the world party believe that we inspire people to troops the house of cards falls. Well, for generations to come. It would shat- share power by giving the example of which is it? Have you built a successful ter the trust we have built amongst our its monopolization in an abusive fash- entity in Iraq? If you have, why can’t allies in the region. The newly elected ion? we pull out? Why can’t 28 million peo- Iraqi Government, and I find it ironic I just hope that the members of par- ple in Iraq, with a couple of hundred that we are having this debate within liament in Iraq who may hear about thousand Iraqis under arms deal with days of its selection, would collapse this will remember a very important 15 or 18,000 terrorists? and we would have the creation of a point: please do not try this at home. The fact is that this is a failed policy radical, oil-funded terrorist state. But Now let’s get to the substance. that gets worse every day. sadly and most importantly, to fail This war in Iraq came after Sep- Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I now would establish beyond a shadow tember 11. It was not the response to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished of a doubt that our brave soldiers, men terrorism the war in Afghanistan was. gentleman from Florida, Dr. WELDON. and women, who gave of their lives or I am struck in listening to the Mem- Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speak- who suffered grave injuries that will be bers on the other side of the aisle that er, I rise in support of this resolution, with them for the remainder of their Afghanistan appears to have too many the President’s plan, and our troops. lives did so in vain. syllables for them to pronounce. What In recent days U.S. and Iraqi forces Most importantly, it is not nec- is in fact happening is that the war in have dealt terrorists in Iraq a decisive essary. We can succeed, but the path to Afghanistan, which was the response to blow. The brutal leader of al Qaeda in defeating terrorism in Iraq is not sur- the terrorist attack, which was almost Iraq, Abu al Zarqawi, responsible for render; it is resolve. The opponents unanimously supported here and by untold deaths and inciting widespread argue that we have suffered recent in- Democrats in the Senate, is in fact not unrest has met his end, and none too creases in violence and insurgent at- going as well as it should. soon, thanks, mainly to our troops, tacks. The increase in those attacks is One of the prices we are paying for courageous men and women in the field not proof that we are losing, and it is the war in Iraq is the deterioration in who got the job done. certainly not proof that we cannot pre- Afghanistan. Now, the war in Iraq was And let us not forget, Ramzi Yousef, vail. Rather, I submit to you it is proof launched based on a couple of lies we the man who plotted and attempted that the insurgents understood that were told. And I am struck to hear peo- the 1993 attack on the World Trade the period leading up to the election of ple still defending the arguments about Center that could have led then to tens a permanent representative govern- the weapons of mass destruction. It of thousands of deaths, was an Iraqi in- ment in Iraq was their best chance, and seems my colleagues on the other side telligence agent. they took their best shot. And they have decided to adopt a Marxist idea. And let us remember the great ac- failed. The Marx in question, of course, is complishments of our troops in the For all that is rational, for that is Chico, and the mantra is: Who are you field. For too long U.S. news media has honorable, we must not now within going to believe, me or your own eyes? focused only on the negative and has days of the election of that new perma- Having been repudiated overwhelm- chosen only to report bad stories, sto- nent government cut and run. No, in- ingly by the facts, they stick to the ries of terrorist attacks. Indeed, for deed, we must give it an opportunity to rhetoric. every story that reports heroism and do its job, an opportunity to succeed. Here is the price we are paying. We accomplishment of our troops in the Now, those who say that we are los- shouldn’t have gone in. Of course hav- field, our American news media focuses ing ignore that by their own admission ing gone in, we are victimized by one of 9 or 10 stories on terrorist attacks and al Qaeda is acknowledging that it is the most incompetently administered the failings of our military. Where our failing in Baghdad. I urge us not to cut examples in American national secu- military can accomplish great things and run now for our children and for rity history. But here is the price we over and over again, the American our grandchildren. pay: the war in Afghanistan deterio- news media ignores it and instead Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 rates our ability to protect ourselves looks for a negative story to report. minutes to the gentleman from Massa- at home. Every time you hear that we Well, I want to report on one good chusetts (Mr. FRANK). can’t afford communications, we can’t story, a great story that shows that we Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. afford more people at the border, we are getting the job done and the Iraqi Speaker, first let’s note what a deg- can’t afford port security, every time people are with us. And indeed, this

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4054 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 was reported by our news media. 60 great crowds greeted our troops with Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, Minutes in March reported about our flowers. But there is good reason to be- I rise in support of the resolution. I am efforts in a town called Tal Afar. In lieve that the masses of citizens were convinced, Mr. Speaker, especially 2005, al Qaeda ran the town of Tal Afar hoping for some real improvements. after my recent visit, that progress is in Iraq. It is a great example of how But we guarded only the oil wells, being made in Iraq. But much of that our U.S. troops can get the job done. while the water systems and the elec- would be lost if we prematurely remove Prior to the U.S. victory there, al tricity grids collapsed. our troops before the Iraqi people are Qaeda had unleashed a reign of terror As the people observed our pre- fully capable of governing and securing on Iraqis that defies adequate descrip- occupation with oil, the insurgency their own country. tion. Decapitated heads were left in the began to grow. The leadership of the oil Success in the global war on ter- streets to intimidate residents. Decapi- barons could not run a country, and rorism in Iraq and Afghanistan is the tated children were often left in the they could not manage an occupation. defining challenge of our generation, streets by terrorists to bait their par- Oil revenues must be addressed in whether some war opponents like it or ents to come in so they could kill order to regain the confidence of the not. Iraqi masses. We need a transparent, them. Terrorists roamed the streets, Bin Laden’s deputy has declared Iraq open, full discussion of what are the ar- kidnapping and publicly executing peo- to be the place for the greatest battle, rangements that have been proposed, ple. where he hopes to expel the Americans what is being proposed or what con- For 3 days in 2005, U.S. troops led the and then spread the jihad wave to sec- tracts are already in place. successful assault on Tal Afar to lib- ular countries neighboring Iraq. Such Chevron, BP, Exxon, they are there. erate innocent men, women and chil- statements reaffirm why withdrawing Contracts have been written. Is there a dren from their terrorist captors. our troops would be a disaster for the committee in this House or a sub- Thanks to our brave soldiers, schools future of Iraq. in Tal Afar are now open. And once ter- committee that knows what kinds of rified Iraqi citizens are now able to contracts have been written? What will Our own national security can actu- shop, travel the streets openly, go out- the Iraqi people have left after these ally embolden those who hate our way side their homes. contracts are executed? They were exe- of life to further harm us. A premature And as 60 Minutes noted, some of our cuted before the government was in withdrawal or premature deployment American soldiers involved in the lib- place. home would represent a clear defeat for eration of that town now have throngs Oil is the greatest resource that Iraq American interests, not just in Iraq, of Iraqi children follow them has, of course. They are number four but in the wider region around the admiringly in the streets. among the nations of the world. To globe. Terrorists everywhere would Mr. Speaker, Tal Afar is just one ex- what degree is Halliburton going to take heart at this serious blow to our ample of the great job we are doing control the revenues as their payment credibility. there. There are many, many more. We for reconstruction of some of the oil Frankly, if we were to abandon the need to stay the course, not cut and wells? To what degree are the foreign Iraqis now, who in the world would run. oil companies going to control revenue openly assist us in the global war on I support the resolution. because of their arrangements for the terror? What country would allow our Ms. WATERS. I yield 4 minutes to pipelines and the shipping and retail military to deploy and operate on its the gentleman from New York (Mr. outlets? What is going to happen to the territory? Worse yet, who would dare OWENS). oil? These are the questions that the to be seen as our partner, ally or (Mr. OWENS asked and was given Iraqi people are asking. Everybody in friend? permission to revise and extend his re- every section of the country wants to As even the Washington Post said marks.) know how are the oil revenues going to yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in its lead edi- Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I am a be distributed? If I live in a province torial, Iraq’s new democratic govern- member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, and where there is no oil, will my area ben- ment deserves a chance to succeed. And I agree with most of what has been efit? yes, this is the time to support our said. These questions need to be answered brave young warfighters, who are truly I support the Murtha proposal for an honestly. Congress must seize the ini- doing the work of freedom, and not un- immediate and orderly redeployment. tiative from the American oil barons dercut their service and sacrifice. There is one subject I would like to and demand justice for the Iraqi citi- Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 raise which has not been discussed very zens. The oil belongs to them. minutes to the gentlewoman from much here, however, and that is the We must win their trust and separate Texas, Ms. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE. role of the American oil barons who the masses of the Iraqi people from the (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked have contributed greatly to the colos- fanatical murderers. Follow the logic and was given permission to revise and sal mess of the war in Iraq. of the Murtha resolution. Give the peo- extend her remarks.) Our troops today are as good as they ple control of their oil revenues and get were when they were labeled the great- out of Iraq. We can do that when we Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. est generation and defeated Hitler. But have the trust of the Iraqi people. Speaker, I might offer that I am proud- in Iraq, today’s counterparts of Eisen- When the Iraqi people have their own ly a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus hower, Patton, Bradley, the Colin Pow- revenues, they can equip their own po- out of a duty and a sense of patriotism ells, the John Murthas, they were not lice forces. They can take charge of and love of my country. And so this is allowed to take charge. Lust for con- their government in a competent way. a very somber debate. trol of the oil made the oil barons push They don’t need us, and they will be And I remind my colleagues of the everyone capable of carrying out a rea- less likely to join hands with the insur- very tense moments of the presen- sonable destruction of Saddam Hussein gents and protect the fanatical mur- tation of Secretary Powell before the aside. This administration encouraged derers that have now found greater re- United Nations. All of us were in a the oil barons to overrule the military ceptivity in the population than ever sense of awe, listening to the dev- professionals. before. astating evidence of why we should go Lust for oil is still the problem. Sel- Get out of the Iraq. Give the people to Iraq. So I come to this podium today dom discussed in America, but very control of their oil revenues. with a very heavy heart because we are much on the minds of the people of Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I constrained, not Members of Congress, Iraq. We cannot succeed as long as the yield 2 minutes to a distinguished we are of no relevance, but the Amer- ordinary Iraqi people see us as oil member of the defense appropriations ican people are constrained in not al- thieves responsible for the terror and subcommittee, the gentleman from lowing a debate or dissent. That is their day-to-day misery. New Jersey (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN). what we are showing here today, that We went into Iraq fighting fanatics, (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN asked and we can have no dissent, we can have no fighting Saddam Hussein and his oli- was given permission to revise and ex- recognition that Democrats and others, garchy of brutal, decadent killers. No tend his remarks.) we do have a plan.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4055 And so, on the birthday of the Army, Unfortunately, we have been distracted from a primary motivation for Iraq’s insurgency is I want to salute the Army. Mr. MUR- waging a full-scale, all-out global war on ter- the U.S. troop presence. Even after the THA, I want to salute you for your serv- rorism by the President’s fateful decision to go Samarra shrine attack in February threatened ice and your plan. And I want to salute to war in Iraq. Before and after 9/11, Iraq was to push Iraq into all-out sectarian civil war, the all of the United States military. And not a part of the global war on terror, much vast majority of attacks still target U.S. forces. might I say that our soldiers are doing less the central front. It only became so when Outside of Iraq, the Bush administration has their job. They have done their job. the President launched his ill-advised preemp- failed to present a realistic strategy for coun- And out of doing their job, the casual- tive attack. tering the threat posed by the global terror ties are some 19,000, and today, I am I am proud to be among the majority of networks. In a recent survey of more than 100 very sad to say that 2,500 of them are House Democrats who voted against the Res- of America’s leading foreign policy experts now dead. olution Authorizing the Use of Military Force, conducted by Foreign Policy magazine and And so I come with a heavy heart to AUMF, in 2002, which authorized the Presi- the Center for American Progress, eight in suggest that there are myths that we dent to use military force to disarm Iraq of its 10—84 percent—do not think that the United need to overcome. And one of them is alleged weapons of mass destruction, WMD. I States is winning the war on terror. The war that there is something called ‘‘cut and voted against going to war in Iraq because I in Iraq has not helped America win the broad- run.’’ It is not ‘‘cut and run.’’ It is the thought it a diversion from the important task er fight against global terrorists. Instead: opportunity of involvement, debate and facing the Nation and that was winning the By invading Iraq without a realistic plan to patriotism, a belief that we can put global war on terror. History has shown that stabilize the country, thei Bush administration forward a plan that the American peo- we were right. The ill-advised rush to war in created a new terrorist haven where none had ple will believe in. Iraq has not only been a diversion from the previously existed. The Bush Iraq policy has harmed the war on terror but a strategic disaster of epic By maintaining an open-ended military pres- United States military, and I might proportions. As Thomas Jefferson would say, ence in Iraq, the Bush administration is pre- say that I am glad to stand with a re- to prove this let facts be submitted to a candid senting U.S. terrorist enemies with a recruit- tired Marine Lieutenant General, Greg- world. ment tool and rallying cry for organizing at- ory Newbold, who says, ‘‘my sincere (I) THE BUSH IRAQ POLICY HAS HARMED THE U.S. tacks against the U.S. and its allies. view is that the commitment of our MILITARY According to the National Counter-Terrorism forces to this fight was done with a We just learned today the sad news that the Center, the number of large-scale terrorist at- casualness and a swagger that are the 2,500th soldier has been killed in Iraq. More tacks in Iraq increased by over 100 between special province of those who have than 19,000 others have been wounded. The 2004 and 2005, with a total 8,299 civilians never had to execute these missions or Bush administration’s open-ended commitment killed in 2005. bury the results.’’ of U.S. troops to Iraq has weakened the U.S. Osama bin Laden remains at large and Al And so I come again to suggest that Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Qaeda offshoots proliferate. no, there is no ‘‘cut and run.’’ There is Reserves. The extended deployments in Iraq By diverting resources and attention from reality. A Pentagon commission study have eroded U.S. ground forces and overall Afghanistan to an unnecessary war of choice concluded that the Army cannot main- military strength. A Pentagon-commissioned in Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration has tain its current pace of operation in study concluded that the Army cannot main- left Afghanistan exposed to a resurgence of Iraq without doing permanent damage tain its current pace of operations in Iraq with- the Taliban and Al Qaeda. The United States to the quality of the force. out doing permanent damage to the quality of needs to complete the mission in Afghanistan We realize that the large and ex- the force. So more than 3 years of a contin- and cannot do it with so many troops bogged tended deployment of the National uous deployment of U.S. troops to Iraq has: down in Iraq. Guard units overseas has undermined Contributed to serious problems with recruit- By focusing so many U.S. resources on the ability of the United States to deal ment, with the U.S. Army missing its recruit- Iraq, the Bush administration has taken its eye with terrorist attacks or natural disas- ment targets last year; off the ball in places like Somalia, which was ters. We realize that resources are Forced the Army to lower its standards for overrun by Islamist militias tied to Al Qaeda being diverted and, therefore, we are military recruits; and last week. not able to fight the global war on ter- Led to military equipment shortages that (2) The War in Iraq has increased the bur- ror. hamper the ability of U.S. ground forces to do den on U.S. taxpayers without stabilizing Iraq I don’t want my friends to pigeonhole their job in Iraq and around the world. or making Americans safer. us. We want a debate and a plan to save The large and extended deployment of Na- Over the last 3 years, the United States has lives, and we want a free, independent tional Guard units overseas has undermined spent more than $300 billion in Iraq, yet the and democratic Iraq. That can happen the ability of the United States to deal with ter- investment has failed to stabilize Iraq or im- with a new change, a new day, Demo- rorist attacks or natural disasters. For exam- prove the overall quality of life for most Iraqis. crats and others, who believe in leading ple, State officials in Louisiana and Mississippi According to the Congressional Research this country to a new future. struggled to overcome the absence of National Service, total assistance to Iraq thus far is I don’t want the same old plan, and I Guard members from their States in the wake roughly equivalent to total assistance, adjusted am not ashamed of saying so. That is of Hurricane Katrina. In Louisiana, about 100 for inflation, provided to Germany—and almost why I am here to open the doors to dis- of the National Guard’s high-water vehicles re- double that provided to Japan from 1946 to sent, tell the American people to come main abroad—even as the State continues to 1952. Yet on key metrics like oil production, marching into the United States Con- rebuild from Hurricane Katrina. Coastal North Iraq has failed to advance beyond pre-war lev- gress. Don’t let us talk for you. You Carolina is missing nearly half its Humvee els, and quality of life indicators remain dis- want redeployment. You want the fleet, and Guard officials there say shortages mal: troops out. You don’t believe the have forced the State to pool equipment from Oil production is below pre-war levels—2.6 Democrats believe in ‘‘cut and run.’’ different units into one pot of hurricane sup- million barrels per day in 2003 vs. 2.1 million You understand that the General, Lieu- plies. barrels per day in May 2006; tenant General, has said we are careful In addition, the equipment the Guard needs The majority of water sector projects and about this war. Come home. to help in the aftermath of natural disasters health care clinics planned in 2003 remain not Murtha plan, the Out of Iraq Caucus like Hurricane Katrina is in shorter supply be- completed, despite spending hundreds of mil- is proud of our patriotic stand. cause the gear is in use in combat zones, is lions of dollars; Thank you Mr. Chairman. I thank the battle-damaged, or has been loaned to cover One in three Iraqi children is malnourished gentlelady for yielding. I rise to speak on H.R. gaps in other units. and underweight, according to the United Na- 861, a resolution which declares that the (1) War in Iraq has diverted resources and tions Children’s Fund. ‘‘United States will prevail in the Global War attention from other fronts in the fight against Rather than a record of progress and on Terrorism.’’ I believe that it is the resolve global terrorist networks. achievement, the Bush administration’s record of all Members of this House and of all Ameri- The killing of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi last is one of corruption and waste: cans. But to prevail in the global war on ter- week was a major success for U.S. troops, but $8.8 billion given to Iraqi ministries by the rorism, we must remain focused on the global it is not likely to diminish Iraq’s insurgency. Coalition Provisional Authority, CPA, remains war on terrorism, and not allow ourselves to Iraqis make up 90 percent of Iraq’s insur- unaccounted for, according to the Congres- be diverted or distracted. gency, unlike foreign fighters like Zarqawi, and sional Research Service;

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4056 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Iraqi Defense Ministry officials spent $1 bil- a time of war, including the hearings orga- cause of inefficiencies in the Pentagon’s ad- lion on questionable arms purchases; nized by Democratic Senators like Senator ministrative systems. The Interior Ministry has at least 1,100 Harry Truman during World War II and Sen- Myth 6: Democrats who oppose the Bush ghost employees, costing $1.3 million a ator William Fulbright during Vietnam, even Iraq policy are ignoring and not listening to the month. though the White House was controlled by generals. In short, we have no strategy, no support Democrats. Facts: It is the Bush administration that has from allies or friends in the region, a nascent It is the patriotic duty of Members of Con- failed to listen to top U.S. generals before and civil war in the country we are supposed to be gress to hold the executive branch account- during the invasion by not sending enough helping, an overstretched military, a mis- able, especially during a time of war. Two troops to stabilize the country. It is Secretary directed counterterrorism effort, and a massive prominent Vietnam war veterans, Republican of Defense Rumsfeld who has constrained diversion of funds in support of a failed effort. CHUCK HAGEL and Democrat JOHN MURTHA, free expression in the military by firing or forc- (II) RESPONDING TO ADMINISTRATION MYTHS AND have recently argued that it is unpatriotic not ing out those who disagree. FANTASIES to raise questions in a time of war. America Nonetheless, even the current commanding The Bush administration and its rubber- suffers when Congress and the public are si- officers argue that the United States needs to stamp Republican allies in the House have po- lent. take realistic steps to reduce its military pres- liticized national security in the past. They Myth 4: Democrats reject the Bush adminis- ence to remove the fuel that fires the insur- have used national security as a wedge issue tration’s efforts to advance freedom. gency. For example, in October 2005, GEN to divide the country and push for policies that Facts: The Bush plan for Iraq is solidly John Abizaid, the commander of Central Com- have not made Americans safer. But today a grounded in a flawed view of combating ter- mand Forces, argued that the United States majority of Americans are now skeptical about rorism, arguing that promoting a narrow vision must reduce its ‘‘military footprint’’ in Iraq and the Bush administration’s Iraq policy. of democracy will crowd out and defeat terror- the region as a means to create more stability, Myth 1: Democrats want to quit while we ists. but President Bush has continued to stick with are ahead and the Iraqis are just getting start- The United States must and should support a ‘‘stay the course’’ message. ed. real democratic transitions around the world. Myth 7: Democrats who criticize the Bush Conservatives argue that Democrats who But the Bush administration’s naive approach Iraq policy are helping the terrorists and giving criticize and offer alternatives are snatching to democracy promotion—narrowly focused on them what they want. elections—has failed by giving terrorist organi- defeat from the jaws of victory, retreating just The Bush administration has argued that zations an opening to seize the reins of as the Iraqi Government needs the most help. questioning its plan emboldens America’s ter- Fact: The time has come for the United power, as seen by the Hamas victory in the rorist enemies, an unconstitutional argument States to give Iraqis the incentive to stand on Palestinian elections earlier this year. Terror- aimed solely at shutting off real debate at their own two feet and take control of their ists have been exploiting the Bush administra- home. Harkening back to 2002, when Bush of- own affairs. In a few short months, the U.S. tion’s flawed and narrow strategy focused on ficials warned that people should ‘‘watch what military involvement in Iraq will be longer than the most ostensible images of democracy, like they say,’’ President Bush and top officials in it took the United States to win World War II. purple fingers in elections. his administration have warned against ‘‘irre- The open-ended commitment of U.S. troops Despite impressive gains in Iraq’s political sponsible’’ debate to limit and control demo- fuels as much as it retards the insurgency and transition, the country remains in the very cratic political debate at home, even while the civil conflict in Iraq. Nearly 9 in 10 Iraqis ap- early and fragile stages of a long-term process Bush administration purports to advance de- prove a time line for U.S. withdrawal, and 70 of building a real democracy. Contrary to the mocracy abroad. percent of the Iraqi public supports the with- rhetoric put forth by the Bush administration, Facts: Bush policies at Guantanamo and drawal of U.S.-led forces by the end of 2007. Iraqis do not live in freedom, according to Abu Ghraib do more to undermine our place A growing number of Iraqis, including the new Freedom House, which measures trends in in the world than any words spoken by admin- prime minister, are saying that Americans political rights and civil liberties over the past istration critics. The Bush administration poli- must begin to leave. three decades. The rights of women and mi- cies that coerce rather than create cooperation U.S. troops have done their share. By get- norities are not protected; the rule of law is through dialogue and common purpose under- ting rid of Saddam Hussein, they have given honored more in the breach than the observ- mine how others view us. A new poll by the Iraqis an historic opportunity to take charge of ance; and political violence remains rampant. Pew Research Center finds that America’s their destiny. Despite much work left undone, the Bush ad- By fostering the birth of the constitution and ministration has cut funding for programs to image has slipped further, and global support the holding of elections, they have assisted in support freedom and democracy in Iraq this has declined for the U.S.-led war on terrorism. the building of a new democracy. They have year. Myth 8: Democrats prefer a world with Sad- trained more than a quarter of a million Iraqi Myth 5: Democrats who criticize the Bush dam Hussein still in charge of Iraq. security forces. It would be self-defeating for policy hurt the morale of the troops. Facts: Saddam Hussein was an evil dictator, the United States to want Iraq to succeed The Bush administration and its conserv- and it is a good thing that he is no longer in more than Iraqis do. ative allies have said that offering criticisms power. But that is not the key question today. Myth 2: Democrats offer only ‘‘cut and run’’ and concrete policy alternatives on Iraq hurts The key question is: Where is Iraq now, and and ‘‘retreat and defeat.’’ the morale of U.S. troops. where does it go from here? And the many Facts: Belittling opponents will not divert at- Facts: There is no evidence that debate at mistakes made by the Bush administration— tention from a failed policy. Staying the course home has any effect at all on the morale of including sending in too few troops to secure and offering a vague and open-ended commit- troops. But other factors directly impact the the country and invading without a clear and ment of U.S. troops gives Iraqis a blank check lives of U.S. troops and morale—including realistic plan for Iraq’s reconstruction—have and a veto of America’s national security. going to war without the equipment and armor, made the situation in Iraq much worse off than The future of Iraq cannot be more sacred to not having a realistic strategy for Iraq and not it should have been. Americans than to Iraqis. Responsible rede- taking care of the troops after they come Iraq has become a failing state and is suf- ployment offers Iraqis a chance to take re- home. fering from several major internal conflicts—in sponsibility for their political and security future Not equipping the troops. When asked by a large part the consequence of the Bush ad- after we have already aided in the creation of soldier in the field why U.S. troops did not ministration’s failure to plan for the post-war a new constitution, the staging of two elec- have the right armor for their vehicles, Sec- situation. And moving forward requires Iraqis, tions, and the training of a quarter of a million retary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, ‘‘As not Americans, to be in charge of the future. security forces. you know, you have to go to war with the Myth 9: Democrats just want to criticize and Myth 3: Democrats who raise questions and Army you have, not the Army you want.’’ Iraq politicize Iraq and do not have plans about oppose the Bush Iraq policy are unpatriotic. was a war of choice, and the Bush administra- what to do. Over the past 3 years, the Bush administra- tion had time to get ready. Facts: This is simply not true. A growing tion has questioned the patriotism of its critics. Not taking care of the troops when they number of leading Democrats and other pro- Facts: Our country’s democratic system re- come home. The Bush administration has not gressive leaders have offered sensible alter- quires the active involvement of Congress on developed policies to take care of the troops native visions about what the United States key policy questions—particularly at a time of when they return from battle. Health care has should do next to set the right course in Iraq. war. The United States has a strong tradition proven inadequate, and wounded veterans Nearly all progressive plans recognize that the of its Congress asking tough questions. During have been hounded by debt collectors be- United States must intensify its political and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4057 diplomatic efforts in Iraq and that the commit- that fought for our Nation during I call upon you to withdraw this ment of U.S. troops to Iraq should not be per- World War II. empty resolution, this meaningless, manent or open-ended. Mr. Speaker, there are over 9,300 pa- self-congratulatory, fraudulent scam CONCLUSION triots buried in Normandy today. and let us work together to examine Mr. Chairman, I close by quoting from the Those brave souls fought in a war our mistakes, fix them, and bring our Declaration of Independence and the motto of against the forces of evil then, just as troops home. Let Iraqis rebuild their the U.S. Army, which marks its 231st anniver- our soldiers in Iraq are fighting against own nation. sary today. It may seem odd to quote the two the forces of evil today. The President says we need to stay in together. But I do so because real patriots b 1645 Iraq until the mission is complete, but have courage—courage to face the truth and the President cannot explain to the the courage to speak truth even when it is un- What would have happened back then American people exactly what the mis- popular. The Declaration of Independence, if America had pulled out of the World sion is, let alone tell us when he ex- with its affirmation of the inalienable human War II before the mission was accom- pects to complete it. rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi- plished? What kind of world would we Let us take credit towards victory by ness gave patriots the courage to fight for a be living in today? sighting the completion of a demo- As many of my colleagues have done, cause that was just but at the time thought by cratic government in Iraq and killing I have personally visited Iraq. I have most to be unattainable. A motto of the U.S. the biggest terrorist there, claim these seen the progress, and I have seen the Army is ‘‘We will not falter, we will not fail.’’ as a victory, and keep our word by hon- The war in Iraq does not help us in the good job that our brave men and orably deploying our forces. Three and global war on terror. There are only two direc- women are doing for us and for the peo- a half years is hardly cutting and run- tions to take in Iraq: President Bush’s plan of ple of Iraq and Afghanistan. I was ning. staying the course and letting a future Presi- proud to sit down and share a meal We all share the same dream that the dent clean up the mess, or the Murtha plan to with many soldiers from South Caro- Iraqi people do. We want them to live change the direction of that course. I stand lina’s First District. And the question in peace in a secure and prosperous so- with Representative MURTHA in calling for the that many of our soldiers kept asking ciety where they are free to choose redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq to make me was ‘‘Why are none of the good sto- their government. But the presence of our country safer, our military stronger, and ries making it back to the folks back our troops and our occupation of Iraq the region more stable. I support the Murtha home?’’ has become such an obstacle to that fu- plan. It is the only plan for success in Iraq that Mr. Speaker, I think many of us ture that we can no longer ignore re- is worthy of the sacrifices made by our troops. today are trying to share some of the ality. How can we win a war against And I support a plan for greater coalition sup- good stories and recognize all of the terrorism when terrorism is a concept? port for Iraq as it moves to protecting itself as positive things that our soldiers in Iraq You must change the hearts and the a soverign nation. and Afghanistan are doing for us. minds to succeed. Our troops in Iraq have never faltered and The good news is that now women in So let us work together to bring our they have never failed. They were never de- Afghanistan are able to vote in demo- courageous troops home and put an end feated in battle. They won the war they were cratic elections for the first time in to this devastating war of choice. sent to fight. They completed their mission. their lives. The good news is that Iraqi Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I They performed magnificently. Well done. Well citizens are now able to protest and let yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the done. Well done. their opinions be heard in public. Transportation and Infrastructure Our troops have earned the right to return Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Committee, the gentleman from Alas- home and be reunited with their families and minutes to the gentlewoman from Cali- ka (Mr. YOUNG). loved ones. Now is not the time for us in Con- fornia (Ms. WATSON). (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was gress to falter or fail. Now is the time to em- Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rep- given permission to revise and extend brace a plan for our troops in Iraq that offers resent the Out of Iraq Caucus, and I his remarks.) a chance of success. We need a plan that will support the Murtha resolution. Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, work. There is only one such plan. It is the This war of choice so far has cost us it is rare that I would speak on this Murtha plan that allows for redeployment of the lives of close to 2,500 American men issue. I do support this resolution, but our troops as soon as practicable and allows and women, let alone tens of thousands more than that, I would like to remind for redeployment of troops at the perimeter of of Iraqi lives, and has cost us $320 bil- people why we are here. Iraq to be used in time of crisis. This is a plan lion and has weakened the United There are not many in this room, but that will work. States’ prestige and brought our inter- there are a few that remember 1939. I ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE ests and our values into question to a lived in that era and I listened to peo- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. degree not seen since the Berlin Wall ple speak about ‘‘Hitler’s really not a REHBERG). Members are reminded to divided Europe. bad guy. He’s just minding his own address their remarks to the Chair. It is our failure here in Congress to business. He’s taking care of his people. Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I perform our duty of oversight which We shouldn’t be involved.’’ Fifty-two yield 2 minutes to the distinguished has cost America most. From the be- million people later, we won World War gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. ginning of the march to war, the Presi- II. We should have knocked him in the BROWN). dent and his advisers blundered into head when we had a chance instead of Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. failure after failure. False claims about listening to Chamberlain, the Prime Speaker, I rise today in support of the African uranium and mobile anthrax Minister of Britain. We should have ag- resolution. In my capacity as chairman labs. Unlikely claims of Saddam’s gressively pursued him as we did Sad- of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee leaks to al Qaeda. Stubbornly ignoring dam Hussein. In my heart of hearts, I on Health, I was fortunate enough to the advice of the uniformed military believe that we would be, in fact, in a visit the American cemetery in Nor- about troop levels. Turning a blind eye nuclear war if we had allowed him to mandy, France that is located over- to the venal corruption that swallowed continue his trek. looking Omaha Beach. Our brave sol- $9 billion of Iraqi money, U.N. Oil-for- But this President stood up and he diers during World War II were in Food money, without a trace. Shame was a leader and he stopped it. Now we France not to fight the French, but to on us. have done that deed and we are in a fight the Nazis that had occupied Mr. Speaker, our Founding Fathers place where we should continue and France. in their wisdom gave us a mechanism, finish this job. Today our soldiers are not in Iraq a defense against tyranny called con- Someone said this is not a cut and and Afghanistan to fight the citizens of gressional oversight, and it is about run, that we have been there 31⁄2 years. those countries, but we are there to time we start doing our duty to the But I ask you to ask your military peo- fight the insurgents and the Taliban. American people by performing that ple, ask those people out at Walter In listening to the debate today, it re- oversight. While I welcome this debate, Reed, as I have. Most of them are proud minded me of my visit and reading it is a poor substitute for what we real- of their service and their duty. And I some of the names of the brave soldiers ly should have been doing. salute each one of them, him or her,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4058 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 and the commanding officers who ful- peace so that they can be redeployed, partisan politics and unite until ter- filled their duty. and I wholeheartedly support the Mur- rorism is truly and soundly defeated. If you believe in democracy and be- tha plan. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 lieve in peace, we must continue this American taxpayers, Members, de- minutes to the gentlewoman from trip that we started. We must finish it serve accountability for the $17 billion Ohio, Representative KAPTUR. and make sure that democracy reigns in no-bid contracts for Halliburton and Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank in the Middle East. If we do not do so, real measures to protect the homeland the gentlewoman from California for we would a do a great disservice to our and our port security. The Bush admin- yielding and for her leadership on a armed services and America as a whole. istration has failed to fulfill its respon- real strategy against terrorism. Remember, ‘‘He’s really not a bad guy. sibilities to our troops, veterans, and Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposi- He’s just minding his own business. It’s all Americans. This resolution fails tion to this resolution. It contains no his country.’’ Fifty-two million people them. plan, no solution, no way forward. I later, the war was ended. Our people, It is a sad day when this resolution is support the Murtha plan, which clearly their people. And I do not want to have the only thing that can be offered for aims to more strategically engage U.S. that happen again. our servicemen and women. Francisco forces to redeploy and be ready. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Martinez Flores did not die in vain. He Indeed, the invasion in Iraq has di- minutes to the gentlewoman from Cali- deserves the very best. The American verted our Nation from the war on ter- fornia, Representative SOLIS. people deserve a real debate. rorism and created a new terrorist Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Bring our troops home and no perma- training platform. Across the Middle in support of our troops and in opposi- nent bases in Iraq. East, Central Asia, Africa, and the Pa- tion to the President’s stay the course Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I cific, United States policy has engen- in Iraq. yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from dered more hatred, yielding a counter- The war in Iraq was under taken with Texas (Mr. BRADY). reaction of more radicalism and pro- too few troops, not enough of the right Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, test. equipment, and no plan for peace. on behalf of the families of East Texas, In Egypt, the most populous Arab na- Without a plan to secure the peace, especially those with loved ones serv- tion and a key ally in the Middle East 2,500 servicemen and women have been ing overseas, I strongly support this and Africa, recent parliamentary elec- killed, including 10 in my district: Pri- resolution. tions yielded a quantum leap in rep- vate First Class Jose Casanova, Jr., age Despite what the national media por- resentatives from the Muslim Brother- 23; Lance Corporal Manuel Ceniceros, tray, the inconvenient truth is this: hood, a radical anti-Western party. age 23; Lance Corporal Francisco Mar- Terrorists have been attacking Amer- This group now comprises 88 members tinez Flores, age 21; Lance Corporal ica freely for more than two decades. of their parliament, up nearly 25 per- Benjamin Gonzalez, age 23; Corporal We should have learned we cannot push cent from 17 in the 2000 election. Jorge Gonzalez, age 20; Sergeant America’s security forward by retreat- In the Palestinian Authority, the Atanacio Haromarin, age 27; Specialist ing from terrorism. We cannot peace process with Israel is dead. Rath- Leroy Harris-Kelly III, age 20; Corporal strengthen the world by weakening our er than parties moving toward peace Stephen Johnson, age 24; Corporal resolve, and we cannot support our with Israel, we witness another tragic Rudy Salas, age 20; Marine Corporal troops by belittling them at every breakdown as Fatah and Hamas mass Carlos Arellano, age 22. turn. in the streets and Israelis and Palestin- I have celebrated their sacrifices and It is clear to all but perhaps us that ians shoot and kill with abandon. mourned their passing with their fami- the terrorists’ strategy is not to defeat Mogadishu, Somalia has just fallen lies: with their parents, with their America in Iraq. They cannot do that. into the hands of Muslim extremists. spouses, and with their children. Their strategy is to defeat America in That failed state is another breeding Eighteen thousand four hundred and America. They are counting on the ground for terrorism. ninety servicemen and women have American public to lose its will and for In Afghanistan more loss of life has been injured during the war in Iraq, Washington politicians to undermine resulted this year than at any time 8,501 so badly they will be permanently the morale and support of our troops since the U.S.-led invasion and Presi- damaged from their injuries. I have overseas. dent Karzai remains a prisoner of cir- visited with many of them at the Wal- The truth is if America quits, if cumstance, unable to move freely with- ter Reed Hospital. America turns back now, no nation, no out heavily armed guards. And even with more veterans return- community will be safe from terrorism Mr. Speaker, we are not winning the ing from Iraq, President Bush refuses again. Terrorists will learn that they war on terrorism. The situation in Iraq to provide adequate funding for their can wait us out one public opinion poll teeters on all-out civil war between the health care. At a time when more than at a time. And the next time America Sunnis and the Shiias. 17 percent of the troops returning from is attacked, the next time innocent Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress people die and we vow justice, who will b 1700 disorder, this is the wrong course of ac- believe us then? Who will support us To win the war on terrorism, the tion. then? United States must use our military No one can question the commitment I stand with the President. We must assets wisely, not just robustly. We of our troops, especially our green card persist in Iraq and Afghanistan until must transfer policing to Iraqi forces soldiers like Lance Corporal Francisco these nations are no longer safe havens and remove ourselves as a source of Martinez Flores, who was granted post- for terrorism. We have ‘‘taken the hill’’ friction. humous citizenship but could not real- against the terrorists. Too many Amer- Secondly, we must decouple our- ize the beauty of our citizenship be- icans have sacrificed their lives for us selves from the repressive oil dictator- cause he was not granted that before to give it back now. Americans like ships that create regional antagonisms he died. Chief Warrant Officer Chuck there and become energy independent Since 9/11, 25,000 servicemembers Fortenberry of Woodville, Lance Cor- here at home. have become U.S. citizens. Despite the poral Shane Goodman of Orange, Staff And, thirdly, the Palestinian-Israeli commitment and sacrifices of thou- Sergeant Christopher Everett of Hunts- standoff must be elbowed to the peace sands of green card soldiers and their ville, Specialist Michael Weger of table, because it is a primary lightning families, many in this House are not Spring, and Specialist Hoby Bradfield rod for unrest across the region. willing to provide them with support of The Woodlands, among many. Our current presence in Iraq is coun- because they lack documentation. Our troops have proven they will not terproductive in the broader war on Mr. Speaker, amid the doubt and quit. The question is will we? Our terrorism. Meanwhile, diplomatic anger I have expressed about the war, I troops know what is at stake. The channels are totally frozen by this ad- have never ever questioned the com- question is do we? ministration. Unfortunately, this reso- mitment of our troops to this Nation. Let us not snatch defeat from the lution offers no plan. It offers no solu- They deserve a real plan to secure the jaws of victory. Let us put aside our tion. It offers no way forward.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4059 This Congress should support the Mr. DEFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, despite Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Middle Murtha plan for our military forces, re- the rhetoric on the other side of the East and Central Asia Subcommittee, I deploy and be ready. aisle, ground zero on the global war on have traveled to Iraq, having led a del- Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I terror is not, never was Iraq. It was Af- egation just this last January. And I would yield myself the remainder of ghanistan; 9/11, it was planned in Af- met with officials again and received a the time allocated to the Intelligence ghanistan by Osama bin Laden, al wealth of congressional testimony here Committee. Qaeda, with the complicit help of the in DC. All confirmed that the U.S.-led The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Taliban. liberation of the Iraqi people is having tleman has 21⁄2 minutes. In a near-unanimous vote on the a positive reverberation throughout Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I floor of this House, we voted to go in the broader Middle East. have listened to the first 5 hours of this there and root them out and end that Iraq is a catalyst for hope, a vivid ex- debate, trying to listen carefully to threat once and forever. But something ample that the future of the broader each speaker. And it seems to me that bad happened on the road to victory, Middle East belongs to freedom and de- some people try, as best they can, to and the eradication of the Taliban and mocracy. To fully comprehend just how isolate Iraq from the rest of the war on al Qaeda, and the capture, dead or far Iraq has come with the assistance terror. alive, dead or alive, of Osama bin of U.S. and coalition forces, we must Now, that may be politically conven- Laden. Remember that. consider the horror that was Iraq under ient for them to do, but it is not what We got mired in Iraq. And today the Saddam Hussein: chemical attacks re- the real world is like. As a matter of Taliban, al Qaeda, and Osama bin sulting in scores of innocent deaths; a fact, it was not long ago that we found Laden are still at large and they are re- gruesome campaign to exterminate a letter from Zawahari, Osama’s num- surgent. I just saw 800 Oregonians off Iraqi Kurds; the displacement of hun- ber two, to Zarqawi in Iraq talking to Afghanistan. We need more troops dreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees about tactics. there. We need to finish the job we who fled Saddam’s persecution; the Just as the Cold War had several bat- abandoned to go into Iraq. deaths of 400,000 Iraqi children in his tles across the globe, the war on ter- But 1,093 days ago, a complicit, com- regime’s final years killed by malnutri- rorism has several battlefields across pliant Republican-dominated Congress tion and disease due to the failed poli- the globe. And I believe that it is clear acceded to the Presidential demand to cies of his regime; the use of rape and from their own words, the terrorists divert our energy into an unnecessary the beheading of women as tools of co- see Iraq as the central front in our war war in Iraq. I was one of the 60 percent ercion and intimidation as part of their against them now and into the future. of the Democrats to vote ‘‘no.’’ regime opposition. Secondly, we seem to have a lot of Here we are, 2,497 troops have died, Mr. Speaker, now let us consider armchair strategists who want to rede- 18,490 seriously wounded. We all honor what has been accomplished thus far ploy this way or redeploy that way, be- those troops and do not question that. since we removed Saddam Hussein cause they say nothing is going right. I But we disagree, not on the noble serv- from power. The progress achieved ice of the troops, but the competence of would recommend they read the docu- serves to honor all of our men and the leadership of President Bush, Vice ment found this morning, or released women as this chart shows. They have President CHENEY, and Secretary this morning, that was found in fought, and some have fallen for the Rumsfeld in initiating an unnecessary Zarqawi’s house. fulfillment of our noble, our just, and war in Iraq and insisting on an open- It says that things are going pretty our necessary mission in Iraq. ended, indefinite commitment of U.S. well for us, and not so well for them. I Some of the highlights of progress, troops in the middle of a civil war. Mr. Speaker: Iraqis participated in think it is a little early to give up. The President has said, ‘‘Bringing Thirdly, there are a lot of people who elections three times since 2005, with U.S. troops home from Iraq will be de- want to debate the procedures or de- ever-increasing voter participation cided by future Presidents.’’ That each time. The Iraqi press is free and it bate Congress’s job or debate past deci- means after 2009. That is what George sions. And it is true, history will have is growing. Iraqi women are playing an Bush is talking about. That is not ac- increasingly pivotal role in their soci- to pass judgment on decisions that the ceptable. ety. military commanders and the Presi- At its core, this resolution says stay A market-based economy is being es- dent and the Congress have made in the course indefinitely. We should be tablished as Iraq emerges from three the past. They will do so when the air debating a real policy on Iraq, not a decades of Saddam’s neglect. Over of partisanship has faded. nonbinding politically motivated reso- 260,000 Iraqi police and security forces But the truth is, however you feel lution. We should be debating the Mur- have been trained and have been about where we are, we are where we tha resolution, a real plan. equipped. Iraq now has a democrat- are. And the question is, do we leave a As a member of the Out of Iraq Cau- ically elected government for the first job half done? Do we leave early, and cus, I resent the fact that we have here time in its history that includes all leave those Iraqis who are willing to a meaningless, nonbinding Karl Rove- ethnic groups. put their lives on the line by being part politically inspired resolution on the We should therefore focus on what we of the government or part of the police floor, not amendable, no substitutes al- need to do to help ensure a free and se- force or part of the military, do we lowed; and they call that a debate on cure Iraq and not on how soon we can abandon them when they are trying to the policy in Iraq. leave it, ignoring that it is in our na- build a country? I think that would be They say they are honoring the tional security interest to succeed a mistake. troops. That is a dishonor to the people there. In fact, I think to retreat at this of America and those who serve us. The jihadists are determined and point, whether you call it a strategic And they talk about cut and run. We they have declared Iraq to be the cen- retreat, a strategic redeployment, or have won. Saddam Hussein, he is on tral front of their campaign of terror. whatever word you want to use to back trial. They have a Constitution. They Are we to waver in front of these chal- up now, will only embolden the terror- have a government. They have suc- lenges? Absolutely not. Terrorist mas- ists. We have seen time after time, ceeded. We have succeeded. termind al Zarqawi, now dead, ac- when they sense political vacillation, But they have a sectarian problem. knowledged in a February 2004 letter to they strike. They struck in Istanbul in They have been fighting for 1,400 years. al Qaeda the threat that success in Iraq 2003, in Madrid in 2004, in London in And they are going to continue fight- posed to the extremist effort. 2005. ing. We need to negotiate a timetable He said, Our enemy is growing Where they sense weakness, it is like with their legitimate government to stronger by the day, by God, this is suf- an animal. Where they sense fear, they get the U.S. troops redeployed, out of focation. One of Osama bin Laden’s attack. We have got to do better and Iraq, to other hot spots and bring the closest associates wrote about Iraq a make sure we win this war. remainder home. couple of years ago. And he said, a far Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I more dangerous threat is secularist de- minutes to the gentleman from Oregon yield myself such time as I may con- mocracy, because it drives Muslims to (Mr. DEFAZIO). sume. refuse to take part in jihad.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4060 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. Speaker, this clearly dem- that could kill tens of thousands of part of their society, a democratic so- onstrates that our efforts in Iraq are Americans. ciety. But we also heard about what serving long-term efforts of spreading But the Bush administration and this life was like before the coalition came. democracy as an antidote to Islamic Congress will not vote the funds to We heard about the treatment of terrorism and extremism. fight the real war against terrorism. women under Saddam Hussein and dur- Mr. Speaker, it reminds me of Presi- And every reason we were given for in- ing torture, oppression, that most of us dent Ronald Reagan’s words in his first vading Iraq has been shown to be false. could not imagine. inaugural address when he said, Weapons of mass destruction. Not We were told of the heart wrenching ‘‘Above all we must realize that no ar- there. Saddam Hussein working hand stories of husbands torn from their senal or no weapon in the arsenal of in glove with al Qaeda. Not true. And homes in the middle of the night by the world is so formidable as the will the more information that leaks out, brutal, secret police, and the women and the moral courage of free men and the more apparent it becomes that left behind, usually with children, women.’’ these were not mistakes, but deliberate faced with the impossible burden of Every day the Iraqi people are prov- lies. providing for their families in a society ing how true that statement is. We too But does this Congress get to the bot- that doesn’t even allow women to must demonstrate the will to press tom of this? Not this Republican Con- work. Some were raped, some were tor- ahead. Leaders from the Arab world gress. This Republican Congress sees tured, but that was before liberation. have confided their views on how im- no evil, hears no evil, and speaks no The road to liberation has been a portant it is for their own efforts to evil when it comes to a war that has al- rocky one. But our troops are doing have the U.S. in Iraq. However, the ready killed 2,500 of our young men and good work every day in Iraq. We saw best evidence that we are on the right women and promises to kill thousands soldiers building schools and hospitals, path comes from those closest to me, more. vaccinating hundreds of children. They including my stepson, Dougie, and his This Republican Congress asks no coach soccer. They tutor. They make a fiance, Lindsay, both marine officers, questions about what we can possibly difference. They risk their lives every both who have served as fighter pilots achieve that can justify the continuing day to protect the newly acquired in Iraq. slaughter. rights of Iraqis, but especially the And I hear it from one of my sub- b 1715 women. If I were asked to give one good rea- committee staffers, Matt Zweig, who is I ask you, if the President had gone son why we should stay in Iraq, I would currently deployed in Iraq. Their un- to the American people and said, we tell you to stay. We need to stay for wavering belief that success in Iraq must invade a country that poses no the women. will make us safer at home confirms imminent threat to us, we must sac- that our strategy is correct and that Well, I saw women of diverse eth- rifice thousands of lives in order to cre- nicity, religion, socioeconomic classes. our goals are sound. ate a democratic government in Iraq, They remind me that we must heed They were empowering each other with would we have agreed? I think not. education, with hope, with friendship, the advice issued by Winston Churchill As the President now says to us that just like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and when he said, ‘‘One ought never to turn we should continue indefinitely to ex- Susan B. Anthony. Another courageous one’s back on a threatened danger and pend American blood and treasure to woman I met, Nasreen Barwari, the try to run away from it. If you do that, support one side in a sectarian civil Minister of Public Works, was later the you will double the danger. But if you war, a side, moreover, that is increas- target of an assassination attempt. Her meet it promptly and without flinch- ingly cozying up to the mullahs in Iran crime, being an outspoken woman in a ing, you will reduce the danger by who do pose a threat to us, should Con- important position. Thankfully she half.’’ gress continue to consent? I think not. survived, but her bodyguard was killed. Mr. Speaker, we must not, we will This Congress should agree with the Her female colleague, Dr. Al-Hashimi not flinch in Iraq. Out of Iraq Caucus. We should say of the Iraqi Governing Counsel, was not Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of enough already. Enough with the lies so lucky. She was tragically gunned my time. and the deceit and the evasions. Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 down. Enough with the useless bloodshed. We Ladies and gentlemen, if we stay in minutes to the gentleman from New should ensure the Iraqi people that we York (Mr. NADLER). Iraq, one of the major reasons is to desire no U.S. military bases in Iraq. stay for the women. Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in This Congress should adopt the Mur- Just over two years ago, I was privileged to opposition to this resolution because tha resolution. We should adopt a swift lead a bipartisan, all-female congressional del- we should not be echoing the lies we timetable to redeploy our troops out of have been fed to justify this cruel and egation to Iraq. Iraq and bring them home and let the It was one of the most emotionally over- deceitful war. We should not continue Iraqi oligarchs know they cannot de- pretending that by fighting the war in whelming experiences of my official life. We pend on the United States forever. met women of enormous courage and hope. Iraq we are advancing the war on ter- It is our crucial moment in American They told us they want to vote, to work, to be rorism. history to concentrate our resources on Our intelligence tells us that only 7 a part of the democratic process. the real threats that face us around the Some said they wanted to run for office and to 8 percent of those we are fighting in world and at home and put an end to Iraq are Islamic terrorists. The other help create the laws that will build a new Iraq. this bloody, senseless and diversionary But we also heard about life before the coa- 92 to 93 percent are fighting a war for war. power between contending religious lition came. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I We heard about the treatment of women groups. am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the There is no compelling reason to send under the Saddam regime—enduring torture gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. PRYCE). and oppression that most of us could not our young people to die to determine Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. I thank the gen- how to divide the spoils between the imagine. tlewoman for yielding. The gentle- We were told heart-wrenching stories of Sunnis and the Shiites. We should be woman has been a leader for freedom husbands torn from their homes in the middle redeploying our resources to fight the all around the globe, and this country of the night by a brutal secret police. real war on terrorism, going after should appreciate her for that. The women left behind, usually with chil- Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, fight- Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege to dren, faced the impossible burden of providing ing jihadist ideas all over the Muslim lead a bipartisan all-female Congres- for their families in a society that didn’t allow world, getting the loose nuclear mate- sional delegation to Iraq. It was one of women to work or remarry. rial out of the former Soviet Union be- the most emotionally overwhelming Some were themselves raped and tortured. fore it is smuggled to al Qaeda to make experiences of my professional life. We But that was before liberation. nuclear weapons, screening all of the met women of enormous courage and The road since liberation has been a rocky shipping containers before they enter hope. one. our ports, and protecting our chemical They told us that they want to work, But our troops are doing good work every and nuclear plants against sabotage they want to vote. They want to be a day in Iraq.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4061 We saw the soldiers building schools and Still, changing 2,000 years of tradition isn’t before us. I want to convey a very sim- hospitals, vaccinating thousands of children, going to happen with stroke of a pen. It will ple message. We must stay the course. and putting an archaic infrastructure back in take time and patience. At this crucial point in our history, it operation. This is not the time for us to abandon these is unacceptable to enact a policy of They coach soccer, they tutor—they make a courageous women—not when they have passivity, resignation or defeatism in difference! And they are risking their lives to come so far. the face of terror. protect the newly acquired rights of all Iraqis— Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 Some say that we should surrender but especially women. minutes to the gentlewoman from Cali- and pull out. They may think that this If I were asked to give you one good reason fornia (Mrs. CAPPS). will win them votes and that it is good why we should stay in Iraq, I would tell you we Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague, politics, but it is terrible policy, dev- should stay for the women. whose resolution I support, for yielding astating policy. It is essential that we If we can make the values of a free soci- me time. continue to fight in Iraq so that the ety—the rule of law—work for the women of Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposi- fight does not come into our back- Iraq, we create the conditions for these new tion to the resolution before us. Let us yards. democratic values to take root and spread. be clear from the outset that those who Make no mistake, we do not choose While there I saw women of diverse have opposed the Iraq war stand solidly Iraq as a front line on the war on ter- ethnicities, religions, and socio-economic and proudly in support of our troops ror. Al Qaeda has done that. But we classes empowering one another with edu- and their families. To suggest that must have that fight over there so we cation, hope and friendship—much like Eliza- calling for the return home of our don’t have it back here. beth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. brave troops somehow denigrates their Like many of my colleagues, I have In Mosul, we met with the Women’s Social service and their sacrifice is absurd. visited Iraq and seen firsthand the revi- and Cultural Society. They had been meeting We can best support our troops by talization of country. The men and secretly, but now felt safe enough to be public bringing them home. women our Armed Forces are fighting and actually welcome our delegation. Mr. Speaker, the terrible numbers we terrorists who are trying to claim Iraq These women, accompanied by their wide- have bandied about here are not mere for their own. Without their valor and eyed daughters, are creating a new Iraq as statistics. Each one represents the dedication, the progress made in Iraq they promote social, political and educational tragic story of a ruined life and a shat- would not be possible. It takes time, equality for all Iraqis. But they’re not alone. tered family, 2,500 troops dead, more will, patience and perseverance to tran- One of my favorite stories of the trip was of than 18,000 wounded, many so griev- sition a country once ruled by a tyran- two Iraqi women who arrived one day at a ously. The average tour for National nical despot. fountain in the town center of Hillah dressed in Guard members has been 342 days, Terrorists who seek to eliminate traditional Muslim women’s clothes but with a turning the lives of countless American anyone who provides hope for the fu- decidedly non-traditional mission. families upside down. ture have infested Iraq, but they will A courageous woman I met, Nasreen The material cost of the Iraq war is not succeed. The Iraqi people are com- Barwari, the Minister of Public Works later was about $320 billion. But you can never mitted to freeing their country from the target of an assassination attempt. put a price on its toll in human suf- these fanatical invaders, and we are Her crime? Being an outspoken woman in fering, nor can you realistically argue, too. The Iraqi people’s future is in an important public position. Thankfully, she Mr. Speaker, that the war in Iraq has their hands, and right now they want survived, though her bodyguard was killed. made our country safer or advanced U.S. help. Her female colleague, Dr. Al-Hashimi, of the our effort to combat global terror. Just this week, Iraqi army and police Iraqi Governing Council, was not so lucky. Those that come to the floor and link She was tragically gunned down outside her forces backed by U.S. troops launched Iraq to 9/11 are certainly wrong. They home. Operation Forward together. This oper- The dangers Iraqi women face can’t be un- are factually wrong, because there re- ation was created by Iraqi Prime Min- derestimated nor can the obstacles put in their mains no evidence that Saddam was in- ister al-Maliki and his parliament, and path to liberation. But these women remain volved in the al Qaeda attacks on our it is their first major security action undaunted! Nation, and they are morally wrong to since a new government of national We also visited the police academy in Bagh- invoke the memories of the victims of unity was sworn in on May 20. dad where 29 women were training to be the September 11th to justify this indefen- Mr. Speaker, the resolve of the first female police officers ever in Iraq. sible war of choice. United States should never be ques- These wonderful women told us how excited I am pleased that al Zarqawi is dead, tioned. The world must know that the they were to be learning skills to hold their first but his death does not change the fact United States finishes what it starts. job. Many had barely been out of the home that Iraq has become a haven for ter- We will win the fight against global setting before. Their exuberance was infec- rorists and the best recruitment tool terrorism, including in Iraq. tious. we could have handed our enemy. No, Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I recog- We also went to a residential area in Mosul Mr. Speaker, those who oppose this war nize the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. to talk with a group of neighborhood women— are not soft on security. We believe PASTOR) for a unanimous consent re- some educated, but many not. We met in the strongly and passionately that keeping quest. crowded living room of one of the members. the troops in the middle of this in- Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask All the rooms were packed. The electricity was creasingly bloody civil war only weak- unanimous consent to revise and ex- only on for half of our afternoon together. But ens our security. tend my remarks and submit a state- that was more than they had had in years. It is a disgrace it has taken so long ment for the RECORD in opposition to The curiosity of the men on the street outside for Congress to spend a few hours of the resolution. was so thick you could cut it with a knife. this day debating the Iraq war, but the The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. The women’s group had many questions for American people will not be fooled. REHBERG). Is there objection to the re- us. They recognize that a debate on a cyn- quest of the gentleman from Arizona? ‘‘How do we find our voice?’’ they asked. ical and politically motivated resolu- There was no objection. ‘‘How do we organize other women to make tion is no substitute for a thoughtful Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to an impact? How can we affect the direction of Iraq policy that advances our national stand in opposition to this resolution. As illus- this country?’’ interests and listens to the voices. Let trated by the House Majority Leader’s memo They were asking the most fundamental and us vote ‘‘no’’ on this resolution. establishing this debate as ‘‘a portrait of con- basic questions of civic involvement—how to Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I trasts between Republicans and Democrats,’’ construct the foundation of the democratic am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the the primary intent of this resolution is polit- process. As we left, their children came for- gentleman from Michigan (Mr. ical—shifting attention from the real issues be- ward with flowers for us. KNOLLENBERG), the chairman of the hind the slow progress in Iraq. In this election I think it’s fair to say that U.S. soldiers have Subcommittee on Treasury, Transpor- year, just 4 months shy from the polls, Repub- liberated more women in the last 4 years than tation and HUD Appropriations. licans are using this resolution as a divisive anyone or anything else in the last 20—maybe Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I strategy rather than holding a substantive de- longer. rise today in support of the resolution bate on Iraq.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4062 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Today’s debate, which should have been an lies about the war to begin at college was wrong because of people like Ron- opportunity for Members of Congress to have campuses, at churches, at labor halls, ald Reagan. We must be resolute. I rise a serious discussion on the war and to pose at libraries. It is time to gather in in support of the resolution. tough questions to the Administration on Iraq, civic centers, in town halls, to discuss Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. has regrettably become nothing more than a the truth about this war and to plan Res. 861 and to show my support for our partisan ploy. While I do not hesitate to ap- civic action to end it, time for the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who plaud certain aspects of the resolution hon- American people to exercise their first are on the front lines in the global war on ter- oring the sacrifices of our courageous soldiers amendment right to stand up and rorism. I commend our forces for the recent who are risking their lives in Iraq, I cannot be speak out, time to redirect the policies actions in targeting Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the supportive of capitalizing on these very sac- of this country, time to learn and prac- insurgent leader killed in an airstrike June 7. rifices for political gain. tice peaceful, nonviolent conflict reso- I also commend President Bush for his visit I also disagree with the dangerous analogy lution, time to believe in our capacity earlier this week to Iraq to meet with Prime made in this resolution between Iraq and the to evolve beyond war, to believe and Minister Nouri al-Maliki and encourage the Administration’s ‘‘war on terror’’ policy. There act under the belief that war is not in- work of the new Iraqi government. is not, and never has been, any credible intel- evitable and peace is inevitable if we I share the deep concerns about the con- ligence linking Iraq to 9/11 and Al Qaeda. Fo- are ready to commit to the daily work tinuing violence in post-war Iraq, which is tak- cusing the discussion on the war on terror and of peace building everywhere. ing the lives of U.S. military personnel and ci- victories won, rather than on workable policies The global war on terror has become vilians. I continue to pray for the protection of to bring our troops home, reduces this debate a global war of error: attacking or the men and women who are putting their to no more than a justification for maintaining threatening countries which did not at- lives on the line every day to help the Iraqi the Administration’s status quo agenda in Iraq. tack us, bombing neighborhoods to people as they build their own government, Seizing the political momentum after the kill- save neighborhoods, committing atroc- and also for their families here at home who ing of Zarqawi, Republicans are offering a res- ities in the name of stopping atrocities, continue to make tremendous sacrifices. olution which does little more than tout recent losing our vision, losing our way in the I recognize there were good and reasonable ‘‘impressive victories’’ in Iraq. While the death world, sacrificing our children and people on both sides of the decision to send of Zarqawi is reassuring, we must be careful their future, giving up their future re- U.S. armed forces to Iraq. But whether or not not to pat ourselves on the back prematurely sources for education, for health care, you agreed with that decision, we are there for another ‘‘Mission Accomplished.’’ Terrorist for housing, piling it all high on the now and cannot just walk away. Too much is cells are still numerous and active, violence is altar of war and worshipping a false at stake. The success of our efforts in Iraq still prevalent, and our brave men and women god of destruction. and the success of the Iraqi people in estab- still continue to fight. When we begin these proceedings lishing their own government are critical to the Although I voted against the initial resolution with this remembrance, Thine is the overall war against terror and to the security of approving the war in Iraq, I have consistently kingdom and the power and the glory, our country and the world. voted to support our troops with much-needed we are not talking about any nation. Our efforts in Iraq, many believe, are an im- armor and supplies. However, this should not We are talking about a force which is portant campaign in the global war on ter- be construed as favoring continued occupa- above all of us. The world is not ours to rorism. Our world is a dangerous place, and tion. Today the Pentagon’s report confirming conquer. There is no glory in the abuse as we learned on September 11, 2001, ter- the overall U.S. death toll at nearly 2,500, un- of power. This President will not bring rorism is not something in a far away land. We derscores the grave and violent situation that an end to this war after the Murtha did not seek this war. We were attacked on our troops face every day. I believe it is our resolution, this Congress may not our own soil, and this war is a different kind responsibility as Members of Congress to de- bring an end to this war, but the Amer- than any our Nation has ever fought. But it is vise a responsible exit strategy. We must en- ican people certainly will bring an end one we are fighting to make our own nation sure that we do not lose sight of our real end to this war. They will do it in the and the world more secure. It is critical that goal in this debate: to bring our troops back streets, and they will do it at the bal- we remain resolute in this fight. home as quickly as possible. lot box, and the American people will I believe a case can be made that the war Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 become the Out of Iraq Caucus. on terrorism really began more than 20 years minutes to the gentleman from Ohio Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ago with the attacks against America at the (Mr. KUCINICH). am pleased to yield 11⁄2 minutes to the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. The bomb- Mr. KUCINICH. Thank you, Mr. MUR- gentleman from Virginia (Mr. WOLF), ing there in the spring of 1983 killed 63 and THA, and the Out of Iraq Caucus. the chairman of the subcommittee on wounded 120. Later that year, 241 U.S. serv- The President will not bring an end State, Justice and Commerce appro- icemen—220 Marines, 18 Navy members and to this war. He says it is a decision for priations. three Army members—were killed when a the next President. But he is building (Mr. WOLF asked and was given per- truck bomb exploded at their barracks in Bei- permanent bases in Iraq, and he is de- mission to revise and extend his re- rut. Those attacks were followed in 1993 by termined to keep 50,000 troops in Iraq marks.) the first World Trade Center bombing in New into the distant future. Mr. WOLF. The war on terror and York City, in 1996 by the Khobar Towers This Congress may not bring an end this whole thing began really in 1980 bombing in Saudi Arabia, in 1998 by the U.S. to this war because the real power to when our embassy was taken over in embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, end the war is in a cutoff of funds. Con- Iran and the bombing of the Marine and in 2000 in the attack in Yemen on the gress keeps appropriating funds in the barracks in 1983, Lebanon, embassy in USS Cole. name of the troops, and the troops will 1983, USS Cole, Khobar Towers, After the attacks on the two embassies in stay in Iraq instead of coming home. Nairobi, Tanzania. Africa in 1998, I became very concerned Only the American people can bring an I have so much that I want to say. I about the U.S. response to terrorism and au- end to this war as they brought an end will just say this. If we were to set a thored the legislation creating the National to the Vietnam War. Let this be a time date, the Mujahedin would say we de- Commission on Terrorism. On the cover of of stirring of civic soul. feated the Russians in Afghanistan, we that report is a photo of the twin towers in It is a time for a reawakening of civic defeated America in Iraq and the jihad New York on fire after the 1993 attack. The conscience. There were no weapons of would take place all over this world. foreboding nature of that photo is now all too mass destruction in Iraq, but there are This would be a very, very dangerous real as we relive the destruction of the World WMDs in D.C. Lies are weapons of mass thing to say. Trade Center on September 11, 2001. destruction. 2,500 soldiers dead. Over So I rise in strong, strong support of Late last summer I returned to Iraq for a 10,000 Iraqis, innocent Iraqis have died. this resolution and say we can and will third time. I have now visited all but the Kurd- It is time for an end to our national win this war. I remember when I read ish areas in northern Iraq. With each succes- sleepwalk to the graveyard of the Iraq the book by Whittaker Chambers. He sive trip, I have seen improvements—ren- war. was a witness. He said when I left the ovated schools, cleaner water systems, new It is a time for truth, a time for clar- Communist Party, I believed I was Iraqi army constituted. I also have seen the ity, a time for action, a time for teach- leaving the winning side and joining continuing and serious security problems and ins, for meet-ups, for marches, for ral- the losing side. Whittaker Chambers other challenges facing a liberated Iraq, and I

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4063 have heard caution from varied sources about With civil war, almost everyone I asked said Failure cannot be an option in Iraq nor can the potentially cataclysmic consequences of that Iraq would become a haven from which creating an arbitrary deadline for pulling out America withdrawing before our mission is terrorist groups could launch attacks against U.S. troops. The ramifications on our country complete. I had the opportunity to speak with the United States and other countries. No one and other countries in the West would be our troops who are performing their duties with has to be reminded of what happened on 9/ huge. Our withdrawal must be event driven professionalism and dedication. They are posi- 11. Thirty people from my congressional dis- and not artificially tied to a calendar. Many I tive about their mission and are doing an out- trict died that day among the 3,000 who per- talked to said we must set conditions for vic- standing job in fulfilling it. ished. tory, not dates for withdrawal. One interesting comment I heard on that trip Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups would The Bush administration needs to do a bet- is that we can’t expect to rebuild Iraq on our like nothing more than to have a new ‘‘base’’ ter job articulating just what is at stake and the timetable, but rather it must be on Iraq’s time- from which to operate, much like Afghanistan potentially catastrophic consequences. No one table. Life—and timetables—in Iraq are not the in the 1990s after the Soviets were defeated. believes we will lose the war on the ground in same as in the United States. This is a very There is no denying that the terrorists have Iraq; it’s here at home that there is a concern. key point, and one the Bush administration designs on the United States and, as one offi- I had one general officer say point blank that needs to do a better job of explaining. cer told me, ‘‘We must win the war so we the ‘‘center of gravity’’ for our success in Iraq It also is important to remember that the don’t fight the next war in America.’’ is the American public. United States had its share of growing pains. Terrorists are doing everything in their While our revolution was in 1776 it was 11 power to prevent the United States and its co- That said, I strongly believe that it would be years before our forefathers began to draft a alition partners from being successful in Iraq. of great value to have an independent review constitution and it wasn’t ratified until 1789. They believe time is on their side and that of ongoing operations in Iraq. I call this effort Few remember that our constitution was de- they can ‘‘wait out’’ the United States. They ‘‘fresh eyes on the target’’ and offered this bated in complete secrecy. Delegates knew will do anything—including blowing themselves suggestion following my latest trip to Iraq. On that they would generate heated differences up in busy marketplaces—to disrupt our March 15, I was pleased to attend the an- and did not want to advertise their own dis- progress and turn the Iraqi people against us. nouncement of the formation of the 10-mem- sensions or put crippling arguments into the They believe that the war being fought in Iraq ber bipartisan Iraq Study Group, being led by mouths of the opposition. We also had leaders is not a ‘‘military’’ war but rather a ‘‘political’’ former Secretary of State James Baker and like George Washington, Ben Franklin, George war and American public opinion will dictate former Congressman Lee Hamilton, who co- Mason and James Madison who had the ben- when the United States leaves, not military chaired the 9/11 Commission. The members, efit of understanding British history in addition success. as are their co-leaders, are among America’s to being exposed to the workings of the House There is a general belief among terrorism most honorable and venerable citizens: former of Commons. Democracy and an elected gov- experts that the top priority of terrorists is to CIA Director Robert Gates, former U.S. Attor- ernment is truly a foreign concept to the Iraqi seek chemical, biological, radiological or nu- ney General Ed Meese, former Clinton adviser people. clear weapons. The video of two commercial Vernon Jordan, former Clinton Chief of Staff The Bush administration also needs to do a airliners being flown into the World Trade Cen- Leon Panetta, former Defense Secretary Wil- better job of explaining what the con- ter is ingrained in every American’s mind. I liam Perry, former Virginia Senator Chuck sequences of ‘‘failing’’ in Iraq would mean to shudder to think what terrorists would do if Robb, former Wyoming Senator Alan Simp- the average person in Chantilly, VA, Topeka, they obtained a biological or chemical weap- son, and former Supreme Court Justice San- KS, or Portland, OR. I repeatedly asked peo- on. dra Day O’Connor. ple I met during the trip—from generals, to Many I spoke with also said failure in Iraq The study group was launched in partner- State Department officials, to members of the could destabilize the entire Gulf region and ship with the United States Institute of Peace, Iraqi government—what they thought ‘‘failure’’ possibly lead to the downfall of the govern- the Center for Strategic and International would mean. The responses were frightening. ments of Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Studies, the Center for the Study of the Presi- I heard references to Somalia—think of the Failure also could have serious impact on dency, and the Baker Institute for Public Policy movie ‘‘Black Hawk Down’’—and the former the world’s economy. Japan gets more than at Rice University. Its mission is to undertake Yugoslavia with all its ethnic cleansing. The 75 percent of its oil from the region, Western a bipartisan, forward-looking assessment of images that flashed in my mind when I heard Europe, 30 percent, and the United States, 22 the current and prospective situation on the these countries were disturbing. I was in So- percent. We saw what happened in the wake ground in Iraq, its impact on the surrounding malia during the crisis in 1993. I traveled to of Hurricane Katrina as consumers feared gas region, and its consequences on U.S. interests Sarajevo and the Yugoslavia region several shortages. Failure in Iraq would make oil costs and it will focus on political, military, security times in the early to mid-1990s where so even higher and have a major negative impact and reconstruction in Iraq. The group will trav- many were killed. In fact, all the people I met throughout our entire economy. el to Iraq and report to the American people. with in Vukovar, Croatia, in 1991 were killed Others said they believe the United States I understand they will meet with President several months later and are now buried in has a moral obligation to the people of Iraq to Bush this week. mass graves. successfully complete what it started. They It will assess what is working and what Many speculated that civil war would break asked how the American public would feel if changes should be made in helping the Iraqi out in Iraq and even more foreign fighters from civil war were to break out and thousands across the region would pour into Iraq in people to establish their own government and upon thousands of innocent Iraqis were stop the terrorist insurgency which is con- hopes of influencing the outcome. I was told slaughtered in the subsequent fighting? almost all of the insurgents carrying out the tinuing to foment the violence of the Saddam Finally, many believe the United States’s Hussein regime. One of the most critical jobs suicide attacks are foreigners, most coming credibility is at stake. In a piece in the Wash- across the Syrian border from places like of this panel is to determine the ramifications ington Post’s Outlook section last September, of failure to accomplish our country’s mission Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan and Af- Victor Davis Hanson, a military historian at ghanistan. I was told militias continue to fight in Iraq and to explain that to the American Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and people. each other on a regular basis in some parts of the author of ‘‘A War Like No Other,’’ wrote: the country. In the 1930s, the world failed to stand up to . . . If we fled precipitously, moderates in fascism. When we—with our allies—did stand If our mission fails and civil war comes, the the Middle East could never again believe country would almost certainly break into three American assurances of support for reform up and fight, we defeated fascism. It also took parts: the Kurds in the north, the Sunnis in and would have to retreat into the shadows— some time for the world to stand up to com- central Iraq, and the Shias in the south. It is or find themselves at the mercy of fascist munism. But when we did, we defeated com- believed the Kurds would most likely be able killers. Jihadists would swell their ranks as munism. Now we face al Qaeda and its leader to keep from being drawn into the fighting and they hyped their defeat of the American Osama bin Laden, who in his own words has govern themselves. In the central region of the infidels. Our forward strategy of hitting ter- said he will use chemical, biological, radio- Sunni Triangle, warring factions would fight for rorists hard abroad would be discredited and logical and nuclear weapons against us. We control and most agree that there would be replaced by a return to the pre–9/11 tactics of must continue the determined effort now that a few cruise missiles and writs. And loyal al- sheer chaos. Iran’s presence was felt in the lies in Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, we have had in the wars over the years as we south as it tried to influence the recent elec- Australia and Japan, along with new friends fight terrorism. Standing together, I believe we tions and if civil war were to break out, ele- in India and the former Soviet republics, can defeat this threat to the freedoms and lib- ments in Iran may well involve themselves in would find themselves leaderless in the glob- erties and way of life we have fought to main- the south. al struggle against Islamic radicalism. tain for well over two centuries.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4064 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, there are our terms, stating clearly that now that a Con- minutes to the gentleman from New few certitudes in these complicated stitution has been adopted, elections held, and York (Mr. HINCHEY). times. Anyone who was not conflicted a government formed, we are prepared to pro- Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, this res- in the original decision to invade Iraq ceed with a comprehensive and orderly draw- olution before us, House Resolution or who does not see a downside to all down of our troops, we will be viewed as an 861, is an unfortunate farce. It is part courses of action today is not thinking. occupying power lacking credible motivations. of an extension of the political propa- But I am hard pressed to believe any- When we eventually leave, the other side will ganda, which has come from the Re- thing except that the case for a steady, claim they forced us out. That is why it is as publican Party in defense of their so- measured drawdown of troops in Iraq is critical to define the rationale for our dis- called war on terror. It is not the first compelling. The neocon desire to estab- engagement as the reason for going to war. example. We have had many others. lish a semi-permanent presence in a di- And democracy is the only rationale I know Some of the highest-ranking mem- vided Muslim country is foolhardy. that can be used as a basis for ending our in- bers of this administration have pur- It is true that there are cir- volvement in this conflict with any hope of posefully and intentionally misled this cumstances where it is better to fight suggesting a partial measure of success. The Congress and the American people by over there than here at home. Afghani- key is that we must control and be seen as providing them with wrong informa- stan is a case in point. But we should controlling our own fate. tion. We saw it right here in the House not be so naive as to fail to recognize All Americans should be respectful of the of Representatives when the President that there are also circumstances sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. himself talked about how the British where fighting over there can increase They have been placed in an untenable situa- had learned that Iraq was importing the likelihood that conflict will spread tion. If they had not been so heroic and in enriched uranium from Niger. He was told before he delivered that to our shores. A decision to prolong un- many cases so helpful in rebuilding neighbor- speech that there was no evidence that necessarily our intervention in Iraq hoods and schools, the U.S. would face a far that was true. Yet he came here and could be a case in point, as could a more difficult dilemma today. said it and put the responsibility on military confrontation with Iran. But we have no choice except to assess Great Britain knowing that what he There are tipping points in all strug- whether Osama Bin Laden and his movement was saying was untrue. It is a criminal gles. The signs are evident that we are have not been given added momentum by our violation of Federal law, two criminal close today to a calamity if we do not intervention in Iraq, and whether the ideologi- violations of Federal law to con- recalibrate our policies. The irony is cally advocated policy of establishing long- sciously, purposefully, intentionally, that our troops have lost no battles term bases or one of returning our troops mislead the Congress, particularly and shown great heroism, but Western home is likely to be the more effective strategy when you are trying to obtain actions occupation is intolerable for Muslims. in prevailing in the world-wide war on terror. from the Congress which result from It is also not the American way. The Here, it should not be hard to understand that purposeful and intentional mis- longer we stay, the greater the pros- that prolonged occupation of a country which leading. pect that anarchistic acts will multiply encompasses an area of land where one of and spread, perhaps to our shores. the world’s oldest civilizations prospered is b 1730 The issue is no longer, as is so fre- humiliating to a proud people and those else- What has been the cost? So far, 2,500 quently asserted, the need to stay the where who share its great religion. It should American service men and women course. It is to avoid overstaying our also not be hard to understand that the neo- killed in Iraq. We hear today from the presence. con strategy of establishing a long-term mili- Republicans how they honor the serv- Sometimes it is harder to know how to end tary presence in Iraq with semi-permanent icemen, but they continue to have a war than to start one. Just as it is important bases raises the risk of retaliatory terrorist at- them killed, wounded, continue to have to think through the ‘‘why and how’’’ of com- tacks at home and abroad. them suffer on the basis of false infor- mitting troops to conflict, we must also think Indeed, according to the University of Chi- mation, deceit and lies. through the ‘‘why and how’’ of ending an en- cago scholar, Robert Pape, in his definitive They claim that this is continuing gagement. Timing is a key element of both book on suicide bombers, Dying to Win, the the war on terror. Well, what happened considerations. principal reason anarchists choose to wrap to the real war on terror? We were at- For many Americans, including me, the war themselves in explosives and kill innocent ci- tacked by the al Qaeda. The al Qaeda in Iraq has been difficult to justify. But all vilians is to register martyred objection to the had nothing to do with Iraq. We know Americans, except perhaps a few who may be occupation of countries or territories by the that to be the case. We know that partisanly vindictive, should want as positive a armed forces of Western or other Democratic there were no weapons of mass destruc- result as possible, given the circumstances we governments. Suicide bombing, by implication, tion in Iraq. We know that to be the now face. The decision to go to war may have will exist as long as occupations continue. case. In this regard, a note about al Qaeda is in Yet, after we went into Afghanistan, been misguided and strategies involved in order. Just as neither Iraq with its secular which was providing solace and secu- conducting it mistake-ridden; nonetheless rity for the al Qaeda network, and there should be clarity of purpose in ending leanings nor any Iraqis were responsible for chased Osama bin Laden up into the the conflict, with the goal neither to ‘‘cut and 9/11, so Saddam Hussein apparently consid- Tora Bora Mountains, the administra- run,’’ nor simply to cut losses. At this junction ered Osama Bin Laden as much a rival as a tion decided and the Defense Depart- of involvement we should define cogently our soul brother. It is Western military intervention ment decided that they were going to purposes and by so doing create a basis both that has precipitated al Qaeda’s rapid growth abandon the search. Why did they not for a viable future for Iraq and for a U.S. dis- in Iraq and elsewhere, creating a ‘‘cause cele- pursue the person who was responsible engagement that respects the sacrifices of bre’’ for its singularly malevolent actions. If for this attack? those who have served so valiantly in our American withdrawal policy comes to turn on Well, there is one logical answer to armed forces and those of our coalition allies. the question of anarchy—i.e., troops can’t be that question, and the answer is if they Americans understand that three rationales drawn down as long as IED attacks con- had found Osama bin Laden, the ra- were given at successive stages for the war. tinue—we place ourselves in a catch-22 and, tionale for the attack on Iraq would The first involved Iraq’s complicity in 9/11; the in effect, hand over decision-making discretion disappear. That is why we need to get second was the imminent threat of Iraqi WMD; to those who wantonly kill. We allow the rad- out. That is why we need to pass the and the third was the desire to replace the ical few to use our presence as the reason for Murtha resolution. despotic regime of Saddam Hussein with a their actions and at the same time cause our Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I free, democratic government. The first two ar- involvement to be held hostage to their vil- am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the guments have proven frail. The third has some lainy. gentleman from Iowa (Mr. LEACH) who legitimacy, but to many of us it never seemed On the other hand, if we proceed with a is the chairman of the Subcommittee compelling, particularly in relation to the costs turn-over of responsibilities to the new, freely on Asia and the Pacific of the Com- of the conflict. elected Iraqi government, Sunni dissidents will mittee on International Relations. In any regard, whether or not democracy confront a critical choice: to pursue the insur- (Mr. LEACH asked and was given per- provided a compelling rationale for starting the gency or join the political process. Pursuing mission to revise and extend his re- war, it offers the most appropriate rationale for the insurgency would be a risky gamble; if it marks.) ending it. If we do not prepare to leave Iraq on fails, Sunnis may fall under Shiite domination

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4065 for years to come, and the demise of Abu the Nixon administration immediately do what nicity, on religious upbringing, on happen- Musab al-Zarqawi makes prospects of ex- he said they had decided in December 1968, stance of family and place of birth, those who panding influence through terrorist tactics less to do? Kissinger looked at me and responded: have causes—good and bad—have new likely. Joining the political process, on the ‘‘We meant with honor.’’ I asked him if honor globalized techniques of being heard and felt. other hand, would guarantee Sunnis a role in required escalation. ‘‘Absolutely,’’ he replied. Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Mar- governing the country. ‘‘Honor’’ and ‘‘pride’’ do not have the same tin Luther King appealed to the higher angels Though the prudential and civilized choice meaning. But in some circumstances they are of our nature and achieved revolutionary may seem obvious to us, a continued Amer- clearly first cousins. change with non-violence. More mendacious ican military presence in Iraq gives Sunni radi- I mention this incident as a reflection of leaders like Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein and cals a popular cause—ridding the country of human nature and the psychology of decision- Osama Bin Laden have sought to impose their the occupier—for rallying popular sentiment in making. LBJ was too much of a Texan to re- wills on others through appeals of hate and re- Iraq and elsewhere and justifying continued vi- verse gear on his own policies; Nixon was too liance on increasingly wanton instruments of olence. Announcing the commencement of an much a product of the Cold War to risk being oppression. orderly drawdown of our troops, and trum- perceived as less tough than his Democratic The policy question Americans must think peting it widely, would rob radicals of this pow- predecessor. through is whether great powers may be more erful cause, allowing moderate Sunnis to join All wars evoke analogies to prior conflicts; effective with policies of restraint rather than the government and pursue sectarian interests Vietnam is on everyone’s mind. My sense is intervention. Just as Gandhi and King led non- through the constitutional process. that references to our Southeast Asian experi- violent revolutions which have proved more In the realm of policy timing can often be as ence are somewhat oblique, but important to lasting than the barbarism of Stalin and Pol important as substance. Just as Senator DIRK- ponder. Of particular relevance is the advice Pot, maintenance and embellishment of the SEN once noted that a billion dollars here and of a former Vermont Senator, George Aiken, American model of governance may itself be a billion dollars there and pretty soon you’re who suggested we just declare victory and get more intrusively revolutionary in oppressed so- talking about real money, in foreign affairs a out of Vietnam. Aiken’s advice was rooted in cieties than interventionist policies. week here and a week there can soon add up frustration, but wise as it was, represented Caution and restraint are better models for to a policy dilemma. more spin than reality. Given the strategies 21st Century statecraft than naı¨ve adven- It is possible, of course that civil strife will then in play, victory wasn’t close at hand. turism. ensue when we withdraw, but this is just as Today, on the other hand, despite the esca- With this admonition in mind, it is critical likely to be the case in 2026 as 2006. In any lation of world-wide violence and the precipita- that Members of the Executive Branch must regard, civil union is for the Iraqi people to tion of widespread mistrust of the United understand that how and what they say to jus- manage. It’s not for American troops to sus- States, particularly in Muslim societies, the Ad- tify various policies determines how others re- tain. The authorization this Congress gave to ministration can point to positive political spond. the Executive to use force contemplated the change in Iraq. An Aiken approach might not Anyone who ever studied physics may recall clear prospect of military intervention in Iraq. It be historically compelling, but it would have that Sir Isaac Newton set forth three funda- did not, however, contemplate prolonged oc- more currency now than when originally sug- mental laws, the second of which was that for cupation. If this is not understood by the Exec- gested. every action there is an equal and opposite re- utive branch, the current overwhelming Iraqi In governance, judgment to be good must action. A decade ago when the Congress was polling sentiment favoring American troop be timely. If we maintain a heavy presence led by an extraordinary upstart whose first withdrawal will be more than matched by much longer our president could find himself name was Newt, I suggested, at first as a pun, shared American sentiment. And in a democ- in a dilemma of the kind Lyndon Johnson and the existence of a fourth ‘‘Newt-onian’’ law, racy no one can be a leader without followers. Richard Nixon came to know too well. Despite this one of social physics: reaction is greater The older I get, the more central I consider the overwhelming nature of our military capac- than action. My thoughts at the time related to the human factor to be in international rela- ities and the courageous commitment and the partisan bickering within Congress. But tions. Logic is never totally dominant. No one sacrifice of our armed forces, well-intentioned with the passage of time I have come to the knows the exact origins of the seven deadly policies can fail if they are inadequately justi- conclusion that international slights have grav- sins, but to the degree human nature is the fied, poorly executed, or pursued too long. er consequences than domestic. least changed aspect of the human condition, The timing and explication of disengagement When, for instance, we use words like it is relevant to today’s debate to contrast two can be as consequential as the decision to in- ‘‘evil,’’ reference events like the Crusades, and human foibles: avarice and pride. Let me sug- tervene. gest that avarice, the weakness of business This is why clarity of purpose and flexibility employ tactics designed expressly to ‘‘shock classes, is fundamentally more pragmatic than of response are so crucial. Hasty withdrawal is and awe,’’ should we not expect others to pride, the weakness of politicians, and pride is problemsome; orderly, philosophically cogent think and respond in like or escalated terms, fundamentally more dangerous than avarice. decisions to wind down the military dimension although the methods employed might in the For example, if a bookstore owner were to of our presence in Iraq should, however, be current vogue be described as asymmetric? read two books and strongly prefer one to the our highest national interest priority. This brings me to several broad precepts, other, he might inventory half a dozen of the It would be a mistake of historical propor- one of which is seemingly trite, and others of one he prefers and one of the other. But if his tions if respectful relations not only between which are intended to form a theoretical and customers buy the one he likes least, he will America and the Moslem world but between practical framework for a recalibrated foreign not reorder the one he likes. He will put it on America and its traditional allies were to rup- policy. the discount shelf and re-order the public’s ture. We are obligated to see that they don’t. First, the trite. Every society has a sage choice. His pride isn’t hurt. In politics, on the In a broader historical and philosophical who cautions that wise leaders should put other hand, the tendency is to avoid embar- context, the American intervention in Iraq un- themselves in the shoes of their adversaries rassment, never acknowledge error. Mistakes derscores the need to probe the question of before reaching self-centered judgments. The are often repeated to avoid political inconsist- the limits of power of a superpower and the profoundest illustration of this comes from lit- ency. possible anomaly that there are liabilities of erature rather than Clausewitz or Tsun Tsu. An anecdote comes to mind. In one of my power, particularly for a superpower. When speaking to constituents of the ration- early terms in Congress I was invited to the Li- Does, for instance, overwhelming military ale for and against the Iraq War, I have over brary of Congress to a seminar Henry Kis- might alone protect us from terrorism, or if the past couple of years referenced a set of singer was asked to give on the 1973 Paris wielded unwisely, does it escalate our vulner- books that provides more geo-political wisdom Peace Accords. Before going, I perused one ability to terrorism? than balance of power strategists: the Alexan- of his autobiographical tomes and was struck Likewise, does overwhelming economic dria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. by a singular paragraph. In December 1968, power ensure loyalty and buy friendship even Set in inter-war Egypt, each of Durrell’s four Kissinger as the National Security Council Ad- from countries most indebted to the United books chronicles the same series of events visor-designate met with Richard Nixon, then States, or does it inspire resentment? through the eyes of a different participant. the President-elect. They agreed, he wrote, With each lED explosion and suicide bomb While the events repeat, the stories are pro- that their policy would be to disengage from attack it becomes clearer that America and the foundly different. The implicit moral is that one Vietnam. After Kissinger had delivered his lec- world community are in a strategic pickle. In set of eyes, one set of interactions, is insuffi- ture, I asked him about his pre-Presidency an era of anger, of divisions in the world cient to gain a full grasp of what is happening strategy talk with Nixon. Why, I inquired, didn’t based on economics, on color of skin, on eth- around us. Likewise, in world politics one

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4066 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 country’s perspective is not enough. The cient society on the move to a better life. Out- Some of us have fretted for a long time that views of others matter. If we are to manage siders are viewed as unwanted intruders act- a more forthcoming U.S. diplomatic approach prudently the affairs of state, we have to use ing out of great power self-interest, disrespect- might have produced a more stable Persian more than just our own eyes, rely on more ful of the culture and values of the country Gulf. Five years ago Senator SPECTER and I than just our own experience, and reference being occupied. invited to Capitol Hill the Iranian Ambassador more than our own historical circumstance. Yet if we take the most difficult geo-strategic to the U.N. In a long meeting over dinner in The Muslim experience, for instance, gives issues of the day, it is impressive how we a small room on the Senate side of the Cap- substantially less weight than the Western ex- seem to misunderstand the fundamentals of itol, I indicated that while many of us would perience to the two cataclysmic wars of the human nature. Publics in many parts of the like to see more direct contact between the 20th century. Despite Lawrence’s involvement world are crying out for two aspirations: re- U.S. and Iran, normalization of relations was in Arabia and the battles between Allied forces spect and hope. But our policy response is an inconceivable unless Iran ceased supporting and Rommel’s tanks, the engagements in the entirely parochial one, rooted in the so-called Hamas and Hezbollah. The ambassador re- Middle East and North Africa were skirmishes doctrine of American Exceptionalism, which sponded with frankness. He chillingly acknowl- compared with the struggles in Europe and neo-cons do not define as refining a shining edged Iranian support of Hezbollah but then the Far East. Not only do Muslims see the City on a Hill but as the right of a superpower asserted that such support would cease the 20th century differently from Westerners, but to place itself above the legal and institutional moment a peace agreement between Israel Europeans and Americans have drawn dif- restraints applied to others. and the Palestinians was reached in a frame- ferent strategic parallels in the application of In the Neo-con world, values are synony- work acceptable to the Palestinians. common experience to current challenges in mous with power. The implicit assumption is The slight hope implicit in this position may the Middle East. that American security can be bought and or may not have reflected Tehran’s real posi- In the immediate aftermath of the First managed alone, without allies, without consid- tion at the time, but it is apparent that World War, historians and political strategists eration of contrasting international views or the Ahmedinajad is far more radical today than in Europe rightly concluded that the European effect of our policies on others. Treaties like a Khatami was yesterday. While neither has nor alliance system had been too rigid and the as- Comprehensive Test Ban, which every Presi- had the power of the Ayatollahs, the hard- sassination of a relatively minor figure, an dent since Eisenhower has propounded, have ening of Iranian public attitudes toward us and archduke, should not have precipitated a war been rejected, as have negotiations to Israel makes questions about the effective- of such devastating consequences. Hence Eu- strengthen the verification provisions of the Bi- ness of our strategic and psychological isola- ropean leaders in the 1930’s falsely concluded ological Weapons Convention. tion of Iran important to ponder. that historical wisdom necessitated initial ac- Legitimacy is critical for all countries. There Last week the administration suggested a commodation with Hitler’s adventurism. Too lit- may be times and circumstances in which the possible policy shift. We indicated a willing- tle flexibility caused one war; too little spine U.S. national interest requires action without ness to join the Europeans in talks with Iran led to Munich. In the current context, Presi- the support of our allies or without United Na- if Iran first agrees to freeze uranium enrich- dent Bush sees himself as Churchill rather tions sanction. But the U.N., in particular, is ig- ment activities. This approach might presage a than Chamberlain, but Europeans see 9/11 as nored at great risk, especially when the inter- nuanced new American flexibility. But much more analogous to the shots fired at Archduke national community is largely at odds with depends on the Iranian response. Our position Ferdinand than as a cause for a doctrine of American policies. In this context, recent rhe- appears to be that we will proceed with sanc- preemption or war with Iraq, a war that could torical attacks by ideologues in and out of gov- tions and contemplate sterner actions if Iran too easily spring into a . ernment on the U.N. and other multilateral in- does not capitulate on the uranium issue, but If we’re ever going to have a chance to stitutions would appear to particularly ill-serve we will not talk to the government unless it shape or deter the actions of others, we must the American national interest. first acquiesces. In other words, the goal of understand their reasoning. Failing to under- The diplomatic issue our government has to negotiations must be achieved before we will stand or respect Muslim culture, for instance, come to grips with today is the problem of se- negotiate. Conditional approaches like this are resulted in the greatest intelligence failure of quencing. Which comes first—the chicken or needlessly ‘‘high wire’’; nevertheless, in con- our era. It is, however, not the sole intel- the egg—is the most cheerful and abstract trast with prior diplomatic intransigence they ligence failure. In one of the greatest philosophical discussion Americans engage in. may represent the best hope yet of yielding a judgmental errors of our time, we appear to But which precedes the other—talk or war—is conflict-averting break-through on the NPT have attempted to combat the ideological pos- neither cheerful nor abstract. Experience issue. turing of others by ideologizing our own intel- would seem to indicate that while war may not Yet policymakers in Washington appear to ligence. Based on what is known today, pol- be averted by negotiations, it is less likely to underestimate a series of strategic phe- icymakers wrongly implied Iraq played a role break out if direct dialogue occurs beforehand. nomena. Hezbollah is far larger, more sophis- in the 9/11 attack and not only erred in as- In adversarial situations pacific results can sel- ticated and experienced in terrorist under- sessing Saddam Hussein’s WMD capacities dom be achieved without human interaction. takings than Al Qaeda. A preemptive strike on but put too much faith in a narrow cadre of That is why our founders clearly contemplated Iranian nuclear facilities would unleash a level policymakers who suggested the United that the new American Republic would have of anarchy in world affairs that would be un- States would be welcomed as a liberating diplomatic relations with undemocratic states. precedented. It would slow but not stop its rather than conquering or, worse yet, colo- It is why Prime Minister Rabin, when faulted ability to develop nuclear weapons. It would nizing force in Iraq. Estimates of the costs of for talking to Arafat, noted that you don’t make have little effect on Iran’s ability to obtain such war, of the ramifications of our involvement, of peace with friends. weapons elsewhere. The ‘‘loose nuke’’ phe- the expected reaction of the population and of There are few examples in history where nomenon is real. A rich country has as good the likelihood of foreign respect and support empty chair diplomacy has proved effective. a chance to purchase or steal weapons of were dead wrong. Indeed, it is next to impossible to reach mutual mass destruction as it does to develop them Now, given the anarchy that has mush- accommodation if there is not mutual under- on its own. And if that country is attacked as roomed in the country, Washington is swept standing and a modicum of trust and respect part of an effort to block nuclear development, by occupation analogies of World War II. which only personal relationships can provide. it has to be assumed it will have new incen- Japan and Germany, it is noted, were occu- The sequencing dilemma is particularly evi- tives to seek and use such weapons. This pied for more than five years after hostilities dent with regard to Iran. Not only should we prospect could presumably be heightened if ceased. Hence, many are suggesting, we not fear to negotiate, we must understand that bunker busting bombs tipped with small nu- must be prepared to stay at least this long in as the stronger party, we can afford to put on clear warheads are employed. Iraq. the table steps, particularly related to process, The U.S. thus faces a double catch-22: em- I have seldom been more apprehensive that weaker parties are less able to initiate bargoing Iran hurts our economy more than about an historical analogy. Japan and Ger- without seeming to capitulate. Unfortunately, theirs and attacking militarily the Iranian infra- many were the instigators of war; their citizens we have over a number of Administrations structure ensures immediate asymmetric vio- understood this. The Muslim population chosen to isolate rather than engage Iran. The lent responses as well as the greater likeli- throughout the world does not see it this way. question is whether isolationist policies drive a hood that weapons of mass destruction once They see the U.S. as the aggressor. Images proud people to greater extremes. A stigmatic obtained will be used against us and our allies from Al-Jazeera portray a country under siege. refusal to interact has characterized our policy at a later point. In the Moslem world Iraq looks more like a po- toward Iran for a generation and, just as hap- This brings us to the last underestimation by lice-cordoned West Bank than a great and an- lessly, Cuba for two. Washington. We may be considering a conflict

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4067 of a few weeks duration—one to three weeks tered, one doubtful decision precipitated an- One of the myths of our time is that realism of intensive bombing. The Iranians may be other, and the pride of politicians did not allow is principally about might. Actually, realism is thinking of a multi-decade or multi-century re- a change of course until the people demanded about the human condition. A great power sponse. Western history has known a 30-year common-sense reconsideration. must maintain a strong military capacity, but it war. Eastern peoples carry in their hearts the Interestingly, in the 19th century, two ob- is the human condition that must be improved burden of centuries of crusades, and many Is- scure Italian political theorists, Vito and Pa- if national security is truly to be secured. Im- lamic radicals today would like the 21st cen- reto, noted that for all the differences in polit- poverished nations are breeding grounds for tury to be a continuation of what they consider ical systems, one person alone at the top had radicalism. Where there is no hope, there is to be a struggle against Judeo-Christian inter- the power to make critical decisions for a na- nothing to lose. When life, as Hobbs de- vention. Sequencing is a historical as well as tion. While these decisions might be of a so- scribed, becomes nasty, brutish, and short in diplomatic term of concern. cial magnitude, they are personal in the mak- a jungle of hopelessness, and humiliation, it The Iranians, too, are in a quandary. They ing. becomes easily expendable, sometimes by recognize that no American President can Our Founders were moral as well as polit- martyred self-choice. take the force option completely off the table. ical thinkers. They feared kingly powers and Finally, a note about principle. Never has it They suspect DOD has made extensive con- wanted shared decision-making, especially been more important to return to the basics. tingency plans and they see a President who when it came to war. But as we all have come Whether it be tax policy or foreign policy, the has little hesitancy to take difficult, unpopular to understand, modern times have produced concern must be for justice and the common decisions. They know he is in his last term wars without formal declarations approved by good, what the 19th century British utilitarians and does not want to pass on strategic prob- Congress. In response to Vietnam, Congress described as concern for the greatest good of lems to his successor. They may reason that fashioned the War Powers Act to establish the greatest number. a U.S. decision to attack is irrational because new constraints on the Executive. While most The public wants its leaders to unify and up- it would solidify a radical reaction in Iran, in Constitutional scholars are convinced the Act lift. Elections are about whether political lead- would be declared unconstitutional if it were other Muslim countries, and perhaps even ership is up to the task. Democracies provide ever tested, it stands today as the law of the within the U.S., but the government of Iran continual verdicts. This fall will be one meas- land. What is often overlooked, however, is cannot be certain that the President will con- ure. clude that he would be passing on a bigger that the Act also empowers the Executive Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 wide-ranging options to commit American mess if he attacked rather than engaged. minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio forces for a period of several months. Hence, The Iranian challenge is stickier than many (Mrs. JONES). Americans assume. The President may see there is little doubt that the administration as- Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I himself in a position analogous to that of John sumes it has no need to come to Congress if thank the gentleman for yielding, and Kennedy in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy it decides to launch an air assault on Iran, as I would like to thank all the members was dealing with Khrushchev and a Soviet long as it is only of multi-week duration. of the Out of Iraq Caucus who have spo- Let me conclude with an observation about system that had many despotic dimensions. ken so eloquently this afternoon. priorities, contrasts, and principles. But while communism was manipulated in First, priorities. The Iraqi war has had the I rise in opposition to H. Res. 861 and such a manner as to become a quasi-state re- unfortunate effect of decreasing American at- in support of Representative MURTHA’s ligion, it is fundamentally about political and tention on both Afghanistan and the Israeli- proposal to redeploy our troops. Since this war began, we have seen economic rather than spiritual relationships. Palestinian dilemma, both of which have ex- Iran, on the other hand, is a theocracy in a re- traordinary consequences for U.S. national se- nearly 2,500 casualties. This number gion where religion and, too frequently, its per- curity. In addition, while I have assumed for does not include the nearly 20,000 who version are dominant themes. Just as the Ira- most of my adult life that war and peace is the have been wounded. I would like to nian government must understand the strong biggest issue in the world, the bigger chal- take a moment to talk about the sig- will of the President, Washington has to come lenge to life itself may be disease control. We nificance of those casualties and to grips with the pride and principles of an ad- have lost nearly 2,500 American troops in Iraq wounded because I often feel that we versary which is the inheritor of one of the old- and 20 to 40 times as many Iraqis have been gloss over those numbers and forget est civilizations on earth. Each side may un- killed. But over the past two decades more that each one is or was an actual per- derstand the consequences of individual ac- than 20 million people have died of AIDS, and son. They were somebody’s son or tions, but that does not mean that decisions in this number will double or triple in the next daughter, somebody’s mother or father, one or the other country will not unfold dom- decade or two. Likewise, a new flu epidemic somebody’s brother or sister. ino-like in a manner that could be catastrophic might match or exceed these numbers. Yet we They are real people, as real as 19- for all. That is why human interrelationship— are spending less on these problems than the year-old Private Brandon Sloan and diplomacy—is so key. cost of one month’s fighting in Iraq. First Sergeant Robert Dowdy, who Let me suggest a corollary to Lord Acton’s Second, contrasts. Educated Americans are were the first soldiers from my con- maxim that power corrupts and absolute well aware of the ideas that Samuel Hun- gressional district to become casual- power tends to corrupt absolutely. The Leach tington and Joe Nye of Harvard have pro- ties in the 507th Maintenance Group in- corollary is that military power tempts and ex- pounded about the dangers of a clash of civili- cident. They are as real as the 325th cessive power tends to tempt excessively. zations and of the importance of soft as con- Marine Regiment of Brookpark, Ohio, America’s enormous military strength is critical trasted with hard power in diplomacy. These who suffered multiple casualties. I at- at this stage in history. But while we are obli- are important frameworks of thought for the tended those funerals and those memo- gated to recognize that its maintenance is im- American public to dwell upon. But I would rials. perative, we must also realize that its utiliza- add to those considerations the elements of They are as real as Sergeant Shurvon tion may not fit, and may indeed be counter- individual judgment and the contrasting model Phillip, an East Cleveland resident and productive, in certain strategic settings. of realism vs. pseudo-realism in policymaking. Shaw High School graduate, who re- Analogies between all wars exist, but com- Realists look to effect, not to appearance. But cently returned to Cleveland after suf- parisons between Iraq and Vietnam are frail. Washington today has come under the sway fering serious injuries in Iraq and en- What must be understood is not that Iraq of the grim neo-con notion that diplomacy, during weeks of recovery. Shurvon is could be as bad as Vietnam; rather, that it is particularly multi-lateral diplomacy, is soft- now paralyzed, and because of a brain becoming far worse. Vietnam, after all, in- headed. Is this not pseudo-realism? What is injury, he cannot talk. We welcomed volved no WMD issues; and while the North more realistic and more consistent with the him home last Saturday at the Louis was predominantly Buddhist and the South American heritage than attempting to advance Stokes VA Medical Center. Catholic, there were no implications of a the rule of law? An earlier excess of pseudo- Shurvon’s mother, Gail, had this to world-wide religious struggle; nor of a conflict realism caused the Senate to reject Wilsonian say: ‘‘That JACK MURTHA, he came to that might last many decades, if not centuries. idealism and ignore the League of Nations. see my son three times and each time The issue at the time was Communism and Nevertheless, it approved U.S. participation in he treated Shurvon as his own son.’’ fears that if Vietnam fell, neighboring govern- the World Court. Americans want law and Shurvon’s mother, Gail Ulerie, had this ments would topple like dominoes. In retro- order. Americans also prefer to work in alli- to say about President Bush when he spect, the real domino lesson of Vietnam was ances. It is neo-con nonsense, realism in- came to see him to give the Purple about political decision-making. Once the pa- verted, to press a foreign policy rooted in Heart to her son while he has at Be- triotic flag was raised, stands taken, words ut- snubbing the concerns of others. thesda Naval Hospital: ‘‘I am glad for

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I basi- to create sufficient space and order so arrived at deadline established by members of cally told him he should end this war that democracy and respect for human Congress may unwittingly put more lives at and bring our troops, like my son, back rights can grow and peace can be estab- risk and strengthen the fanaticism and hopes home. He did not answer, just walked lished. of the terrorists. away.’’ I want our soldiers to come home and Still, public debate on exit strategy is impor- I say we should not walk away from to come home soon, but that fervent tant—even necessary—because it puts pres- the young men and women who are left hope must be tempered with reality on sure on us all to figure out how to prudently over in Iraq and Afghanistan. We the ground and what our commanders accomplish redeployment and it puts construc- should remember what Shurvon’s on the ground think best. To leave pre- tive pressure on Iraqi leaders to move more mother said. Bring our troops home. maturely or pursuant to an arbitrarily quickly to take ownership of their own security. Bring our troops home. Bring our arrived at deadline established by Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 troops home. She said she did not want Members of Congress may unwittingly minutes to the gentleman from Mary- to see any more young men or women put more lives at risk and strengthen land (Mr. HOYER). laying back like this, and if you saw the fanaticism and hope of the terror- Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Shurvon you would know what I ists. my friend from Pennsylvania for yield- meant. He is in a chair, where he is sat Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. ing. up like this. His lips are swollen, stick- 861. Mr. Speaker, every Member of this ing out. He can hardly say a word. We The Hyde resolution honors—and pro- House wants our Nation and our coali- are saying to him, you know, Shurvon, foundly thanks—all those American, Iraqi, Af- tion partners to succeed in helping the Iraqis establish a democratic govern- we are sorry you are a casualty; you ghan, and coalition forces who have so coura- ment that respects human rights and stood up for your family; you stood up geously fought the war on terror, especially abides by the rule of law and to succeed for the United States of America. But those who have lost their lives in the defense in standing up Iraqi security forces he cannot stand up for himself. of freedom. Let us stand up for the young men Our war dead—and wounded—define anew that can maintain order and protect and women of America. Bring our what it means to be brave and honorable and their citizens. We pray, of course, for the safe re- troops home, redeploy them, and let us good. turn of our brave servicemen and think of America first. And our condolences and prayers go to the -women who are fighting for freedom Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I families of the fallen. half a world away, and we applaud am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the The overwhelming majority of U.S. forces their success last week in eliminating gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. have performed their missions in an exem- the terrorist murderer Zarqawi. The SMITH) who is the chairman of the Sub- plary, professional fashion—and deserve both professionalism, bravery, and sacrifice committee on Africa, Global Human our praise and profound thanks. of our Armed Forces are indeed awe-in- Rights and International Operations, of We all know that Iraq remains a dangerous place today because hate-filled, fanatic—per- spiring. our International Relations Com- This year, Mr. Speaker, 2006, should haps even psychotic—mass murderers bomb mittee. be a year of transition in Iraq; and it is Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. and shoot innocent men, women, and chil- my expectation that the United States Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for dren. In the past their thugs were in the gov- will be able to reduce the American yielding. ernment suites and Hussein’s opulent pal- troop deployment over the ensuing Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming ma- aces—now some remain in the streets—hope- months and transfer the risks and re- jority of U.S. forces have performed fully not for long. sponsibilities to the duly elected gov- their mission in an exemplary, profes- The terrorists have a morbid fascination with ernment of Iraq. That is what has been sional fashion and deserve both our all things violent. There is nothing whatsoever proposed. praise and profound thanks. benign or noble or praiseworthy about these Today, it is regrettable that this Re- Mr. Speaker, we all know that Iraq people. publican majority seeks to exploit this remains a dangerous place today be- They are mass murderers. critical issue of national security for If left unchecked, the terrorists would im- cause hate-filled fanatic, perhaps even political advantage. The resolution be- psychotic, mass murderers bomb and pose dictatorship once again on Iraq and Af- fore us, like the Hunter resolution that shoot innocent men, women, and chil- ghanistan, which would result in more mass was debated last December, was draft- dren. The terrorists have a morbid fas- killing, systematic torture, rampant fear, polit- ed, in my view, for political reasons. cination with all things violent. There ical prisoners and an end to freedom and lib- As Majority Leader BOEHNER ex- is nothing whatsoever benign or noble erty. plained, its purpose is an opportunity or praiseworthy about these people. While I respect the right of those who criti- to create ‘‘a portrait of contrasts be- They are mass murderers. cize American policy and our solidarity with tween Republicans and Democrats.’’ If left unchecked, the terrorists the Iraqi people, I remain deeply disappointed For our country’s sake, for our would impose dictatorship once again that many of those who protest U.S. policy troops’ sake, the majority should have on Iraq and Afghanistan, which would outside of this chamber seldom—if ever—criti- offered a resolution that sought unity, result in more mass killings, system- cize the terrorists. rather than division. atic torture, rampant fear, political No harsh, mocking thoughts of condemna- There are provisions in this resolu- prisoners, and an end to freedom and tion of President George W. Bush are left tion, of course, with which all of us liberty. unspoken. You hear it on TV and radio talk agree. I, for one, strongly share the re- While I respect the right of those who shows and at war protests, but no such angst solve to prevail in the war on terror. criticize our Iraq policy and our soli- is directed at the mass murderers who blow However, this resolution misstates, in darity with the Iraqi people, I do re- up our soldiers or incinerate pious worshipers my opinion, the facts about why the main deeply disappointed that those at prayer in Mosques or who kidnap, torture, Bush administration instigated our who protest U.S. policy outside of this and kill humanitarian workers trying to save military action against the Hussein re- Chamber seldom, if ever, criticize the and enhance the lives of the vulnerable. gime in 2003. It paints a picture of Iraq terrorists. No harsh, mocking words of American and coalition soldiers in Iraq and today that does not comport with the condemnation of George W. Bush is left Afghanistan are peacemakers and they have reality on the ground, and it ignores unspoken. You hear it on TV, talk the toughest assignment in the world. They the fundamental responsibility of this shows, and at war protests; but no such are peacemakers who put their own lives at Congress to conduct meaningful over- righteous anger is directed at the mass risk to create sufficient space and order so sight of the administration’s conduct murderers who blow up our soldiers or that democracy, respect for human rights, and of this war. incinerate pious worshippers in prayer peace can be established and grow. The political motivations underlying or kidnap, torture and kill humani- I want our soldiers to come home—and this resolution have been laid bare; tarian workers. soon. and, thus, I will be forced to vote ‘‘no.’’

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4069 The American people will not be de- Mr. ROHRABACHER. It is good that complished by the perseverance of its citizens, ceived by this exercise today which our the American people are able to hear and the sacrifices of many. Yet, some of our Republican colleague of North Carolina this debate and judge for themselves own countrymen are showing a dangerous (Mr. JONES) labeled a charade. who should be making the policies and tendency to waiver, their faith shaken by the The American people know, as Lieu- which policies are best for our country. drive-through mentality of our society. They tenant General Gregory Newbold, the I have been through this before. I are verbalizing their doubts at a time when we former commanding general of the 1st worked in the White House with Ron- need them to stand strong. The peace-doves Marine Division, said, ‘‘What we are ald Reagan for 7 years, and I heard who turned hawks of circumstance after Sep- living with now is the consequences of some of the same shrill voices that we tember 11 were predicted to not have the in- successive policy failures.’’ hear today in those days. I heard the testinal fortitude to see this fight through to its The administration manipulated in- same gutting of the President of the necessary resolution. They are living up to telligence on weapons of mass destruc- United States for political purposes, that prediction despite the threat of terrorism tion. It ignored the advice of top mili- but also for idealistic reasons during still lurking around the world. tary commanders and sent too few those days. I heard Ronald Reagan We cannot forget that the goals of Al Qaeda troops to accomplish the task; and, called a warmonger. I heard all of the and Osama bin Laden are to destroy western consequently, we failed to stabilize charges that we hear today aimed at culture in all of its forms and manifestations. our President aimed at Ronald Reagan, Iraq after Hussein was rightfully re- All across America, our constituents live their and by some of the same people, I moved from power. lives—take their kids to school, go to work, It fired police and security forces and might add. We have voices who are idealistically earn a living—and this is the strength of our oil workers, which fueled the insta- Nation. However, we still live in the shadow of bility and initiated war before making opposed to war and are in fact affected in their heart, perhaps more than oth- a real and looming threat to our way of life. alternative plans to shut off escape We must remain vigilant of that threat and routes to the north when the Turks ers, when war does come, as it comes to all free people because without stand firm in our vow to dismantle it. While we would not let us come in. have not been attacked on our own soil since It had no effective plan to quickly strength of purpose and willingness to fight there will be no freedom in this September 11, we cannot afford the ramifica- get infrastructure repaired and rebuilt. tions of complacency. The recent arrest of It failed to properly equip our own world. But when we fought com- munism, President Reagan stood firm bomb-building terrorists across the border in troops, as Mr. MURTHA has observed, when the shrill voices of defeatism and Canada is clear evidence of that. We have 2,500 of whom have given the ultimate forced the terrorists into making this an ‘‘away measure of sacrifice in this war. retreat attacked him personally and attacked our effort and tried to under- game,’’ the battlefield pushed from our home- It grossly underestimated the costs land, but nonetheless the outcome must be in of the war at about $60 billion, which mine that effort in the same way our effort today is being undermined by our favor. Yes, the victories in this battle are now stands six times larger and more. nitpicking, backbiting, and defeatism. many, but we must have the resolve and de- And when confronted with concrete Yet, he stood firm and, guess what? termination to defeat terrorism here at home evidence of widespread mistreatment The world was amazed when the evil of and abroad. To succeed we must be absolute of detainees in American custody, the communism collapsed. and have constancy of purpose. President failed to hold anyone in his Well, today we are in a war with rad- For decades Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq administration accountable. ical Islam, which is every bit as much with an iron fist of repression. In the midst of Sadly, and dangerously, according to a threat and hates Western democracy that oppression was the intense yearning of the Pew Research Center, the global every bit as much as the Communists the Iraqi people to taste freedom. They were credibility of the United States has did. We have made a stand in Iraq, and forced to keep their hopes hidden, wrapped in sharply declined. I would hope that people understand a cocoon that they could one day blossom into The record of the Republican Con- that had Ronald Reagan backed down, the living principles from which they could re- gress is, in my opinion, no less dis- we would still be in the middle of the build their nation. They have emerged from turbing. This proud body, the people’s Cold War. And if we back down today, that cocoon and are attempting to fly. The ele- House, has abdicated its oversight role as is being advocated, what I consider ments that were forming in it have manifested and failed to root out waste, fraud and to be a cowardly retreat, it will have themselves in the formation of their new gov- corruption so prevalent in Iraq today. consequences. It will not end the war. ernment, two successful national elections, Nearly $9 billion in reconstruction Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I and a successful national constitutional ref- funds are unaccounted for. No-bid con- yield to Mr. BUYER for the purposes of erendum. tracts have been awarded to private a unanimous consent request. contractors such as Halliburton. De- Iraq cannot continue to succeed in the tran- (Mr. BUYER asked and was given sition from war to building their Nation without tainees in American custody have been permission to revise and extend his re- our continued help. The people of Iraq have abused and, in some instances, killed, marks.) appealed to us in this critically important pe- and still, still, there is no effective Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in oversight on these matters in the Con- support of the resolution. riod. We have pledged our commitment to gress of the United States. Immediately following the attacks on Sep- them and we need to see it through. The Iraqi In the face of one of the most impor- tember 11, 2001, this Nation’s focus was on people are proud of their accomplishments tant issues before our country, we have countering the fundamental ideals of terrorism thus far, but they have asked for a steady been presented with politics as usual. that spawned the attack on our homeland. hand of reassurance from us to help guide Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network, them in this transition. b 1745 Saddam Hussein, and the Taliban, connected The pride and motivation that the Iraqi pop- It is an effort to divide, when an ef- together through the terror they inflicted, had ulation has demonstrated to this point are key fort to unite was in our country’s and shared ambitions to destroy our way of life. elements to making their young government a our Armed Forces’ best interest. Five years later, we have witnessed suc- success. We must continue to nurture their I regret that I have to vote ‘‘no.’’ I cesses of historical proportions. Saddam—im- growth of confidence so that they can effec- believe success in our efforts in Iraq is prisoned and on trial for acts against human- tively govern, defend, and sustain themselves. important to achieve, but partisanship ity; Osama is on the run and we captured his The motivation to man a completely volunteer only impedes the attainment of that number two; the Taliban no longer exists—for Iraqi army is one point of evidence that these objective; an objective, hopefully, that the first time in Afghanistan, their citizens are people have pride and faith in their new re- we all share. free to hope and dream; women are receiving public. We cannot fail the security of our own Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I an education. Al Qaeda is demonstrating what Nation and the people of Iraq in a time of such am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the comes from the crushing pains of defeat, left dire need. The consequences of walking away gentleman from California (Mr. ROHR- only with cowardly acts of desperation in a at this point are too great to fathom. We must ABACHER), who chairs the Sub- weakening effort to survive the blows that we maintain our resolve to follow through with our committee on Oversight and Investiga- have dealt it. commitment to the people of Iraq and in the tion for our International Relations Today in Iraq we are on the verge of the global fight to free ourselves from the grip and Committee. blossoming of a successful new republic, ac- fear of terrorism.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4070 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 Now, as I said, cost is not the ulti- Qaeda has said it, and last week’s kill- minutes to the gentleman from Mis- mate determinant, but it has to be a ing of al Zarqawi in Iraq made it clear souri (Mr. SKELTON), and I ask unani- consideration when it reaches this that our success there and our success mous consent that he be allowed to magnitude. I do not think we can de- in the high stakes fight against ter- control the time and yield the time. bate the deployment in Iraq in existing rorism go hand in hand. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without troop levels in a vacuum, as if the cost Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 objection, the gentleman is recognized does not matter, as if we had infinite minutes to the gentleman from Texas for 30 minutes. resources. Cost matters if we are ever (Mr. ORTIZ). There was no objection. to balance our budget. Cost matters in (Mr. ORTIZ asked and was given per- Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, at this meeting other military needs for oper- mission to revise and extend his re- time I yield 3 minutes to the gen- ations elsewhere in the world, for marks.) tleman from South Carolina (Mr. transformation, and for modernization. Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, you know, SPRATT). It is too bad we cannot have a full de- this resolution before us today com- Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I thank bate where we could express fully all of mends our troops, and we realize that the chairman for his indulgence and for the grave issues facing us due to the our troops are the greatest in the the recognition, and I want to focus on deployment in Iran. world. This Nation must never forget something that has been little dis- Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I that. And, of course, we all agree that cussed in this debate, and that is how am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the Saddam should have been removed. The much this war is costing us. gentleman from California (Mr. problem was our tactics, our planning. Cost is not the ultimate determinant. ROYCE), who is the chairman of the But this resolution nowhere addresses When we have troops in the field, we Subcommittee on International Ter- the central issue that the American should be unstinting in their support. rorism and Nonproliferation of our people are crying out for us to discuss: But when the cost runs into hundreds International Relations Committee. Where do we go from here? of billions of dollars, it has to be a con- Mr. ROYCE. It becomes clearer by I think that the American people sideration. The greatest cost, of course, the day, Mr. Speaker, that we are con- want an honest discussion about where is counted in human lives: 2,514 killed fronting a brutal, determined, and re- this Nation stands in the two wars that so far, 17,774 wounded so far. The dollar sourceful enemy: Islamist terrorism, as we are prosecuting today, and in par- cost is not nearly so precious, but it is the 9/11 Commission identified it. ticular Iraq. I think that we owe this substantial. First, for comparison, here is what We have seen messianic, violent to the American people who are risking the first Persian Gulf War cost us: $61 ideologies before, but al Qaeda and its their lives on a daily basis. We owe it billion. But our allies contributed $10.6 ilk represent a more severe threat. In to their families, to the American peo- in kind, $48.4 billion in cash contribu- today’s world, terrorists could acquire ple, and to our allies. tions, and so out-of-pocket we were $2.1 weapons of mass destruction. Bin Supporting our troops means more billion. That, my friends, is the benefit Laden has made clear his intention to than bumper stickers on trucks, of having allies. do so. It was such a concern that led though of course we appreciate those Now, look at the annual cost of the President Bush to remove Saddam Hus- people that put on the bumper stickers. war we are fighting. Notice that it has sein from power, and Iraqis are better We appreciate that. But it is time to increased by almost 100 percent from off for it. talk about the bottom line in terms of 2003 when the war itself was fully going We have heard legitimate debate of soldiers, their blood, their future, their on, to this year, 2006, an increase from choices made in Iraq: Disbanding the hopes, hopes for the young people of $51 billion to $104 billion a year, annu- Iraqi army, troop levels, and we have this great country and the people in ally. heard other critiques. Looking back, it Iraq, their young people. The next chart then sums up the ex- is clear that this mission’s difficulty I wish the resolution before us pro- penditures year by year, and you can and expense were underestimated. vided the context for this debate. Hon- see the bottom line. Thus far through Hopefully, we have improved our intel- est discussion must include the nuts this year, the cost is $318 billion. Thus ligence. But dwelling on past choices and bolts of this policy, literally what far. Iraqi Freedom alone is $318 billion. does not get us ahead. we are expending daily in Iraq. You To express that in monthly terms, Looking ahead, I don’t see how we know, when we talk about the policy, something the Pentagon calls the succeed by immediately withdrawing, are we going to allow for us to conduct ‘‘burn rate,’’ the average expenditure as some are calling for. The position another preemptive attack? Was this per month for the troops we are main- that our troops should stay longer in the wise thing to do? Was the planning taining there, 130,000 strong, is running Iraq makes us all uncomfortable. But correct? Do we need to correct our mis- at $8.4 billion a month. That is $8.4 bil- an alternative, an immediate with- takes? Do we need to change the train- lion a month. drawal, concedes that Iraq will fall into ing? These are the things we need to Now, we have asked CBO, and CBO chaos, because there is no way that the look at. itself decided to set up a model to esti- Iraqi security forces could stand alone If we truly want the Iraqis to stand mate what the outyear cost of this de- yet. That is the judgment of our mili- up and protect their country, and if we ployment would be, assuming that tary professionals. So if you are going are ever ready to stand down, to stand after this year there is a substantial to argue that the costs of staying are down, are we ready to put the money in drawdown to the point where 50,000 too high, you are obligated to calculate the budget? I just came from a hearing troops remain in theater, Afghanistan the cost of withdrawing or the cost of a few moments ago and we are having and Iraq. This covers both. The total what most certainly would be our de- problems buying helmets to protect cost of this, over a period of 10 years, is feat. our soldiers. We don’t have a uniform $371 billion, assuming a modest incre- The real world is dangerous, and un- policy on what helmets will protect the ment in our deployment to that the- pleasant choices must be made. An soldiers. Our soldiers don’t have the ater of 50,000 additional troops. This is honest appraisal is that we don’t know equipment that they need, and for us CBO speaking. Iraq’s future, but we know with far to stand down, we need to provide the Now, if you add $371 billion to $318 greater certainty that an American Iraqi army what they need, the equip- billion, you get $689 billion. That is withdrawal would spin Iraq into chaos. ment. And we wonder, because we what this war could cost us if its goes Bedlam in the region would likely fol- haven’t been able to do that for our on at its current level. And we have low. This outcome would be a stunning troops. not reflected in this number the ac- boost for jihadists, the forces deter- Our military is the best. It has been crued costs we are incurring daily due mined to deliver as big a blow as they feared throughout the ages for our abil- to the harsh environmental conditions can against the American people. We ity to respond immediately anywhere in the desert. The Army says it will owe our Nation and the Iraqi people in the world, to be ready to defend our cost $24 billion alone over the next 2 our continued effort. freedom. I do support our troops. years to restore and repair and replace We know Iraq today is a central front Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I equipment. in our struggle against terrorism. Al am pleased to recognize for 2 minutes

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4071 the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. best of their families, we must ask the us. Instead, the clause must reaffirm our Na- MCCOTTER), who has been to Iraq three best of ourselves. We have not done so tion’s full right of self-defense. times. with this resolution, and that is why I The seventh clause decries how: ‘‘... by Mr. MCCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, re- will be voting ‘‘present,’’ because I am early 2003 Saddam Hussein and his criminal, cently, I attended my oldest son’s committed to victory in the war on Ba’athist regime in Iraq, which had supported eighth grade graduation, and grad- terror. terrorists, constituted a threat against global uating with him was Jennifer Davis, Mr. Speaker, recently, I attended my oldest peace and security and was in violation of the daughter of Karen and Major Miles son’s eighth grade graduation. Graduating with mandatory United Nations Security Council Davis, who could not attend because he him was Jennifer Davis, the daughter of my Resolutions.’’ was deployed to Iraq. childhood friend, Major Miles Davis, who could Bluntly, this clause omits the obvious: By Mr. Speaker, this is why I believe we not attend. That night, I talked with Miles’ wife, early 2003 Saddam Hussein and his criminal owe Americans an account of our Karen, who told me how painful it was for their Ba’athist regime in Iraq, which had supported progress in the world war on terror, an family to have Miles so abruptly deployed to terrorists, constituted a threat against the assessment of the situation, the stakes, Iraq. United States of America and was in violation and the strategy for victory in the bat- Such heart rending scenes throughout our of mandatory treaty obligations to the United tle for Iraq, as well as an affirmation land are why I believe we owe Americans States of America. that we will defend our country, defeat more in this resolution than a simple declara- By omitting the fact Hussein’s regime the enemy, and win this unsought tion of our resolve in Iraq. We owe them an deemed the United States not as just a part of struggle for survival. Unfortunately, account of our progress in the world War on the global community, but as a mortal enemy, this resolution fails to do so, for it is Terror; an assessment of the situation, the this clause wrongly implies our preemption of strategically nebulous, morally obtuse, stakes, and the strategy for victory in the bat- his threat must and does meet a ‘‘global test’’ and woefully inadequate. tle for Iraq; and an affirmation we will defend for legitimacy. The eighth clause reiterates: ‘‘. . . the mis- This resolution sanitizes the hard our country, defeat the enemy, and win this sion of the United States and its Coalition truth that the enemy is trying not only unsought struggle for survival. partners, having removed Saddam Hussein to intimidate us but to kill us. It pro- Thus, I rise to express my profound dis- and his regime from power, is to establish a vides an abashed defense of our Na- appointment with this resolution before us, be- sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq at tion’s sovereign right to preemptively cause it is strategically nebulous; morally ob- eradicate the terrorists and their state peace with its neighbors.’’ tuse; and woefully inadequate. Again, the point is missed. Our mission is to sponsors before they kill us. It implies To begin, this resolution’s purpose is limited transform Iraq from a rogue dictatorship aiding our preemption of this threat must to ‘‘Declaring the United States will complete meet a global test for legitimacy. terrorists into a representative democracy the mission in Iraq and prevail in the Global eradicating terrorists; and into a sovereign, It further fails to affirm the battle War on Terror, the struggle to protect freedom for Iraq was waged because Saddam free, secure, and united nation at peace with from the terrorist adversary.’’ the United States, its Coalition partners, and Hussein’s regime was a direct threat to This is patently inadequate to the task at the United States of America and was all other peaceable nations. hand; and, unfortunately, under continued ex- Next, clause eleven’s belief: ‘‘. . . the ter- in violation of mandatory treaty obli- amination the resolution fares no better. To gations of said United States of Amer- rorists seek to destroy the new unity govern- wit, the first ‘‘Whereas’’ clause informs us: ment because it threatens the terrorists’ aspi- ica. ‘‘. . . the United States and its allies are en- It fails to stress our mission is to en- rations for Iraq and the broader Middle East,’’ gaged in a Global War on Terror, a long and sure a sovereign, free, secure and also misses the point. As an American, I be- demanding struggle against an adversary that united Iraq at peace with the United lieve the clause should read: ‘‘the terrorists is driven by hatred of American values and States, its coalition partners and all seek to destroy the new unity government be- that is committed to imposing, by the use of other peaceable nations. cause it threatens the terrorists’ aspirations for terror, its repressive ideology throughout the It fails to stress that terrorists seek the United States of America, Iraq, our Coali- world.’’ to destroy the new unity government tion partners, and the broader Middle East.’’ This clause elicits elementary questions: because it threatens the terrorists’ as- Now, at last, we reach the resolution’s three what ‘‘values’’ of ours cause our enemy to pirations for the United States of lethal failings: hate us; and what, precisely, is the enemy’s America, Iraq, our coalition partners To start with, taken together, the ninth and ideology? Sadly, this clause provides no clues. and the broader Middle East. fifteenth clauses raise a stark conundrum. Ig- It asserts how despite the enemy hav- The second clause recounts how: ‘‘. . . for noring that the United States, in word and ing declared Iraq a central front in the the past two decades, terrorists have used vi- deed, first targeted Iraq as a ‘‘central front’’ in war on terror, the United States and olence in a futile attempt to intimidate the our War on Terror, clause nine notes: ‘‘the ter- its coalition partners will continue to United States.’’ rorists have declared Iraq to be a central front This clause is too sanitized. The hard truth support Iraq as only a part of the war in their war against all who oppose their ide- is the enemy has not tried to intimidate us. on terror. ology.’’ It omits any mention of the battle The enemy has tried to kill us and too often Later, clause fifteen asserts: ‘‘. . . the for Iraq’s difficulties and does not offer succeeded. The enemy does so because our United States and its Coalition partners will a comprehensive strategy on how to very existence as sovereign citizens of a free continue to support Iraq as part of the Global conquer them. It overlooks the fact our Republic constitutes a beacon of hope for all War on Terrorism.’’ troops’ return home hinges upon cre- who are—and all who yearn to be—free; thus, These clauses’ collective conundrum is this: ating Iraqi security forces and destroy- we are our enemy’s paramount obstacle to if, after we militarily deposed Hussein, the ter- ing the enemy’s insurgency. world dominion. rorist enemy now deems Iraq a central front in Next the third clause right asserts: ‘‘... it its ‘‘war against all those who oppose their b 1800 is essential to the security of the American ideology,’’ why do we now view Iraq as but Finally, this resolution calls the ter- people and to world security that the United ‘‘part of the Global War on Terror’’? Upon this rorists our adversary, not our enemy. States, together with its allies, take the battle critical question and its ramifications, the reso- Mr. Speaker, at the graduation I did to the terrorists and to those who provide lution is silent. not try to comfort Karen Davis by de- them assistance.’’ The resolution’s second lethal failing is claring her husband, Major Miles Agreed. But this clause must stress both a found, interestingly enough, in clause twelve, Davis, was in Iraq defending global philosophic principle and a strategic tenet. which offers hopeful news of how we, our Co- peace and security or enforcing United Philosophically, any state-sponsor of terror alition partners, and the Iraqis have: ‘‘... Nations resolutions. No, I thanked is a threat to the United States, because ter- scored impressive victories in Iraq, including Karen for her family’s sacrifice because rorism is an attack upon the self-evident, in- finding and killing the terrorist leader Abu Miles was in Iraq honoring his solemn alienable human rights to life, liberty and the Musab al-Zarqawi.’’ pledge to God and to us to support and pursuit of happiness. Well said. But nowhere does this resolution defend the Constitution of the United Strategically, this clause falters as an ob- explain the battle for Iraq’s past, present, and States against all enemies. lique and abashed defense of our Nation’s future difficulties, or proffer any concrete or So in this time of war when we ask sovereign right to preemptively eradicate ter- comprehensive strategy as to how U.S., Coali- the best of our troops and we ask the rorists and their state-sponsors before they kill tion, and Iraqi forces will confront and conquer

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4072 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 these challenges. One irony proves the point. We know their choice of the place: an tion by all the United Nations—military ac- My allotted time to speak on this amendment American outpost in the Pacific. tion and economic action. Already we have is under the section dedicated to Iraqi recon- We know their choice of the method: the established, as you know, unified command method of Hitler himself. struction. Yet nowhere in this resolution ap- of land, sea, and air forces in the south- Japan’s scheme of conquest goes back half western Pacific theater of war. There will be pears the word ‘‘reconstruction.’’ a century. It was not merely a policy of a continuation of conferences and consulta- The resolution’s final, and paramount, failing seeking living room—it was a plan which in- tions among military staffs, so that the occurs in clause thirteen, which assures us: cluded the subjugation of all the peoples in plans and operations of each will fit into the ‘‘. . . Iraqi security forces are, over time, tak- the Far East and in the islands of the Pa- general strategy designed to crush the ing over from the United States and Coalition cific, and the domination of that ocean by enemy. We shall not fight isolated wars— forces a growing proportion of independent Japanese military and naval control of the each nation going its own way. These twen- operations and increasingly lead the fight western coasts of North, Central, and South ty-six nations are united—not in spirit and against terror in Iraq.’’ America. determination alone, but in the broad con- This clause’s logic implies the enemy will re- The development of this ambitious con- duct of the war in all its phases. spiracy was marked by the war against main operationally active in Iraq when our mili- For the first time since the Japanese and China in 1894; the subsequent occupation of the Fascists and the Nazis started along tary leaves the battlefield. This implication Korea; the war against Russia in 1904; the il- their blood-stained course of conquest they stems from the incessant lack of emphasis ac- legal fortification of the mandated Pacific now face the fact that superior forces are as- corded the concomitant and equal pillar of the islands following 1920; the seizure of Man- sembling against them. Gone forever are the administration’s military strategy in Iraq. Spe- churia in 1931; and the invasion of China in days when the aggressors could attack and cifically, the time required to win and bring our 1937. destroy their victims one by one without troops home hinges upon creating Iraqi secu- A similar policy of criminal conquest was unity of resistance. We of the United Nations rity forces and destroying the enemy’s insur- adopted by Italy. The Fascists first revealed will so dispose our forces that we can strike their imperial designs in Libya and Tripoli. gency. Continuing to emphasize the creation at the common enemy wherever the greatest In 1935 they seized Abyssinia. Their goal was damage can be done him. of security forces while de-emphasizing the the domination of all North Africa, Egypt, The militarists of Berlin and Tokyo start- destruction of the terrorists’ insurgency, will parts of France, and the entire Mediterra- ed this war. But the massed, angered forces only lengthen the time required to accomplish nean world. of common humanity will finish it. the mission in Iraq and welcome our troops But the dreams of empire of the Japanese Destruction of the material and spiritual back. and Fascist leaders were modest in compari- centers of civilization—this has been and Mr. Speaker, my time grows short, so, in son with the gargantuan aspirations of Hit- still is the purpose of Hitler and his Italian conclusion, I will focus on the one word in the ler and his Nazis. Even before they came to and Japanese chessmen. They would wreck power in 1933, their plans for that conquest resolved clause which, in fact, inexplicably the power of the British Commonwealth and had been drawn. Those plans provided for ul- Russia and China and the Netherlands—and permeates the resolution; and, inexorably, pre- timate domination, not of anyone section of then combine all their forces to achieve cludes my support of this resolution. The of- the world, but of the whole earth and all the their ultimate goal, the conquest of the fending word is ‘‘adversary.’’ oceans on it. United States. Starkly and sanely understood, within Iraq When Hitler organized his Berlin-Rome- They know that victory for us means vic- and the overarching world War on Terror we Tokyo alliance, all these plans of conquest tory for freedom. do not have an adversary. We have an became a single plan. Under this, in addition They know that victory for us means vic- enemy. Thus, because words have meaning, to her own schemes of conquest, Japan’s role tory for the institution of democracy—the even if I could ignore the fact this resolution is was obviously to cut off our supply of weap- ideal of the family, the simple principles of ons of war to Britain and Russia and China— common decency and humanity. strategically nebulous, I will not overlook the weapons which increasingly were speeding They know that victory for us means vic- fact it lacks the moral clarity to call the terror- the day of Hitler’s doom. The act of Japan at tory for religion. ists our enemy. Pearl Harbor was intended to stun us—to And they could not tolerate that. The Mr. Speaker, at St. Edith’s eighth grade terrify us to such an extent that we would world is too small to provide adequate ‘‘liv- graduation, I did not try to comfort Karen by divert our industrial and military strength ing room’’ for both Hitler and God. In proof declaring her husband Major Miles Davis was to the Pacific area, or even to our own conti- of that, the Nazis have now announced their in Iraq defending global peace and security; I nental defense. plan for enforcing their new German, pagan did not try to comfort Karen by proclaiming The plan has failed in its purpose. We have religion all over the world—a plan by which Miles was in Iraq to enforce violated U.N. res- not been stunned. We have not been terrified the Holy Bible and the Cross of Mercy would or confused. This very reassembling of the be displaced by Mein Kampf and the swas- olutions; no, I thanked Karen for her family’s Seventy-seventh Congress today is proof of tika and the naked sword. sacrifice, because Miles was in Iraq honoring that; for the mood of quiet, grim resolution Our own objectives are clear; the objective his solemn pledge to God and to us to ‘‘sup- which here prevails bodes ill for those who of smashing the militarism imposed by war- port and defend the Constitution of the United conspired and collaborated to murder world lords upon their enslaved peoples—the objec- States against all enemies.’’ peace. tive of liberating the subjugated nations— Mr. Speaker, amidst an anguished era en- That mood is stronger than any mere de- the objective of establishing and securing nobled by our sacrifices in the unsought strug- sire for revenge. It expresses the will of the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, free- gle against a bloodthirsty enemy, we ask our American people to make very certain that dom from want, and freedom from fear ev- troops to do their best; we ask their families to the world will never so suffer again. erywhere in the world. Admittedly, we have been faced with hard We shall not stop short of these objectives, do their best; and we ask our fellow citizens choices. It was bitter, for example, not to be nor shall we be satisfied merely to gain them to do their best But we, in ‘‘the people’s able to relieve the heroic and historic de- and then call it a day. I know that I speak house,’’ have not done our best; and upon this fenders of Wake Island. It was bitter for us for the American people—and I have good resolution I will be voting ‘‘present.’’ not to be able to land a million men in a reason to believe that I speak also for all the I submit for the RECORD President Franklin thousand ships in the Philippine Islands. other peoples who fight with us—when I say Delano Roosevelt’s Ninth Annual Message to But this adds only to our determination to that this time we are determined not only to Congress, January 6, 1942. see to it that the Stars and Stripes will fly win the war, but also to maintain the secu- In fulfilling my duty to report upon the again over Wake and Guam. Yes, see to it rity of the peace that will follow.... state of the Union, I am proud to say to you that the brave people of the Philippines will The superiority of the United Nations in that the spirit of the American people was be rid of Japanese imperialism, and will live munitions and ships must be overwhelming— never higher than it is today—the Union was in freedom, security, and independence. so overwhelming that the Axis nations can never more closely knit together—this coun- Powerful and offensive actions must and never hope to catch up with it. And so, in try was never more deeply determined to will be taken in proper time. The consolida- order to attain this overwhelming superi- face the solemn tasks before it. tion of the United Nations’ total war effort ority the United States must build planes The response of the American people has against our common enemies is being and tanks and guns and ships to the utmost been instantaneous, and it will be sustained achieved. limit of our national capacity. We have the until our security is assured. That was and is the purpose of conferences ability and capacity to produce arms not Exactly one year ago today I said to this which have been held during the past two only for our own forces, but also for the ar- Congress: ‘‘When the dictators . . . are ready weeks in Washington and Moscow and mies, navies, and air forces fighting on our to make war upon us, they will not wait for Chungking. That is the primary objective of side. an act of war on our part . . . They—not the declaration of solidarity signed in Wash- And our overwhelming superiority of ar- we—will choose the time and the place and ington on January 1, 1942, by twenty-six na- mament must be adequate to put weapons of the method of their attack.’’ tions united against the Axis powers.... war at the proper time into the hands of We now know their choice of the time: a Plans have been laid here and in the other those men in the conquered nations who peaceful Sunday morning—December 7, 1941. capitals for coordinated and cooperative ac- stand ready to seize the first opportunity to

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4073 revolt against their German and Japanese American armed forces will help to protect that conflict. There never has been—there oppressors, and against the traitors in their this hemisphere—and also help to protect never can be—successful compromise be- own ranks, known by the already infamous bases outside this hemisphere, which could tween good and evil. Only total victory can name of Quislings. And I think that it is a be used for an attack on the Americas. reward the champions of tolerance, and de- fair prophecy to say that, as we get guns to If any of our enemies, from Europe or from cency, and freedom, and faith. the patriots in those lands, they too will fire Asia, attempt long-range raids by ‘‘suicide’’ Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield shots heard ’round the world. squadrons of bombing planes, they will do so 21⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from This production of ours in the United only in the hope of terrorizing our people States must be raised far above present lev- Massachusetts (Mr. MEEHAN). and disrupting our morale. Our people are Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank els, even though it will mean the dislocation not afraid of that. We know that we may of the lives and occupations of millions of have to pay a heavy price for freedom. We the gentleman for yielding and thank our own people. We must raise our sights all will pay this price with a will. Whatever the him for his leadership and for making along the production line. Let no man say it price, it is a thousand times worth it. No sure that our men and women in uni- cannot be done. It must be done—and we matter what our enemies, in their despera- form get everything that they need. have undertaken to do it. . . . tion, may attempt to do to us—we will say, This is an unfortunate day in the Our task is hard—our task is unprece- as the people of London have said, ‘‘We can House of Representatives, the people’s dented—and the time is short. We must take it.’’ And what’s more we can give it House, where Members of this body strain every existing armament-producing back—and we will give it back—with com- facility to the utmost. We must convert were told we could have a debate on pound interest. . . . Iraq. Surely it is time to have a discus- every available plant and tool to war produc- Many people ask, ‘‘When will this war tion. That goes all the way from the greatest end?’’ There is only one answer to that. It sion of our misguided policy in Iraq. plants to the smallest—from the huge auto- will end just as soon as we make it end, by But rather than give us a debate on mobile industry to the village machine shop. our combined efforts, our combined strength, Iraq, we see a resolution that comes Production for war is based on men and our combined determination to fight through from the Republican leadership that women—the human hands and brains which and work through until the end—the end of was drafted by political experts on collectively we call Labor. Our workers militarism in Germany and Italy and Japan. stand ready to work long hours; to turn out spin. Most certainly we shall not settle for less. We all support our troops. We merge more in a day’s work; to keep the wheels That is the spirit in which discussions have turning and the fires burning twenty-four the war on terror with the war in Af- been conducted during the visit of the Brit- ghanistan and the war in Iraq so that hours a day, and seven days a week. They re- ish prime minister to Washington. Mr. alize well that on the speed and efficiency of Churchill and I understand each other, our we can cloud the debate and make the their work depend the lives of their sons and motives, and our purposes. Together, during debate about whether and who supports their brothers on the fighting fronts. the past two weeks, we have faced squarely the troops. Production for war is based on metals and the major military and economic problems Surely we can do better than that. raw materials—steel, copper, rubber, alu- of this greatest world war. minum, zinc, tin. Greater and greater quan- 2,500 Americans have been killed; 19,000 All in our nation have been cheered by Mr. tities of them will have to be diverted to war brave men and women have been in- Churchill’s visit. We have been deeply stirred purposes: Civilian use of them will have to be jured. And there is no accountability by his great message to us. He is welcome in cut further and still further—and, in many on the part of this Congress to the mis- our midst, and we unite in wishing him a cases, completely eliminated. takes that have been made. War costs money. So far, we have hardly safe return to his home. For we are fighting on the same side with ‘‘They will welcome us when we get even begun to pay for it. We have devoted there.’’ We had a window of oppor- only 15 percent of our national income to na- the British people, who fought alone for tional defense. As will appear in my Budget long, terrible months, and withstood the tunity, and we missed it. We didn’t Message tomorrow, our war program for the enemy with fortitude and tenacity and skill. send enough troops in to secure the coming fiscal year will cost $56 billion or, in We are fighting on the same side with the peace in Iraq. General Shinseki warned other words, more than half of the estimated Russian people who have seen the Nazi us, and they ignored him and sent him annual national income. That means taxes hordes swarm up to the very gates of Mos- out to pasture. and bonds and bonds and taxes. It means cut- cow, and who with almost superhuman will We didn’t vet Saddam’s army so we ting luxuries and other nonessentials. In a and courage have forced the invaders back into retreat. could secure Baghdad. Mistake. Mis- word, it means an ‘‘all-out’’ war by indi- take. We have less oil production now vidual effort and family effort in a united We are fighting on the same side as the country. brave people of China—those millions who than we did when Saddam was in Only this all-out scale of production will for four and a half long years have withstood power. The Iraqi people have lost their hasten the ultimate all-out victory. Speed bombs and starvation and have whipped the opportunity. They have 3.9 hours of will count. Lost ground can always be re- invaders time and again in spite of the supe- electricity in Baghdad and we are talk- gained—lost time never. Speed will save rior Japanese equipment and arms. ing about things getting better? In a lives; speed will save this nation which is in Yes, we are fighting on the same side as the indomitable Dutch. time of war, this administration and peril; speed will save our freedom and our this Congress has an obligation to tell civilization—and slowness has never been an We are fighting on the same side as all the American characteristic. . . . other governments in exile, whom Hitler and the truth about what is happening in We cannot wage this war in a defensive all his armies and all his Gestapo have not Iraq. spirit. As our power and our resources are been able to conquer. We also have a responsibility to pro- fully mobilized, we shall carry the attack But we of the United Nations are not mak- vide the oversight so we correct mis- against the enemy—we shall hit him and hit ing all this sacrifice of human effort and takes, we get our troops into the back- him again wherever and whenever we can human lives to return to the kind of world ground because we are sitting ducks up we had after the last world war. reach him. there because we have an occupation We must keep him far from our shores, for We are fighting today for security, for we intend to bring this battle to him on his progress, and for peace, not only for our- that our own State Department polls own home grounds. selves but for all men, not only for one gen- say is unpopular by 85 to 90 percent of American armed forces must be used at eration but for all generations. Weare fight- the Iraqis. any place in all the world where it seems ad- ing to cleanse the world of ancient evils, an- I hear them talk about the terrorists visable to engage the forces of the enemy. In cient ills. and how we are fighting al Qaeda. Al some cases these operations will be defen- Our enemies are guided by brutal cynicism, Qaeda was not in Iraq until this Presi- sive, in order to protect key positions. In by unholy contempt for the human race. dent stood before the world and said, Weare inspired by a faith that goes back other cases, these operations will be offen- ‘‘Bring it on. Bring it on.’’ Well, they sive, in order to strike at the common through all the years to the first chapter of enemy, with a view to his complete encircle- the book of Genesis: ‘‘God created man in brought it on and now 10 percent of the ment and eventual total defeat. His own image.’’ insurgency are actually terrorists. American armed forces will operate at We on our side are striving to be true to When we leave Iraq, they will leave many points in the Far East. that divine heritage. We are fighting, as our Iraq. American armed forces will be on all the fathers have fought, to uphold the doctrine We ought to listen to what the State oceans—helping to guard the essential com- that all men are equal in the sight of God. Department told us in advance. We munications which are vital to the United Those on the other side are striving to de- should look at our own investigations Nations. stroy this deep belief and to create a world American land and air and sea forces will in their own image—a world of tyranny and and analysis by the State Department take stations in the British Isles—which con- cruelty and serfdom. that tell us we cannot win this war stitute an essential fortress in this great That is the conflict that day and night now militarily. You don’t beat an insur- world struggle. pervades our lives. No compromise can end gency with military conflict; you beat

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4074 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 an insurgency through making the about the other fallen heroes who paid and minds of the American people, not right planning decisions, by making the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. the Iraqi people, as to who is really the right decisions to give the Iraqis Whether it is Bill and Janet Norwood supporting the troops and who is really what they need to be upfront to keep or the wounded soldiers at Walter Reed willing to fight a war on terror. their own security in that country. Hospital or the soldiers I met with in This is nothing but a resolution con- You give the Iraqis what they need to Iraq, they all tell me the same thing, firming the existing administration make their own determination of what Congressman, finish the job. And finish policies. Whether you are a Democrat their future is. The time has come for the job we will. or Republican, you deserve the oppor- the United States to move into the I would like to close with a message tunity on the floor of the people’s background and bring our men and that Byron’s father gave to me to de- House to have a real debate, not a dis- women home. liver to this Chamber. Byron’s father cussion, not to echo sentiments, but to Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I said, ‘‘Byron understood the meaning have substantive words on the floor am pleased to yield 31⁄4 minutes to the of Semper Fidelis, always faithful, as that allow the American people to un- gentleman from Texas (Mr. MCCAUL), a do all marines who were there that day derstand what direction do we want to member of the International Relations in Fallujah. He willingly gave his life, take this country. Committee. and others were seriously and perma- Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I Mr. MCCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, nently wounded as they sacrificed for yield myself such time as I may con- September 11 changed our lives forever. their band of brothers and their coun- sume to clarify for the record that this But the war on terror started long be- try. He would never have traded honor resolution honors all those Americans fore that. The year 1979 changed the for political advantage.’’ who have taken an active part in the world. When Iran took our embassy Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield global war on terror, whether as first hostage, the seeds of Islamic jihad were 21⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from Ha- responders, protecting the homeland, spread all over the Middle East. waii (Mr. ABERCROMBIE). as servicemembers overseas, as dip- These seeds planted hatred and con- (Mr. ABERCROMBIE asked and was lomats and intelligence officers, and in tempt for freedom in the souls of men given permission to revise and extend other roles. like Osama bin Laden. In 1983, they his remarks.) And further, it honors the sacrifice of murdered our marines in Beirut. In Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I the United States Armed Forces and of 1993, Ramzi Yousef and his al Qaeda as- come to the floor to indicate to one partners in the coalition, and of the sociates bombed the World Trade Cen- and all who cannot be here today that Iraqis and Afghans who fight alongside ter. They were supposed to fall that our legislative hands are tied. We have them, especially those who have fallen day, but that day would come later. no opportunity, even though we plead- or have been wounded in the struggle, They struck the Khobar Towers in ed with the Rules Committee to give us and honors as well the sacrifices of 1996. They bombed our embassies in Af- an opportunity to be able to speak on their families and of others who risk rica. They defeated us in Somalia. And alternatives to this resolution. their lives to help defend freedom. This they deliberately attacked the USS You have heard that this resolution is a resolution to honor their sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 11⁄2 Cole. is in support of the troops. It is not. minutes to the gentlewoman from Each time we failed to respond. And You have heard that this resolution is Florida (Ms. HARRIS), a member of the then came September 11. It was as if in support of the war on terrorism. It is House International Relations Com- the United States was a sleeping giant. not. And I will tell you why it is not, mittees. And not until the bloodiest alarm of 9/ and I will tell you why we have to have Ms. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in 11 did the giant finally awake. America an alternative and why we need to vote support of this strong, proactive de- cannot afford to go back to sleep again. ‘‘no’’ on this resolution, because it fense of our liberties and freedoms We are fighting this war in distant doesn’t support the troops, and it does from the preying forces of Islamic radi- lands, and we are winning. Our struggle not support the war on terrorism. cals in their jihad against the core val- in Iraq and Afghanistan is the great The people in this resolution that are ues of our Western Civilization. stand in this war on terror. The terror- referred to, the honored sacrifice that We did not choose this war. They ists are there. Zarqawi was there be- has been made by the Armed Forces of picked the fight. The events of Sep- fore, and we are there. And if we fail, the United States, is supposedly on be- tember 11 represented the final mo- the terrorists will prevail just as they half of somebody called Prime Minister ment of spending our days as bystand- have over the last 30 years. Nouri al Maliki, a man who today said ers. Behind me is a picture of Sergeant he was going to engage in conversa- Mr. Speaker, this debate is not about Byron Norwood taken moments before tions with terrorists who have mur- the choices which precipitated the war he died for his country in this global dered Americans to give them am- in Iraq. The choice we face today, and war on terror. In Fallujah, Sergeant nesty. This is the amnesty resolution. Americans will face in November, is be- Norwood helped save seven of his fellow To vote for this resolution is to vote tween two visions: full commitment to marines in a gun battle with insur- for those who support amnesty for protect our Nation and prosecute the gents and gave his own life in the proc- those who kill American troops. This is global war against terrorists, or com- ess. Simply put, Byron was a hero. the government we are supposed to be plete surrender to Islamic extremists His story reminds me of the Bible standing up and defending, the very who want to destroy us. There is no verse found in the Gospel of John: freedom that gives that prime minister middle ground. ‘‘Greater love hath no man than this, the possibility of speaking to the ter- Without maintaining pressure upon that a man lay down his life for his rorists has been won by the blood and this global war, we face the grave risk friends.’’ sacrifice of American troops. This is of producing homegrown terrorism. Some say we should retreat in this the amnesty bill. This is the amnesty These radical Islamists would rather war on terror, but to them I say to cut resolution. take their fight to our streets, our and run now would not only be an in- There are people on this floor who communities, our neighborhoods. sult to those waging this liberating will not grant amnesty to people who The necessity of a proactive, robust battle but a dishonor to those like cut their lawns, who wash the dishes in strategy recently was reiterated by an Byron who made the ultimate sacrifice the restaurants they eat in; but they ally too well-acquainted with the because few causes are as worthy, few are willing to vote for a resolution that threat posed by radicalized forces. prices are as great. says that they support a government British Prime Minister Tony Blair I received a letter from Byron’s that is willing to give amnesty to peo- said: ‘‘We have to act, not react; we mother expressing her concern that the ple who murder the men and women of have to do so on the basis of prediction, American people would soon forget the Armed Forces of the United States. not certainty; and such an action will about Byron and his sacrifice for free- I am not going to do that. And if you often, usually indeed, be outside our dom. To Janet and all of the other Gold disagree with that interpretation, give own territory.’’ Star Mothers, I say we will never for- me the right to put it on the floor for America has acted. Our troops have get Byron, and we will never forget a vote and let’s see who wins the hearts responded honorably and successfully.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4075 Are we safe for today? Absolutely. that is free, where they can walk down around the world? How are we going to Should we cut and run from Iraq? the street without the fear of being make our troops safer? Never. blown up. Those are the kinds of discussions we As Winston Churchill said: ‘‘We shall This is about the faces of families should be having. But what are we not fail or falter; we shall not weaken who are concerned about whether we doing? We are rehashing the past. We or tire. Neither the sudden shock of are going to do everything we need to are talking about the 1990s. We are battle nor the long-drawn trial of vigi- do to make sure our soldiers, sailors talking about the war resolution. Let lance and exertion will wear us down. and airmen have everything they need us look ahead. How are we going to Give us the tools and we will finish the in this fight. prevail? How are we going to keep this job.’’ This is about the faces of the enemy, commitment to the completion of this Mr. SKELTON. I yield 2 minutes to cold blooded murderers with red eyes mission? the gentleman from Texas (Mr. REYES). who have only one mission in life, Specifically, I think we need to do far Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the death or victory. better oversight. I am a member of the gentleman for yielding me this time. And this is about the faces of sol- House Arms Services Committee. We This afternoon, regrettably, we are diers, dirty, tired, hungry, scared are abysmal in our oversight, abysmal. talking about the cost of this war, the sometimes, but soldiers with a resolute Years ago when the Republicans took cost of the commitment of the Amer- mission, a mission of victory. over, and maybe it was a good move at ican people: the cost in money, and the Mr. Speaker, every day I thank God that time, the Subcommittee on Over- cost in lives, over 2,500 to date; the cost that we have men and women world- sight and Investigations was elimi- in wounded, over 18,000, with very little wide willing to do something bigger nated. It has not worked to do that. I see friends over here. Ladies and or no oversight, very little or no ac- than any of us here today, willing to gentlemen, we need to bring back the countability, and certainly very little fight for freedom and justice and to Subcommittee on Oversight and Inves- or no shared sacrifice in this country. keep America safe and strong. Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield tigations so we can ask these kind of b 1815 questions. How are we going to do the 21⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from Ar- This resolution that we are dis- kansas (Mr. SNYDER). things? How are we going to achieve cussing, because it is not even a de- Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, this reso- this pep talk that is going to be voted bate, is more about politics than about lution contains phrases such as ‘‘we on today or tomorrow? practical solutions. Anyone that will prevail,’’ words like ‘‘determina- Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I doubts that, all you have got to do is tion,’’ ‘‘resolve,’’ ‘‘we are committed to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from read the article in today’s paper that the completion of the mission.’’ It is a Texas (Mr. POE), a member of the sets out the political strategy by the good, well written pep talk. But where International Relations Committee, majority leader in terms of this resolu- is the discussion of how? who has traveled to Iraq, has met with our U.S. coalition, and Iraqi troops. tion. As Mr. GILCHREST, our colleague Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I went to Iraq Oversight, oversight, oversight. from Maryland and a decorated Viet- in 2005. I was one of two Members of Where was our armor, both body armor nam war veteran said, where is the ur- this Congress to view the first free and vehicle armor? What was our plan gency in figuring out how we are going elections in their history, and I post ‘‘Mission Accomplished’’ press to do those things? watched in awe and admiration as conference? Where were we during the We should be having a debate and a more than 8 million people went to the issue of Abu Ghraib rendition and so discussion on how we will prevail, not polls and elected a government. Men many other things that have come up? just that want to prevail. and women, young and old, coura- In fact, last night I went home and I Specifically, how are we going to geously cast their ballots in the face of switched on the TV and I just hap- equip a very poorly equipped Iraqi the violent terrorists. pened, by chance, to catch the program army? How are we going to set up a I spoke to many Iraqis and they on HBO, Last Letters Home: The Fami- system of support and supply and re- showed great defiance against those lies. And it occurs to me this afternoon pair for the Iraqi army? How are we outlaws that wished to disrupt those that we owe those families from that going to ensure that more Iraqis are elections. Despite facing 300 attacks HBO program, and the 2,500 other fami- employed and develop the economy? across the nation that day, more than lies, an apology, because they have How are we going to increase elec- 60 percent of the Iraqis went out to made the sacrifice. They understand tricity production, which is below pre- vote. Not even 44 murders by the ter- the cost of this war. And they must be war levels? How are we going to in- rorists could remove the resolve of wondering where the accountability crease access to potable water and those people. and where the oversight is. We need to sanitation, which is below prewar lev- Men and women waited in line to apologize to them and to the American els? How are we going to increase oil cast their vote. They took the historic people for not doing our job. production and the oil production sec- ballots, entered a cardboard booth and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I tor, which is below prewar levels? How made their choice. With that simple yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from are we going to finish putting together but noble action, they pushed tyrants South Carolina (Mr. BARRETT), who has the provincial reconstruction teams? and terrorists aside and set Iraq on a traveled to Iraq and has witnessed the How are we going to increase and im- path to freedom. Then they marched progress firsthand. prove the training of police? How are down the street holding their ink Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. we going to help create and improve stained finger up high in defiance of Mr. Speaker, we have talked about local courts and the judicial system? those terrorists. facts and figures tonight. We have How are we going to improve the refin- I talked to Iraqis. And I talked to a talked about whether we have got the ing capacity? Iraq is an importer of woman who came up to me with tears right number of forces and how much gasoline. How are we going to improve in her eyes after she voted and said money we are spending. But we can the accountability for contractors? how grateful she and her family were talk about facts and figures all the That means how are we going to quit for the America that we live in, for giv- time. This is more than that. wasting billions of U.S. tax dollars? ing their sons for her family’s freedom. This is about faces. This is about How are we going to find more allies to She went on to relate to me how her faces in the fight on global terror. This share in this burden? How are we going husband and her brother had been mur- is about the faces of leaders like Maliki to keep our Army, our military from dered by the devil of the desert, Sad- and Karzai, guys that are worried breaking down? How are we going to dam Hussein. whether the United States is going to strengthen our Reserve component, our There have been more successful keep its pledge and its word to be with blessed Guard and Reserve people? How elections since the first, and the skep- them to the bitter end. are we going to preserve our all volun- tics and the critics get it wrong with This is about the faces of citizens teer Army? How are we going to in- each new free and successful election. who want to raise their families, who crease our public diplomacy, so that Democracy is the enemy of terror- want to live and worship in a country people will quit hating America all ists. They hate democracies as much as

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4076 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 they hate the human life of the inno- Those questions are not answered. spections. And that is what makes it all the cents that they murder. Unless we in this House are willing to more frustrating that the President misused We cannot give in to these madmen. step up and put policy forward, we that authority by rushing to war and commit- The insurgents have discovered that shouldn’t say that this is a debate ting so many grave and costly mistakes in the United States and her allies cannot about the future of Iraq. It is not. We Iraq. be defeated on the battlefield. They have many hard questions that need to So no, Mr. Speaker, this is not a real de- have also found that the steely resolve be answered. This resolution does not bate. A real debate would allow us to consider of the Iraqi people to create a free and do that. the important questions in Iraq: Can we afford fair and inclusive government cannot And the second dangerous trend is to make an open-ended commitment to stay- be broken. Liberty and freedom are the pattern of the President and the ing in Iraq? Has our troop presence there overcoming treachery and tyranny and majority in this Congress to say any- reached the point where it is inhibiting a suc- violence. We will not fear nor flee nor one who disagrees with them is some- cessful transition to full Iraqi sovereignty? Can flinch in this absolute resolve. how unpatriotic and defeatist, which to our strained military and ballooning national And our mission statement was stat- my mind means that we all need a re- deficit handle it? ed 40 years ago by President John F. fresher course on why democracy is im- How can we accelerate the transition to Kennedy when he said, ‘‘Let every na- portant. We are all very good at saying Iraqi sovereignty and responsibility for their tion know, whether it wishes us well or that it is important. It is important so own country? How best can we engage in ill, that we will pay any price, bear any that we hear all the voices, not just more robust diplomacy with our allies and key burden, meet any hardship, support those who disagree with us. That way regional players who can help bolster the new any friend, oppose any foe in order to we can learn from our mistakes, which Iraqi government and contribute to its recon- assure the survival and success of lib- we desperately need to do in Iraq. struction? erty.’’ Mr. Speaker, I rise in disappointment— How can we improve Congressional over- And that’s just the way it is. though I must say, not in surprise—about the sight so that we can identify and rectify the Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I take exercise the House is engaged in today. This enormous mistakes the administration has this opportunity, in light of the gen- is not a true debate about our policy in Iraq. made in Iraq? tleman from Arkansas’ comments, Dr. A real debate on Iraq would allow us to con- These are the questions we should be de- Snyder, to remind the body, Mr. Speak- sider alternative proposals and vote on mean- bating, Mr. Speaker, because they directly af- er, that it was the Investigation Sub- fect our ability to achieve success in Iraq. We committee of the Armed Services Com- ingful amendments that could help us improve owe it to our brave men and women in uni- mittee that produced the all important the very difficult situation there. Instead we form and to the American people to ask these legislation we now call Goldwater- have before us an un-amendable, rhetorical questions. But instead, we have a resolution Nickels, which brought about jointness document about the war on terrorism that before us today that is basically irrelevant within the armed services. barely focuses on Iraq itself, and certainly And I also might mention that all 29 doesn’t deal with the real challenges we face when it comes to the real issues in Iraq. It Democrats sent a letter to the chair- there. This process is an offense to our de- says, essentially, that we support fighting ter- man of the Armed Services Committee, mocracy. rorism and that we are committed to achieving from which we have not received an an- What is even more troubling, Mr. Speaker, success in Iraq. I agree with that, but that swer, recommending and asking that is that this kind of undemocratic approach is doesn’t say anything about how we get there. the Investigations Or Oversight Sub- precisely what led to the Bush administration’s That is the important question. committee be reestablished. many costly mistakes in Iraq. Americans have Mr. Speaker, today Congress is continuing to utterly abdicate its oversight responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to seen how the administration’s stubborn single- the gentleman from Washington (Mr. mindedness and refusal to consider alternative Since the outbreak of war, this Congress has SMITH). views and dissenting opinions have cost us done little more than endorse the administra- (Mr. SMITH of Washington asked and dearly in Iraq. The facts are all-too-well- tion’s policy in Iraq, instead of asking the was given permission to revise and ex- known: tough questions and scrutinizing that policy, as tend his remarks.) When General Shinseki said that far more the Constitution requires us to do. Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. troops would be needed to secure the peace Mr. Speaker, I hope, despite this Congress’ Speaker, this debate on this resolution, in Iraq, he was ignored and soon retired—and refusal to conduct oversight, that we can be and the resolution itself, continues two the result was that the troops we did send honest today as we look ahead in Iraq. We all very dangerous patterns that have sort struggled unnecessarily to prevent and control want to see an Iraq that is stable, secure, and of governed all of our actions in Iraq a massive insurgency. free. Our troops are doing an outstanding job, for far, far too long. When advisors warned the administration and they deserve our full support and respect. First of all, there are no specifics, as not to de-Baathify and disband the Iraqi mili- But the fact is that success or failure in Iraq Congressman SNYDER said quite tary and security forces, they were ignored. As increasingly depends on the decisions of Iraqi articulately, as to how we are going to Prime Minister Tony Blair has publicly admit- leaders, and they must understand that. In achieve this victory. ted, this was a grave mistake that effectively order to achieve success in Iraq we must ac- When this debate was billed, we were pushed thousands of military-trained, celerate the transition to Iraqi sovereignty. told this was going to be the floor of disempowered Sunnis into the streets, fueling I believe that significantly reducing our mili- the House, the People’s House talking the post-war insurgency. tary footprint is critical for making that happen. about how to deal with the very tough And the administration’s refusal to heed dis- While we cannot simply abandon Iraq at this challenges that now present them- senting views on Iraq continues to this day. point, drawing down our forces levels in a re- selves in Iraq. Even the President ad- Now that the Special Inspector General for sponsible way in the coming months will force mits that things have not gone the way Iraq Reconstruction has brought to light mas- the Iraqis to take greater responsibility for their we had planned, and we need to step up sive amounts of waste, fraud, and abuse in own security and reduce their dependence on and figure out how to fix the problems. the reconstruction contracting, I understand U.S. forces. It will also send an important And yet, this resolution doesn’t say a that the administration and the Republicans in message to the Iraqi people that Americans thing about that. It says, terrorism is Congress are trying to prematurely end his are not there to occupy the country, but rather bad, our troops are good, and we want mandate. seek to begin leaving as Iraqis take control of to win. This is a clear pattern, Mr. Speaker, and the their own country. This House is failing in its mission consequences of this arrogant, undemocratic Finally, Mr. Speaker, as we move forward in with such an open statement that does approach are real. It has cost us dearly in Iraq, both the future and the past matter. We not get at the how of winning. How are American lives and resources, undermined our must make the best of a difficult situation by we going to deal with an open-ended efforts to build peace and stability in Iraq, and working diligently to help Iraqis take full re- commitment to Iraq? How are we going delayed our departure from the country. sponsibility for running their country so that to pay the price for that? Is it even in Mr. Speaker, I supported the use-of-force our overburdened troops can come home. And the best interest of our goal of a stable authorization in October 2002 in order to give we must do so in a manner that does not give and peaceful Iraq to say that our the President the leverage to hold Saddam the violent Islamic terrorists in the world any troops will stay there for as long as is Hussein accountable for his threatening be- greater strength. Yet we must also be willing necessary? havior and refusal to submit to weapons in- to acknowledge and learn from our mistakes

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4077 so that we can chart a new path forward. That b 1830 The reins are being transferred. Patience. requires holding the Bush administration and Our impatience to leave is matched Hope. Perseverance. Our children will inherit a this rubber-stamp Congress accountable for by their impatience to take the reins of safer world as a consequence of our success. their failures.’’ their destiny. The reins are being Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, transferred. Patience, hope, persever- yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from before I yield to the gentlewoman from ance. Our children will inherit a safer Louisiana (Mr. BOUSTANY). Connecticut, I would like to give my- world. Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I come self such time right now as I might My heartfelt gratitude for those who to the floor today to commend our consume. have given their lives to our Nation, friends, the Iraqi people, for their suc- We have a strategy, and it is a strat- and for their families. cess in forming a unity government egy for success, Mr. Speaker. Every America salutes you. and, most importantly, to send a mes- day in Iraq and in Afghanistan is proof I have a picture on my desk and letters in sage that the United States does not positive that we are making progress my files from families of talented young men back down from its commitments. and that we will prevail. and women killed in Iraq. I am proud of their Six months ago I visited Iraq fol- My colleagues on the other side of commitment to our country of their service of lowing their national elections which the aisle say we need to have a debate the values they held dear. But I am unendingly set up a truly representative and on how to win. And I would point them sad—for the sacrifice they and their families united government. Since then, the to the Intelligence, to the Armed Serv- have had to make. Iraqi Government has made significant ices Committee, our own International Let us be clear—terrorism as a method of advances. Just last week we saw the Relations Committee, the countless achieving political goals and settling political completion of the prime minister’s cab- hearings and meetings we have held to differences is intolerable to the civilized world. inet, most notably the key positions of Terrorism maximizes the killing of the inno- address the issues that have been the ministers of defense and interior. It cent. Terrorism glorifies the brutality of torture raised here. And while I will let Armed is important for the new Iraqi Govern- and murder. Terrorism knows no diplomats Services discuss their oversight, I ment to fully understand our level of and rejects negotiations as a means of resolv- would like to read just briefly some of commitment to them during this time ing differences. of transition. the sessions held by our International In our world, weapons of mass destruc- Relations Committee on Oversight. Let it never be said that the United tion—chemical, biological, and nuclear—will States backed away from its commit- Full committee hearings in the 109th be increasingly available to terrorist organiza- ment to peace, security, and stability Congress, in the 108th Congress, full tions espousing terrorism as a means of polit- of this region. committee Members only meeting, sub- ical action. A half century ago, Winston Church- committee hearings in the 109th Con- That is unprecedented. Never has a non-na- ill addressed this body to urge the gress, subcommittee hearings in the tion organization been able to deliver weapons United States to not lose patience and 108th Congress, classified briefings in of mass destruction. That is unprecedented, not lose hope in our commitment to re- the 108th and 109th Congresses, as well unacceptable and intolerable. build a stronger, united Europe fol- as a total of 9 resolutions of inquiry on Yet terrorism as an organized system of po- lowing World War II facing the specter Iraq referred to our committee. litical action has developed to new heights in of communism. Mr. Speaker, Church- the Middle East and it is there that it must be Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the ill’s words still ring true today. From defeated. gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. the Berlin Airlift to the rebuilding of JOHNSON). Within the Palestinian Authority, for the first time, the issue of terrorism as a method of po- Japan, from the DMZ in Korea to the Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. mountains of Afghanistan, and now to Speaker, let us be clear. Terrorism, as litical action is now the issue between Mr. Abbas and the Prime Minister. Very specifi- the streets of Baghdad, the world has a method of achieving political goals come to learn that America does not and settling political differences, is in- cally, they are debating not the legitimacy of a national army or diplomacy, but the legitimacy back down from its commitments. tolerable to the civilized world. Inevi- Today we affirm our commitment tably, terrorists will gain access to of political armies, factional armies and ter- rorist action—that is, violence ungoverned by not only to the Iraqi people but to the chemical, biological and even nuclear cause of liberty throughout the world. weapons. Never has a non-government national interest or law. And in Iraq, the same issue is being joined. Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield organization been able to deliver weap- 1 1 ⁄2 minutes to the gentlewoman from ons of mass destruction. That will be The new Prime Minister recognizes that there can be no government if political organizations California (Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ). unprecedented, and it is truly intoler- Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of Cali- able. So terrorism, as an organized sys- (even if reflecting religious and ethnic dif- ferences) are to each have their own armies fornia. Mr. Speaker, as a member of tem of political action, must be de- the Armed Services Committee, I rise feated. governed only by the unlimited rights of terror- ists to kill others and terrorize those committed today to give voice to a few of those Within the Palestinian Authority, for to public service. outside views about Iraq, those of sev- the first time, the issue of terrorism as Iraqis had the courage to vote to adopt an eral former general officers who have a means of political action is now the interim government, to adopt a constitution, the courage to speak out about how issue between Mr. Abbas and the Prime and to elect their first democratic government. this war has been mishandled by the Minister. And in Iraq, the same issue is The prime minister, as well as communities President and this Republican Con- being joined. The new Prime Minister throughout Iraq, get it, that governing them- gress. recognizes that there can be no govern- selves is what they want, and they are in vary- Take, for example, General Anthony ment if political organizations are to ing degrees. Zinni, former commander of the U.S. each have their own armies. We as a people know the power of freedom Central Command. He says, ‘‘We are Iraqis had the courage to vote for the under law. And our forces have distinguished paying the price for the lack of cred- adoption of an interim government, for themselves in Iraq, both as skilled military ible planning, or the lack of a plan. Ten a constitution, for a permanent govern- units and as model citizens respecting others years’ worth of planning were thrown ment, and the Prime Minister, as well and supporting and encouraging the local away, troop levels dismissed out of as communities throughout Iraq, get processes of governance. hand . . . these were strategic mis- it, that governing themselves is what I salute our men and women of the U.S. takes, mistake of policy.’’ they want. military. They have won the war we had to win Or how about Major General Paul Our forces have distinguished them- and are now training thousands of Iraqis and Eaton, who led the initial effort to cre- selves in Iraq, both as skilled military transferring authority to Iraqi units, to win the ate the Iraqi Army. He says that the units and model citizens, and I salute war only they can win. ‘‘failure to build coalitions with our al- them. They have won the war we had Ultimately, the Iraqi units will defeat ter- lies . . . has imposed far greater de- to win, and are now training thousands rorism as a method of political action and the mands and risks on our soldiers in Iraq of Iraqis and transferring authorities people all over the world will triumph. Our im- than necessary.’’ to Iraqi units to win the war only they patience to leave is matched by their impa- The list goes on and on. These gen- can win. tience to take the reins of their destiny. erals have served our country with

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4078 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 honor and distinction, and we would be date for withdrawal until our mission braced it. The citizens of these nations foolish not to heed their counsel. But is complete. House Resolution 861 have demonstrated their intense desire this administration and this majority makes it clear that the American peo- for freedom through their willingness refuse to listen to any views other than ple are determined to prevail in Iraq to face down threats of violence and their own. and other fronts to protect our freedom death in casting their votes in numer- I agree with many of my colleagues and defeat terrorist enemies. To ous national elections in both coun- who say that the failure in Iraq is not achieve this goal, we must remain en- tries. an option. But unless we take a long, gaged, patient, and persistent. The global war on terrorism in the honest look at how we got where we Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 broad sense and the specific battles in are right now and demand some kind of minute to the gentlewoman from Cali- Iraq and Afghanistan will not be won accountability for the mistakes that fornia (Mrs. DAVIS). according to a specified timetable, and were made and learn from those mis- Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speak- our enemy cannot be appeased. But we takes, there can be no success. er, our men and women in uniform can and we will win this war because Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have shouldered the enormous tasks we our cause is just and right. And win- yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from have asked of them; and they should be ning this war will ensure that the Kentucky (Mr. LEWIS). commended for it, especially consid- democratic gains made in Iraq and Af- (Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky asked and ering the careless way this war was ghanistan are not lost. was given permission to revise and ex- planned and conducted. The security of our Nation and its tend his remarks.) Our soldiers would never complain citizens, along with the defense of the Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speak- about the mistakes of their Com- ideals of freedom, democracy, and jus- er, I rise today to voice my strong sup- mander in Chief. The military just does tice, is what is at stake in this global port for House Resolution 861. not work that way. We all know that. struggle of good over evil. This strug- Answering questions at a September Without any second guessing, they will 27 Pentagon press conference, former gle requires us to go beyond Democrat always do the jobs assigned to them. chairman of the , and Republican, liberal and conserv- But we are the Congress. It is our job General Richard Myers, said, ‘‘If we are ative, just as previous generations did to raise questions about how our troops not successful in the global war on ter- to defeat the totalitarian ideologies of are used and cared for. It is our job to rorism, then our way of life is, indeed, the 20th century. And in the words of identify and to look into mistakes that at stake. My view is, if terrorism wins President Roosevelt at the beginning of are made by the executive branch. It is in Iraq, the next 9/11 is right around World War II, it means going forward our job to consider and learn from the the corner. It’s just that simple,’’ he with ‘‘confidence in our Armed Forces, said. lessons of Iraq. But what have we with the unbounding determination of This is the sober reality we face. Our learned today? Recycling words and we our people’’ in order to ‘‘gain the inevi- safety at home and the cause of free- are not fixing problems. table triumph.’’ dom abroad is largely contingent upon This resolution, Mr. Speaker, just May God watch over our troops serv- our success in Iraq. Our enemies would does not cut it. Our soldiers are doing ing in harm’s way, and may God con- like nothing better than to seize upon their jobs. They have earned and de- tinue to bless our great Nation, the the unrest in Iraq, drive coalition serve a Congress that does its job. United States of America. forces away, and take refuge in another Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Res- autocratic regime like the former am so pleased to yield 2 minutes to the olution 861 and ask unanimous consent to re- Taliban and Baathist Parties, from gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. vise and extend my remarks. which they could have greater where- PLATTS), who has been to Iraq four The debate we are having today serves as withal to kill Americans and our allies. times, to Afghanistan twice, and I had an important reminder to all Americans that We must fight and win the battle the honor of traveling to both places we are a nation at war. This war is against an against terror overseas so we never with him as well. enemy that embraces hate and intolerance have to fight it here at home. (Mr. PLATTS asked and was given over life and liberty. Like other wars in our his- As we have moved to restore order permission to revise and extend his re- tory, the human and financial costs are high. and stability to the region, our tem- marks.) We mourn the loss of each and every Amer- porary presence has drawn thousands Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in ican who has made the ultimate sacrifice in of al Qaeda disciples to Iraq to cap- support of House Resolution 861. defense of our nation. All Americans are for- italize on what began as a small and The debate we are having today ever indebted to these courageous citizens anticipated homegrown insurgency by serves as an important reminder to all and their families. Saddam Hussein’s fiercest loyalists. Americans that we are a nation at war. It is understandable that Americans worry Now Iraq is al Qaeda’s center of grav- This war is against an enemy that em- for the safety of our troops and have doubts ity, and we must do all that we can to braces hate and intolerance over lib- as reports of suicide bombings and other at- secure and stabilize Iraq and its prom- erty and justice. Like other wars in our tacks air regularly on television. But, as in the ising new government, defeating agents history, the human and financial costs war against fascism in the 20th century, and of terror on fronts abroad so they never are high. We mourn the loss of each as demonstrated by the tragic attacks of 9–11, again strike us here at home. and every American who has made the the stakes for our nation and our democratic We must also remember that it is not ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Na- allies throughout the world could not be high- a war of our choosing. al Qaeda de- tion. All Americans are forever in- er. clared war against the United States debted to these courageous citizens and I have traveled to Afghanistan twice and more than a decade ago and launched their families. Iraq four times over the past four and one-half tactical strikes against Americans and It is understandable that Americans years. During these visits, there have been our interests throughout the 1990s. worry for the safety of our troops and two constants that have instilled confidence in Whether or not Iraq was directly in- have doubts as reports of suicide bomb- me about our mission and progress in these volved in the September 11, 2001, at- ings and other attacks air regularly on countries. tacks on the United States, our oper- television. But as in the war against First is the professionalism, courage, and ations in that nation have become a fascism in the 20th century and as dem- sense of duty displayed by our men and war against terrorists who have al- onstrated by the tragic attacks of 9/11, women in uniform. Whenever you thank our ready attacked this country. the stakes for our Nation and our soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen for their It is essential to the security of the democratic allies throughout the world service, they humbly reply, ‘‘I’m just doing my American people and to the world’s se- could not be higher. job.’’ curity that the United States together In place of the regimes of terror and Their job, of course, is to protect our way of with its allies take the battle to the torture in Iraq and Afghanistan, we life. To protect the lives of our nation’s citizens terrorists and to those who provide now have duly elected constitutional and the principles for which our great nation them assistance. governments, governments that are stands. Therefore, I do not believe it is in our working to promote democracy in a re- Our troops have removed truly brutal re- national interest to arbitrarily set a gion of the world that has rarely em- gimes from power in Afghanistan and Iraq.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4079 They have denied terrorists two safe havens. On my most recent trip to Iraq, I observed Speaker, I will tell you one thing. It is They have eliminated the threat that a mur- and met with Iraqi soldiers undergoing basic not in the resolution that we are debat- derous dictator who used weapons of mass training. There are now over 260,000 Iraqis ing today. The Republican leadership destruction on his own people—a dictator who trained and equipped to fight the insurgency. prefers to embrace the status quo and continued to defy United Nations resolutions Iraqis like those I met with at the East Fallujah ignore the very difficult decisions this and shoot at American planes enforcing the training camp continue to stand in line and Congress needs to make. no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq— volunteer for service in Iraqi military and police We deserve better. Our men and would again produce and brandish such weap- units, even though they know that said service women in uniform deserve better, and ons once international support for sanctions makes them a likely target for the insurgents. the American people deserve better. broke down. The Iraqi soldiers I met expressed their deep Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I Our men and women in uniform are building thanks for what our troops have done in their yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman schools and roads, training police and sol- country. from Michigan (Mrs. MILLER). diers, and hunting down terrorists. They are The Global War on Terrorism in the broad Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. fighting al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Iraq so sense and the specific battles in Iraq and Af- Speaker, this resolution declares to the we don’t have to fight them here at home. ghanistan will not be won according to a spec- world the resolve of America to fight They are helping the Iraqi security forces ified timetable, and our enemy cannot be ap- and to win the global war on terror, in- stand up so we can stand down. peased. But we can and will win this war be- cluding in its central front in Iraq. We have heard a great deal during In place of the regimes of terror and torture cause our cause is just and right. And winning this debate about mistakes that may in Iraq and Afghanistan, we now have duly this war will ensure the democratic gains have been made in the lead up to the elected constitutional governments. Govern- made in Afghanistan and Iraq are not lost. war and during its execution, and they ments that are working to promote democracy Winning this war will also have a far-reaching may be somewhat correct. in a region of the world that has rarely em- and critically important impact in other Middle But the facts that cannot be debated braced it. The citizens of these nations have East countries. are that Saddam Hussein had brutally demonstrated their intense desire for freedom The security of our nation and its citizens, repressed his own people, that he had through their willingness to face down threats along with the defense of the ideals of free- used chemical weapons against his own of violence and death in casting their votes in dom, democracy, and justice, is what is at people, that he had sanctioned the rape numerous national elections in both countries. stake in this global struggle of good over evil. and murder of his own citizens with The devotion to duty of our men and women This struggle requires us to go beyond Demo- rape rooms and mass graves standing in uniform is truly inspiring. The sacrifices of crat and Republican, Liberal and Conserv- as a testament to that fact, that he had these patriotic Americans on the front lines of ative—just as previous generations did to de- harbored terrorists within his borders the Global War on Terrorism, as well as the feat the totalitarian ideologies of the 20th cen- and supported terrorist organizations sacrifices of their family members on the tury. And, in the words of President Franklin throughout the region and the entire home front, have earned the respect, admira- D. Roosevelt at the beginning of the Second world, that he defied the world contin- tion, and eternal gratitude of all Americans, as World War, it means going forward, ‘‘with con- ually by violating 17 United Nations well as that of 50 million Afghani and Iraqi citi- fidence in our armed forces, with the Security Council resolutions. Saddam zens who are free today because of the unbounding determination of our people,’’ in Hussein was a threat to world peace troops’ successes. order to ‘‘gain the inevitable triumph.’’ and security, and it was a correct deci- The second constant in my visits to Afghani- May God watch over our troops serving in sion to go in and remove him from stan and Iraq is the genuine gratefulness ex- harm’s way, and may God continue to bless power. pressed by the Iraqi and Afghani people for our great nation—the United States of Amer- And now we must complete the mis- our nation’s actions in liberating them and giv- ica. sion to bring freedom to the Iraqi peo- ing them a chance at freedom. Again and Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield ple. And freedom is taking root. We again, what I heard was simply: ‘‘Thank you 11⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from have seen recently the completion of for liberating our citizens.’’ Rhode Island (Mr. LANGEVIN). the freely elected Iraqi unity govern- On my first visit to Iraq, I met with the (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given ment serving under a Constitution Mayor of Kirkuk, Abdul Rehman Mustafa, and permission to revise and extend his re- written by the Iraqi people and ap- other Kirkuk city leaders. Mayor Mustafa spe- marks.) proved by the Iraqi people. And last cifically asked my colleagues and me, upon Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, as a week American forces, with the co- our return home, to thank our nation’s mothers member of the House Armed Services operation of Iraqi citizens and security and fathers for their willingness to support Committee, I know that it is forces, eliminated al Zarqawi, the ter- their children, our troops, in going into harm’s Congress’s responsibility to give our rorist leader. And according to the way to defeat Saddam Hussein and thus lib- troops the resources needed to accom- Iraqi national security advisor, the erate Iraq and its citizens. In the words of Dr. plish their mission. It is a responsi- elimination of Zarqawi has delivered Kemal Kirkuki, one of Mayor Mustafa’s col- bility that I take very seriously. It is his government, he said, a huge treas- leagues on the Kirkuk City Council, ‘‘This was precisely that support for the troops ure of information on the terrorist op- not a war against Iraq. It was a war to liberate that motivates me to warn that we eration. And we have already seen the Iraq.’’ may be doing irreparable harm to our results with raids across Iraq where On another trip, I met with a group of Iraqi military if we do not alter our mission hundreds of terrorists have been killed women leaders, including Safia Taleb al- in Iraq quickly. or captured. The Iraqi national secu- Suhail. This group of female government and General Barry McCaffrey recently rity advisor also said that he thought private sector leaders exemplifies the trans- shared his frank assessment of oper- the security situation in the country formation of Iraq from a nation ruled by terror ations in Iraq. He said we should know was improving enough to allow a large and torture to one in which men and women by year’s end whether the new Iraqi number of U.S. forces to leave Iraq by alike have constitutional rights and opportuni- Government can effectively control the the end of this year. ties. Safia shared with me how her late father, insurgency. He has argued that we can- Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House, an opponent of Saddam Hussein, was killed in not sustain our current level of oper- every American, we all want our troops 1994 while living in exile in Lebanon by ations beyond Christmas without to come home. Lord knows our troops Saddam’s intelligence service. Ten years later, breaking our military and endangering have performed brilliantly and have Safia was named Iraq’s Ambassador to Egypt. our ability to fight future missions. In sacrificed greatly, as American soldiers The general consensus of these Iraqi other words, we are quite possibly 6 have done throughout our history when women leaders was that they couldn’t wait for months away from a point of no return defending our freedom. But they do not the day when our and all Coalition troops that could have long-ranging effects on want to come home before their mis- could return home and Iraq did not need the our military and the stability of the sion is complete. military assistance of other nations. These Middle East and on our ability to de- And simply put, you cannot say that Iraqi women leaders emphasized, however, fend this Nation. you support the troops without allow- how glad they were that our and the other Co- So what is our strategy to prevent ing them to complete their mission. alition troops were there ensuring the freedom the worst case scenario? Where is the This resolution declares the United of all Iraqis. oversight and accountability? Well, Mr. States is committed to the completion

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4080 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 of that mission to create a sovereign, And the was not what we should have resolution have invited Members of free, secure, and united Iraq. done, but rather, what do we do now. this House to become angry and to op- I urge my colleagues to support the And the same is true I think in re- pose the resolution. resolution. gard to Iraq. We need to be proactive, The resolution is something that we all should be supporting. I support the b 1845 not reactive. Like many Members of Congress, I have traveled to Iraq mul- resolution. The ‘‘resolved’’ part of the Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield tiple times, and I met on one of these resolution is quite reasonable. And it myself such time as I may consume. visits a young captain from Nebraska. expresses the sense of this Congress Mr. Speaker, in light of the com- This is what he said. He said that if we and this country that we will be re- ments made by the gentleman from Ha- pull out prematurely, if we do not see solved with regard to this engagement. waii (Mr. ABERCROMBIE), I reflect on an this thing through, three things are We cannot afford to do otherwise. article from The Washington Post. And going to happen. Mr. Speaker, it is with disappoint- it is sad and disturbing that on the Number one, every soldier we have ment that I participate in the debate very day that we announced and lost will have died in vain. I think today, a debate that is designed inten- learned that 2,500 American troops what he says is true. I called a mother tionally to divide us, when in fact we have been killed in Iraq, that the prime this morning whose son had just been ought to be showing a great deal of minister, Maliki, proposes a limited killed. She was proud of her son. She unity as a country in support of our amnesty, a plan likely to include par- was proud of the sense of mission he troops and in support of the effort in dons for those who had attacked only had. And I really hate to tell her that Iraq. We are making progress there. It is a U.S. troops. That is very disturbing. we are leaving, that he died in vain. slow go. These kinds of insurgencies Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the Number two, tens of thousands of typically take 9 to 14 years to deal gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. COO- Iraqis will die as the nation implodes. PER). with. If we hang in there, the Iraqi peo- This is what he said. And there may be ple ultimately will get control of the (Mr. COOPER asked and was given hundreds of thousands. We will have permission to revise and extend his re- security situation in that country. broken our promise. We told them we If we fail, our security situation gets marks.) would not pull out until we were ready worse. Theirs is awful. It is a huge Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, as a and they were ready. And we cannot threat to Israel. It is a threat to Eu- member of the House Armed Services break our promise. rope, and a threat to the world. I en- Committee, I have the privilege of And, third, we will put a huge bulls courage all of my colleagues to support working closely with our troops, the eye on our backs, because as terrorists the resolution, even though they may best fighting force the world has ever feel that terrorism works, and that we be disappointed in the process that has known. will retreat in the face of terrorism, been offered us today, in the ‘‘whereas’’ And I am proud to support this reso- only more terrorism will result. clauses in the resolution. lution, because if people will just sit We have seen many examples, Beirut, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I down and read it calmly, you will see Kenya, USS Cole, World Trade Center thank the previous speaker for the vote that it expresses the strong support for bombing number one, and Bali. One of of confidence. I am sure that the troops our troops and for victory. Now, it is my All-American football players was are very happy with that support as being used here today as some sort of killed in that bombing. Three hundred well. political Rorschach test. I regret that, people lost their lives. And so inaction Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to because the great leaders in American has led to only more terrorism, includ- my good friend, my Florida colleague, history have used our times of war to ing 9/11. Mr. DIAZ-BALART, who has been to both unite our country instead of divide our The lack of resolve and willingness to Iraq and Afghanistan and has spent country. see this through will only result in the Thanksgiving with our troops and our Mr. Speaker, our troops are probably spread of terrorism and greater loss of coalition forces. wondering why we are debating the life than anything we have experienced Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Flor- Iraq war now 3 years after the begin- so far. ida. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is fighting ning of that conflict. We should have Many of the soldiers I have met in bloodthirsty monsters like al Zarqawi, had a good debate at the start of the Iraq are on their third and fourth tours monsters that behead civilian hostages war. I was not serving in Congress of duty. They volunteered because they and that blow up innocent women and then. But it has gone down in history see progress. They have a sense of mis- children. as one of the worst debates in Amer- sion and purpose. And the one thing And if many of our Democratic col- ican history. they ask me and tell me is that they leagues across the aisle have their way, There are many other flaws in the are committed to completion of their we would already have cut and run from Iraq and Zarqawi would still be process. But today all Members of this mission. We should allow them to do alive beheading innocent people. body support our troops. All Members so. Thankfully, our brave troops under- of this body support our troops. Demo- Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield stood the kind of enemy that we are crat, Republican, Independent, you 11⁄2 minutes to the gentleman who has name it, we support our troops. facing. been to Iraq some nine times, former This is an enemy, Mr. Speaker, that Now we should all question how the Army Ranger, the gentleman from kidnaps and beheads hostages. This is war is being run because that is our pa- Georgia (Mr. MARSHALL). an enemy that walks into a mall full of triotic duty. I for one trust our mili- (Mr. MARSHALL asked and was innocent people and explodes bombs. tary. I wish our Republican friends given permission to revise and extend This is an enemy that declared war on trusted our military before, because his remarks.) the United States decades ago, Mr. few times in American history has Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, as I Speaker, and refuses to stop until lib- military wisdom been overridden as thought about today’s debate, Tom erty has been snuffed out. with this administration. Paine’s words in the crisis came to But the United States cannot and Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I mind: these are the times that try will not allow that to happen. Hard yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from men’s souls. work remains in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nebraska (Mr. OSBORNE) who has been It is not that the Army is in tatters. The stakes are high. The Afghani peo- to Iraq four times to visit with our Our Army in the Revolutionary War ple understand that. The Iraqi people troops. was in tatters at the time; it was just understand this as well. So do the ter- Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I spent before the Battle of Princeton and rorists who murder on a daily basis. many years in coaching. Every Monday Trenton, which were successful and But we are steadily working towards morning after a Saturday game, I got pulled us back together. success, not defeat. Because, you see, lots of mail telling me what I should It is that we seem to be in tatters. I this is more than just about helping have done. None of those letters helped am extremely disappointed that this people over there. This is about pro- me very much, because the game was resolution, the process for the resolu- tecting our country from rogue states over; hindsight was always perfect. tion, and some of the whereases in the and terrorists over here.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4081 This resolution, Mr. Speaker, makes dom. No matter how each Member chooses to Yet now there are revelations of $12 it clear that the American people are vote today, there’s no question that we all billion missing from the Treasury, determined to prevail in protecting our honor and support our troops. shipped to Iraq in $100 bills and distrib- freedom from terrorist. We will not But I would argue that if we really cared for uted in ways we may never learn, cower to these thugs. We will continue our troops, we would make sure they had the bringing a total of unaccounted funds to support our honorable troops and equipment and training they need. We from the Iraq Rebuilding Fund to $21 prevail over this evil, Mr. Speaker. wouldn’t make it less possible for them to billion. As long as we maintain our resolve, meet some future mission. No one wants a Yet the Bush administration has Mr. Speaker, and do not cut and run, new mission for our troops, but if we had to launched no investigation, has imposed we will win, we will defeat the terror- fight somewhere else, we wouldn’t have the no penalties on the corporations in- ists. equipment or forces to do it. volved. The American people have been Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 These are the themes that we should be de- defrauded of our money, our morality, minute to the gentleman from Colo- bating in a resolution today, not the ‘‘feel and the precious lives of our soldiers. rado (Mr. UDALL). good’’ messages included in the Republican Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, (Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and resolution. We all want to feel good about Iraq how much time do we have remaining was given permission to revise and ex- and believe that progress is possible. But we in our segment? tend his remarks.) can’t want progress so much that we blind The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speak- ourselves to the reality on the ground. tlewoman has 8 minutes. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I er, I thank the gentleman for yielding This debate is driving us further apart. yield myself such time as I may con- me time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 11⁄2 minutes to the gentleman, my sume. Mr. Speaker, a few months ago, in re- Mr. Speaker, I can think of no better sponse to pressure from both sides of colleague from Florida (Mr. CRENSHAW), who has traveled multiple person to close our segment of the the aisle, the Republican leadership International Relations Committee, promised a full debate on Iraq. What times to Iraq to meet with our forces. Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, in the and I yield the remaining time to the we are getting today is certainly a long days after 9/11, the United States took gentleman from Texas (Mr. SAM JOHN- debate, but it is far from full. SON), who served in the United States A full debate would mean that Mem- the last action that our enemies thought we would take, we took the Air Force from 1951 to 1979, decorated bers would be able to offer alternatives fight to them. They believed that our combat veteran with two silver stars, to this resolution. We would then be partisan bickering would provide them and as all of us know is a living hero, able to debate the merits of all of the with the protection they needed to con- a prisoner of war during the Vietnam resolutions offered. I had hoped to offer tinue to operate. But they were dead War. We welcome him and we thank a bipartisan resolution I had intro- wrong. him for closing up our segment of the duced with my colleague, JOE SCHWARZ Today, we have them on the run. debate. of Michigan, that recognizes political Saddam Hussein has been captured, b 1900 progress in Iraq, including the estab- and Zarqawi is dead. In their place lishment of a national unity govern- Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. stands the very thing our enemies fear Speaker, the question of the day is ment, but also recognizes that more the most, democracy. Instead of a fas- progress is needed, and that the Iraqis this, do you support the war against cist dictator is a newly elected prime terrorism or don’t you? You know, our must meet their own deadlines for minister. And fear and oppression have modifications to their Constitution. enemy brutally attacked the World been replaced with an emerging econ- Trade Center in 1993, and we did noth- As it is, today’s debate has been omy. tightly controlled, and our only choice ing. In 1998, they attacked two Amer- But our enemies continue to fight. ican embassies in East Africa killing 80 is to vote up or down on a ‘‘status quo’’ Why is that? Does their resolve stem resolution that does not focus on Iraq people. We did nothing. We were at- from some military, political, or stra- tacked again on USS Cole. We did noth- and does not reflect reality on the tegic error on our part? No. To the con- ground. This resolution does not bring ing. trary, it is our doubt that gives them Well, now we have a strong President us together, Mr. Speaker. And I regret strength. al Qaeda has declared Iraq as with courage and conviction who is that this debate is driving us further the battleground between democracy bold enough to say enough is enough. If apart. and their hatred of our way of life. you are going to attack the United We were led into war as a divided Na- But they know that their war cannot States, then we are going to fight back, tion, and today we are even more di- be won on the battlefield. And I look and we will not tolerate terror. vided. A successful conclusion in Iraq forward to the day when our friends in You know, I devoted 29 years of my can only happen, it can only happen if the Middle East can stand on their life to the Air Force, flew 62 missions Congress and the Bush administration own. They have already proven to be in the Korean War, 25 in Vietnam, and work to bring unity at home. allies, and the future of our friendship spent 7 years as a prisoner of war in If this were a real debate on Iraq, we would still hangs in the balance. Vietnam, more than half of that in sol- focus on where we are versus where we Some would rather abandon our itary confinement. When I say I revere thought we would be, and look at the options friends and everything we have accom- freedom, I mean that with my whole from here. Just last year, Congress called for plished, hoping this act of good faith heart. I know what it is like not to 2006 to be a year of transition in Iraq that would somehow appease a foe proven to have it. Every single day, since I left would allow U.S. forces to begin to redeploy. be without mercy. But I know our bor- that God forsaken place, I thank God But we’re into the middle of June, and we are ders and our communities should not for my freedom. actually adding troops. be our front lines. It is our job to keep Sometimes people here in America A real debate would admit that Iraq is a dis- our Nation safe, and we will. take the countless blessings of this Na- tinct issue, only part of the ‘‘global war on ter- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. tion for granted. However, freedom is ror’’ insofar as the security vacuum in Iraq has TERRY). The gentleman from Missouri the touchstone of democracy, and attracted terrorists. But as the gentleman from has 4 minutes left, and the gentle- America means business when we say Missouri, Mr. SKELTON, has said—Iraq is a woman from Florida has 8 minutes left. we want to help people in Iraq experi- separate conflict, an insurgency with terrorist Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 ence the rich taste of freedom. When elements and sectarian violence. minute to the gentlewoman from Geor- we say we are with you, our word is A real debate would be honest about how gia (Ms. MCKINNEY). golden. It is through the lens of a life- continuous deployment in Iraq hurts our mili- Ms. MCKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, this long fighter pilot that I step back tary personnel and their families, strains re- administration speaks of patriotism, today and marvel at some of the tre- cruiting and retention, and damages readi- yet cuts health care for wounded sol- mendous accomplishments of the last ness. diers, now numbering over 18,000. It several years in the promising democ- This resolution talks about how much we wraps itself in the flag, the same flag racy of Iraq. It gives me hope and pro- honor our troops and the sacrifices they and draping the coffins of our dead, num- vides just a glimpse of how the best is their families have made to help defend free- bering over 2,500 as of today. yet to come.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4082 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. Speaker, we are making great themselves. We must stay the course the President, his advisors and the majority in progress in Iraq. I have been there, and and see this through. We must be pa- this House. Last fall the Senate voted 79–19 I have seen it. What a difference a few tient and persevere. I think President for a resolution sponsored by JOHN WARNER, years makes. For generations, the peo- Bush said it best, quote, this is going the Republican Chairman of the Senate ple of Iraq only knew hate, fear and to be freedom’s century. Armed Services Committee, which stated that death. The former leader of Iraq gassed God bless you. God bless America. I 2006 ‘‘should be a period of significant transi- his own people by the thousands and salute you one and all and praise the tion to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqi security hanged people in his very own death people of Iraq. forces taking the lead for the security of a free chambers. Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the condi- Remember just days ago looking at 11⁄2 minutes at this time to the gen- tions for the phased redeployment of United the image on the television of Zarqawi, tleman from California (Mr. SCHIFF). States forces from Iraq.’’ the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq? He was (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given Earlier this year, House and Senate Demo- cornered and killed. Better yet, from permission to revise and extend his re- crats unveiled our ‘‘Real Security’’ agenda that that raid, came a slew of information. marks.) lays out a blueprint for protecting our nation in We are hunting down terrorists, and Mr. SCHIFF. With all due respect to the 21st Century. Our plan calls for the estab- they are going to pay. my colleagues in the majority, Mr. lishment of full Iraqi sovereignty during 2006, According to the , Speaker, I think the question posed by provides for responsible redeployment of our American and Iraqi forces have carried this resolution is whether you support forces to better protect our troops and facili- out 452 raids just since last week’s kill- accountability and oversight by this tates the transfer of authority, and holds the ing of al Zarqawi and 104 insurgents body of the war in Iraq or whether you Administration accountable for the terrible mis- were killed during those raids. They do not. This resolution is not a sub- takes that have been made in the prosecution also resulted in the capture of 759 anti- stitute for oversight and account- of the war and the reconstruction of Iraq. In Iraqi elements. As a result, we discov- ability. response to our plan and the overwhelming bi- ered a treasure trove of al Zarqawi’s in- Our brave men and women in Iraq de- partisan majority of our colleagues in the Sen- formation, almost ensuring a defeat serve more than this rhetorical ate, the Republican majority in the House has against the evil forces of al Qaeda. pompom. Even as we celebrate the kill- tabled a blank-check resolution that endorses Americans are training and working ing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi and the the President’s ‘‘stay the course’’ policy in with Iraqi forces nationwide. There is completion of the Iraqi cabinet, we Iraq—a policy that he has reiterated in recent over 260,000 Iraqi security forces serv- cannot turn away from the grim re- days. ing their country. Another exciting ality that the war President Bush de- At a time when Congress needs to inject facet of the development in Iraq is the clared over in the spring of 2003 has itself—forcefully—into the process of deter- budding democracy. been bloodier, costlier, longer and mining what our course of action in Iraq Remember last January we saw the more difficult than the administration should be, the Republican majority is again pictures from the first election? The anticipated or planned for. prepared to rubber-stamp a policy that na- news media predicted gloom and doom. We need a new way forward in Iraq, a tional security experts across the political What did we see? We saw bold images fact that seems glaringly obvious to spectrum recognize as plagued with misjudg- of people patiently waiting in lines for everybody but the President, his advis- ment and malfeasance. hours, defying death threats just to ers and the majority in this House. I have been to Iraq three times to visit with cast a vote. Last fall the Senate voted 79–19 for a our troops there and I have spent time with Today, people are working tirelessly resolution sponsored by Senator JOHN our wounded here and in Germany. They to guarantee their freedoms. Participa- WARNER, the Republican chairman of have done everything that we have asked of tion in many Sunni areas of Iraq went the Senate Armed Services Committee, them and they have done it magnificently. from as little as 25 percent in January which stated that 2006, quote, should be Whatever success we have had in Iraq—every 2005 election to 75 percent in December. a period of significant transition to full village that is secured, every public works That is tremendous. Wouldn’t we like Iraqi sovereignty, with full Iraqi secu- project that is completed, every school that is that here in the United States? rity forces taking the lead for the secu- reopened—is due to the efforts of our soldiers, The people of Iraq have created a rity of a free and sovereign Iraq, there- sailors, airmen and marines. framework for their own future, their by creating the conditions for the We owe our men and women serving in Iraq very own constitution. They have an- phased redeployment of U.S. forces lot more than this rhetorical pom-pom. nounced a new unity government, and from Iraq. Most glaringly, this resolution does nothing the people of Iraq refused to allow At a time when Congress needs to in- to hold the administration accountable for its those who rule by hate and fear to stop ject itself forcefully into the process of conduct of the war. Last week I had the pleas- them from forging ahead for the future. determining what our course of action ure of meeting Lieutenant General Greg New- They are already tasting the fruits of in Iraq should be, the Republican ma- bold, the former commander of the 1st Marine our freedom. Their strong resolve will jority is again prepared to rubber Division. General Newbold is one of a growing pay off in the long run. They know stamp a policy that national security number of general officers who have coura- what a difference several years of bud- experts across the spectrum recognize geously voiced their concerns about Iraq. ding democracy makes. This is what as plagued with misjudgment and mal- General Newbold told me what he told Time democracy looks like in Iraq today. feasance. Magazine in April when he said, ‘‘What we are Schools and hospitals have been ren- We owe our men and women more, living with now [in Iraq] is the consequence of ovated, over 3,700 schools. In May, oil and more than any other variable successive policy failures.’’ production was over 2.1 million barrels under the control of Congress, our fail- More than any other variable under the con- a day. In 2003, barely anyone had a cell ure to perform oversight has been a trol of Congress, our failure to perform over- phone. In Iraq today there are 6.4 mil- major contributing factor to these fail- sight has been a major contributing factor to lion telephone users, and 1 million ures and to the difficult situation we these failures and to the difficult situation in land-line connections. There are over find ourselves in. which we now find ourselves. 100 privately owned newspapers and Regrettably, I must vote ‘‘no’’ on That failure of oversight and the need to magazines and more than two dozen this resolution. hold people accountable has plagued the Iraq radio and television stations. That is Mr. Speaker, even as we celebrate the kill- war from the beginning. And because this just the beginning. ing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi and the comple- Congress—this Republican-controlled Con- Our men and women in uniform are tion of the new Iraqi cabinet we cannot turn gress—refuses to hold the President to ac- doing a tremendous job bolstering this away from the grim reality that the war that count, we keep making the same mistakes new democracy and planting the tree of President Bush declared over in the spring of over and over. freedom in tyranny’s backyard. Our 2003 has been bloodier, costlier, longer and For years the administration and the major- men and women are making a dif- more difficult than the Administration antici- ity have tried to cow into silence anybody who ference, and making progress. They are pated or planned for. dared to question the conduct of the war by lifting up the people of Iraq, so ulti- We need a new way forward in Iraq—a fact calling them unpatriotic. That’s the subtext of mately the people of Iraq can help that seems glaringly obvious to everybody but the resolution that we are debating today. It is

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4083 not disloyal to ask these questions; oversight when we leave Iraq. Over the last week, we do not honor them with this debate is a core responsibility of Congress. The great we have talked about the bringing to today. strength of a democratic system with built-in justice of Mr. Zarqawi, and everyone, Instead of discussing ideas and long checks and balances is that mistakes are Democrats and Republicans, have been overdue course corrections, we are caught and corrected. talking about the extreme competence being confronted with slogans. My col- Every member of this House, Republicans of the American military. leagues on the other side of the aisle and Democrats, wants a stable and represent- We have talked about the fact that would like this country to believe that ative Iraqi government. But, Mr. Speaker, we they are extremely effective, that they their party will stay the course in Iraq, cannot hope to change course in Iraq until and know what they are doing, that they while we want to cut and run. That unless we are willing to acknowledge mistakes may be the best military we have had kind of gross distortion may resonate and until the administration is held to account in decades, that we have great leader- on right-wing talk radio, but nothing and forced to change. ship. That is why their judgment on could be further from the truth. We Devising and implementing a successful the ground as they stand up and train need to make sure the job is done right endgame in Iraq will be difficult, but the Presi- this Iraqi military should be the deter- in Iraq and leave as soon as possible. dent’s open-ended commitment to remain in minant of when that Iraqi military is Our men and women in uniform are the country is untenable and unwise. The able to carry that load and take that striving, sometimes without the nec- American people want Iraq to succeed, and handoff from the American military essary troop strength and without ade- for representative government there to survive and handle those security duties them- quate equipment to make the effort in and lead to a better future for the Iraqi people, selves. It shouldn’t be a Congressman Iraq a success. Here the House major- but that success requires a new direction. This from California, it shouldn’t be a Sen- ity is undermining the democratic empty resolution fails to provide that and, ac- ator from Minnesota, it shouldn’t be process and the very principles that cordingly, I will oppose it. subject to a committee vote by those of these brave servicemen and women Mr. SKELTON. Can the Chair advise us in Washington, D.C. It should be a have gone abroad to defend. the time I have left, please. function of the collaboration and the b 1915 The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- discussion and the analysis of the com- tleman has 11⁄2 minutes remaining. bat commanders on the ground listen- The actions of the Republican leader- Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it goes ing to their captains and their majors ship in the run-up to today would make without saying how proud I am of those and their colonels who are training up the Kremlin blush. Having made a deci- young men and women in uniform. I this Iraqi force. When they say they sion to conduct a debate, the majority know every Member in this body joins are ready, that is when we make that should have enabled full participation, me in saying how pleased and proud we handoff. allowing amendments to the proposed are of them. Mr. Speaker, I would reserve the bal- resolution on the House floor, and A sad moment earlier today was ance of my time. Democrats should have been afforded when it was announced that 2,500 had Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I recog- the opportunity to offer a substitute given their lives in Iraq. But what con- nize the gentlewoman from New York resolution. cerns me, Mr. Speaker, more than any- (Mrs. MALONEY) for 30 seconds. Instead, the resolution before us is a thing is the request that we made for (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given shameless, one-party manifesto. If the discussion on Iraq and this resolution permission to revise and extend her re- debate today were about substance that before us today was the result. marks.) rather than this one-party manifesto, Trying to blend and fudge together the Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, in- we would focus on what staying the war in Iraq, which is separate and dis- stead of finding, capturing or killing course means. The misguided and mis- tinct from the war on terrorism, is dis- the man who viciously attacked our take-ridden effort in Iraq up to now is ingenuous. country almost 5 years ago, the admin- absolutely not the course to follow. Mr. SCHIFF, the gentleman from Cali- istration misled our country and sent I am deeply disturbed by critical fornia, a moment ago, referred to an 150,000 troops to war with a country issues concerning our efforts in Iraq amendment by Senator WARNER, without any credible link to 9/11. that this resolution does not address: Armed Services chairman in the Sen- Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us human rights violations; appalling ate. That amendment stayed in the law mentions Iraq 18 times, but it does not shortcomings in planning for the post- last year. This is what we should be mention Osama bin Laden even once. conflict period; pathetically weak con- discussing today about Iraq, as we were Not only can we not find bin Laden in gressional oversight. told we would. Afghanistan, we cannot find him in Just consider the waste, fraud and Calendar year 2006 should be a period this resolution. abuse of reconstruction efforts in Iraq. of significant transition to full Iraqi If the other side of the aisle is serious The Special Inspector General for Iraq sovereignty, with Iraqi security forces about a resolution on the global war on Reconstruction, Mr. Stuart Bowen, tes- taking the lead for the security of a terror, they would be better served to tified before our committee last week. free and sovereign Iraq, thereby cre- get their target correct. I would like to pay tribute to the ex- ating the conditions for the phased re- Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 ceptional work that Mr. Bowen has deployment of the United States forces minutes to the gentleman from Cali- done in this area. After serving as a from Iraq. That is where we should be fornia (Mr. LANTOS) and ask unanimous senior member of George Bush’s guber- today. consent that he control the time. natorial campaign team, as general Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there counsel to then-Governor Bush, deputy of my time. objection to the request of the gen- counsel to the Bush transition team in Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield tleman from Pennsylvania? 2000, and then associate counsel in the myself 2 minutes. There was no objection. Bush White House, he left for the pri- I think it is important to remember The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- vate sector, only to be brought back the two major provisions in this resolu- tleman from California is recognized into service by the White House to tion, one that there is not going to be for 30 minutes. oversee an investigation into mis- an arbitrary cutoff, that that would Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to management of funds in Iraq. disserve the security interests of the thank my friend from Pennsylvania for The facts from the President’s hand- United States to have an arbitrary exit yielding. picked special Inspector General, Mr. date from Iraq; and, secondly, that we Mr. Speaker, our country is at war. Bowen, are shocking. Billions of U.S. are going to finish the mission, we are Men and women of the U.S. Armed taxpayer dollars have been wasted in going to fulfill this mission, and that Forces, Republicans and Democrats, Iraq. The executive branch should not we support the mission that is being are making the ultimate sacrifice in have allowed such slipshod manage- undertaken by those 130,000 plus troops Iraq to defend our freedom with 2,500 ment. This Congress should have done who are in Iraq right now. men and women having lost their lives its utmost to expose it but it has not, Mr. Speaker, I was thinking about in Iraq alone. They deserve our respect, and the American people should not this question of who should determine our gratitude and our admiration, but and will not tolerate it.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00073 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4084 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 During the first year of the war, $9 Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 We are fighting the war on terror on billion, that is $9 billion with a B, minutes to the gentleman from Colo- our terms, and we are winning. moved through Iraqi ministries with rado (Mr. HEFLEY). Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I con- little or no accounting for results. Mr. HEFLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chair- tinue to reserve my time. More than 75 percent of oil and gas man. Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 reconstruction projects, begun with You know, we have been at this for minutes to the gentleman from New our assistance, remain incomplete. about 6 hours, I guess, and I think ev- Jersey (Mr. SAXTON), the chairman of Over half of the electricity reconstruc- erything that has been said on the sub- the Terrorism Subcommittee. tion projects are unfinished. Some 40 ject has been said. Not everybody has (Mr. SAXTON asked and was given percent of water and sanitation recon- said it, and so we will continue for an- permission to revise and extend his re- struction is incomplete. other 6 hours on it. marks.) But I have seen many people today Mr. Speaker, the international coali- Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in who seem to have used this as an op- tion’s ability to exit Iraq responsibly, strong support of the resolution. portunity to insist that the mission in leaving the Iraqi people in charge of a Mr. Speaker, when I was a freshman, Iraq has been a failure, and that our Ronald Reagan was President and I was stable country, is directly related to presence in Iraq has not been properly the success of our reconstruction ef- invited to the White House with a run, and that we are not winning the group of people to talk to Ronald forts. These efforts have been severely peace. Frankly, Mr. Speaker, I think undermined by waste, fraud and abuse. Reagan about things we thought were this is absolutely a wrong assertion important. We talked for a long time Our troops have been needlessly ex- and only serves to lower the morale of posed to far greater risk because of about many issues, and when we fin- the men and women fighting in Iraq, ished, the President leaned forward in these failures. We cannot stay the while encouraging the terrorists who course when it is riddled with mis- his chair and said: Let me say some- aim to harm both America and Iraq. thing to each of you. All of those management. The other day I was rushing to Chair If this debate were about substance, things are important. They are all a meeting in the Armed Services Com- about America but nothing is more im- rather than slogans, we would also be mittee. I was running a little late so I talking about the unconscionable pun- portant than a system of national secu- was kind of frustrated and in a hurry. rity that will protect our right to deal ishment that many members of the Na- Someone stopped me out in the hall tional Guard and Reserve suffer be- with those issues. and said, Congressman HEFLEY, Con- I wish more people had been with me cause of their patriotism. Legislation gressman HEFLEY, would you like to that day because I think of that every that I have been advocating for over 3 meet a marine from your district? And, morning on my way to work. It appears years to address the gap between these of course, I would like to meet a ma- that there are some who question the volunteers’ salary in their civilian jobs rine from my district, but I was in a sacrifices of the United States Armed and the often far lower active duty pay hurry. I did stop, and I went over to Forces and our coalition partners in in the Guard and the Reserves has met this young marine. They introduced Iraq who make every effort to advance with repeated roadblocks thrown up by him to me, and there he stood in his the global war on terror, to combat the the Department of Defense and the Re- starched shirt and red and blue striped al Qaeda and the affiliate organizations publican leadership of this House, for pants, straight as a string, and strong that work with them. no legitimate reason. as could be. How misguided. Nothing could be fur- I introduced myself and he intro- This pay gap not only affects the sol- ther from the truth. Iraq is a critical duced himself, and then someone said, dier but also thousands of families who front in the global war on terror. Sepa- Sergeant So and So lost both legs in now have to make ends meet on a sig- rating Iraq from the global war on ter- Iraq. I would never know it from look- nificantly reduced income. In addition ror, in my opinion, is a recipe for dis- to their concerns for the safety of a ing at him, but he lost both legs in Iraq. I said, oh, I am sorry to hear that, aster. loved one far away, tens of thousands Do not take my word for it. Listen to of American families have to worry but thank you. He said oh, no, no, no, since then I have gone to jump school. the enemy. These are the enemy’s about meeting mortgage payments or words. The leadership of al Qaeda has even losing their homes because this I would not go to jump school with two good legs. Since then, I have gone to made Iraq an important part of its goal House has not responded to their needs. of spreading and imposing its ideology If we truly cared about our fighting jump school and I am going back to Iraq. The job’s not done. around the world. According to al forces in Iraq, we would not merely Qaeda, defeating the coalition forces in wile away the hours in a debating soci- I have been to Germany, as many of you have, to see where we bring the Iraq is the first phase of its stated stra- ety over a symbolic resolution lauding tegic goal of establishing a Taliban- them in the abstract. We would take wounded into Germany. There was one young man laying on his bed, and I like rule throughout the Middle East. concrete action to ensure that they In a July 2005 communication from and their families are treated fairly. said, well, when were you wounded? He said about 4:30 this morning. About 4:30 Ayman al Zawahiri, al Qaeda’s second- Rather than taking up legislation that this morning, we had gotten him off in-command right behind bin Laden, to would fix this problem, we are debating the battlefield. We had stabilized him the now-deceased leader of al Qaeda in a divisive political resolution. and had him in an airplane and had Iraq, Zawarhiri explicitly states the Mr. Speaker, let nobody, not in this him to Germany where he had already centrality of the war in Iraq with a Chamber and not in this country, let had successful surgery before the end global jihad. Bin Laden’s right-hand nobody be fooled by the picture that of the day. The main desire of his heart man laid it out like this. Here are the the Republican leadership tries to was to get back with his unit in Iraq. goals: expel the Americans from Iraq; paint with a debate over this resolu- That is good morale. establish an Islamic authority in Iraq; tion. There is no need to make a choice I talked to another young man that extend the jihad to the countries between ‘‘cut and run’’ and ‘‘stay the was just coming out of the operating neighboring Iraq; and destroy Israel. course.’’ What is called for is a long room, and he had his arm up in a cast. Those are the goals stated by al Qaeda. overdue course correction in the way I asked him, well, soldier, do you plan We must not lose sight of the fact the executive branch manages our to stay in the service? He said, oh, I that a successful prosecution of the country’s efforts in Iraq and in the way plan to stay in if they will let me. He global war on terrorism and defeating Congress fulfills its critical constitu- said the job is not done. al Qaeda and its affiliates require us to tional role of oversight. And the point I make with these sto- pay attention to multiple locations in Since I deeply favor a course correc- ries is that they see that they are the world, including Iraq. Though we tion, I will vote against this resolution, doing something important. They see have made progress, the threat remains and I urge all of my colleagues to do so that they are doing something mean- global in nature. as well. ingful. They see they are doing some- Since September 11, al Qaeda has Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of thing that helps America and they planned, supported, or executed at- my time. want to continue to do it. tacks leading to the deaths of innocent

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00074 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4085 civilians around the world. According progress of the war in Iraq or alter- Infantry Division, the 4th Infantry Di- to the Defense Intelligence Agency, natives to achieve the victory there vision, the 1st Marine Division, and the there are active jihadists, radical ter- that we all seek. If it were not a sham, 10th Mountain Division exceeds 130 per- rorist organizations with the goal of Members would be able to offer amend- cent in this last quarter. And a lot of taking control of governments and ter- ments. We would be able to vote up and that is the result of the great work by ritories in countries across the globe, down on our future course in Iraq. the gentleman of New York (Mr. including Iraq and Afghanistan, of What we have here, instead, is more MCHUGH), who has been the chairman course; Israel; Saudi Arabia; Pakistan; unamendable, arrogant, Republican of the Total Force and the Personnel Somalia; Algeria; Chechnya; Kashmir; take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Subcommittee and has presided over a and the Philippines and others. Mr. Speaker, our soldiers are fighting major part of the 41 percent pay in- The same report states that al Qaeda and dying, and the American people are crease that we have passed over the maintains and plans to expand safe ha- spending hundreds of billions of dol- last several years. vens throughout the world, throughout lars, and we are here patting ourselves I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman the Middle East, in Asia, in central on the back instead of doing effective from New York (Mr. MCHUGH). Asia and Europe, in many countries in oversight. This Republican Congress Mr. MCHUGH. I thank the distin- Africa, and we know of the terrorist has abdicated that responsibility and guished chairman for yielding. presence today in Canada and right continues to whitewash an incom- Mr. Speaker, I happen to think this here in the U.S.A. petent, dysfunctional Republican ad- is a good debate, even when I vigor- I have spent a career, Mr. Speaker, in ministration. ously disagree with some of the state- Congress studying the threat posed by I would like to be clear, Mr. Speaker. ments being said. This is the hall terrorism. Long before September 11, I Just because I am for oversight doesn’t where discussions, concerns, where came to learn the dangers of ideologi- mean that I hate freedom. Just because analysis and counterpoints need to be cally inspired terrorist organizations. I am for tracking how billions of dol- expressed. I wanted to start, if I may, Mr. As a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom lars have been wasted and misspent or Speaker, with a couple of counter- and Operation Enduring Freedom, we stolen doesn’t mean I don’t support our points. I have heard my good friends on troops. And just because people ques- have made great strides in combating the other side of the aisle repeatedly tion the competence of the President this enemy, but we must remember refer today to comments and observa- and his administration doesn’t mean that this is a long war, and although tions made by clearly one of the great- that they are not patriots. the challenge is great, our commit- est fighting generals this Nation has On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, I don’t ment to security and human freedom known in recent era, General Barry think you can be a patriot if you just will ultimately defeat the oppressive McCaffrey; things he has said about rubber stamp, if you turn a blind eye ideology that fuels our terrorist en- our current involvement and engage- and bury your head in the sand as war emies. ment in Iraq. Perhaps as a mere over- profiteers run off with the money need- b 1930 sight, perhaps conveniently, those good ed to protect the troops and to recon- folks omitted the following, and I am Let me just close by listing some ter- struct a broken country. quoting directly. I noticed most of rorists acts which occurred and some Instead of discussing the difficult and those folks quoted from their own plots which were uncovered, and then costly work necessary to achieve that by simply asking my colleagues a ques- notes. victory, our Republican friends have These are from General McCaffrey’s tion. simply decided to move directly to this own reports after his return, in this In 1993, the first World Trade Center victory party and 10 hours of case to Iraq. He did similar analysis in bombing occurred. In 1995, a plot to cheerleading. This resolution begins Afghanistan. Under the bottom line ob- bomb 11 U.S. airlines was uncovered. In and ends declaring our ultimate vic- servations from Iraqi Freedom, written 1996, the Khobar Towers bombing took tory against terrorists, and in between in April of 2006, before Zarqawi, before place. In 1998, the embassies in Tan- we sing our own praises. This is actu- the appointment and the filling out of zania and Kenya were hit. In 2000, the ally a prayer. Prayer is good. But what the entire permanent government. USS Cole. In 2001, the 9/11 attack, kill- we need is a plan. All we are doing here ‘‘The morale, fighting effectiveness, ing 3,000 Americans and others. In 2002, is whistling past a growing graveyard. and confidence of U.S. combat forces the Bali bombing. In 2003, the Marriott What is more notable about the reso- continue to be simply awe inspiring. In hotel attack in Jakarta. In 2004, the lution, Mr. Speaker, is what it doesn’t every sensing session and interaction, I railroad bombing in Spain. In 2005, the say. There is no mention of the world probed for weakness and found courage, subway bombings in London, and the class bait-and-switch lie that got us belief in the mission. Belief in the mis- bombings of the resorts in Egypt. And into this mess in the first place. No sion. Enormous confidence in their ser- in 2006, 17 jihadists were arrested in mention of the lie of the stockpiles of geants and company-grade com- Canada. weapons that the Vice President swore manders, and understanding of the The question to those who plan to were absolutely there. No mention larger mission, a commitment to cre- vote against this resolution, and I will about the lie that the stockpiles of ating an effective Iraqi army and po- conclude with this: Can we really af- weapons of which Secretary Rumsfeld lice, unabashed patriotism, and even a ford to belittle this threat and question knew the exact location. No mention of sense of humor.’’ the criticality of our mission in Iraq? oil. No mention of the intelligence ei- He goes on to say, ‘‘Many have reen- Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am ther. listed to stay with their unit on its re- pleased to yield 3 minutes to the rank- In fact, there is not even the words turn to a second Iraq deployment. ing member of the Subcommittee on ‘‘weapons of mass destruction.’’ How Many planned to reenlist regardless of the Middle East and Central Asia on can you have such a resolution without how long the war went on.’’ the Democratic side, Mr. ACKERMAN of that? And Osama bin Laden. Not only He then went on to observe, ‘‘The New York. can’t we find him in the region but we Iraqi army is real, is growing, and is (Mr. ACKERMAN asked and was can’t even find his name hinted at in willing to fight.’’ given permission to revise and extend this resolution. And then on the last page of his anal- his remarks.) The debate is a whitewash, and this ysis, Mr. Speaker, he said, and I quote, Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise resolution is a coverup. Vote against ‘‘There is no reason why the United in support of our troops in the field and this charade. Vote against the pre- States cannot achieve our objectives in the belief that the United States will mature victory party. Vote against Iraq. Our aim must be to create a via- ultimately prevail in the global war on this resolution and let us have a real ble federal state under the rule of law terror and against this partisan, trans- debate about our policy options and which does not enslave its own people, parent, cynical, and divisive resolu- our future course and involvement in threaten its neighbors, or produce tion. Iraq. weapons of mass destruction.’’ Mr. Speaker, what we are engaged in Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, the reen- The last sentence of General McCaf- today is not a serious debate about the listment rate for the soldiers of the 1st frey that my friends also failed to

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An exit strategy in Iraq is a cru- I heard also some comments about troops want to be served. They want to cial step toward declaring victory on how we are not doing right by our see this mission through, because they the global war on terror. forces in very recent debate. I would understand the terrorists believe this b 1945 refer again to General McCaffrey’s ob- is the real deal. This is where they servations, but I have here a listing, have drawn the line in the sand, and Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield five pages, bullet points of what this the troops understand if we don’t take myself 1 minute to clear up a point. committee and this House and this the commitment they have made there There are 340,000 sets of advanced Congress has done for our men and and win this war on terror in Iraq, body armor produced and fielded. That women in uniform in just the last four where will we fight next? It will be is more than two sets for every single National Defense Authorization Acts. right here at home. person serving in uniform in Iraq. There are 51 points, and I won’t read It is a proud Army, we have a proud I have made this statement for the all of them, but let me account for Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. We last year, but if anybody has a relative some. are doing right by them and we need to who is serving in Iraq without body In 2001, we provided $500 a month to do better because they are doing so armor, please call me personally. I assist the most economically chal- right by us. I hope all my colleagues have not yet received a single phone lenged members, to take them off food will support this resolution. call. stamps. A national disgrace, and we did Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am Mr. Speaker, I yield 41⁄2 minutes to it. We did it. This Congress. pleased to yield 2 minutes to my friend the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. In 2002, we improved permanent from Ohio (Mr. BROWN). DRAKE) who does so much for the change of station requirements to re- Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Thank you, Mr. troops. duce out-of-cost moving expenses for LANTOS and Mr. MURTHA. Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, we can’t military families. There is now no out- Prior to the 2003 invasion, I intro- talk about the global war on terror of-cost expense. duced legislation that would have re- without talking about the 922,000 he- In 2003, we gave them assignment in- quired the President to report to Con- roes who have voluntarily served our centive pay, and in 2006 increased that gress on the possible consequences. It Nation, going to a land that most have maximum from $1,500 to $3,000 a would have required the administra- never been to, to liberate a people most month. We increased hostile fire and tion to provide a full accounting of the have never met. imminent danger pay from $150 to $225 implications for homeland security, Before 9/11, I worried if America a month. Family separation allowance the war on terrorism, and regional sta- needed our young people, would they from $100 to $250 a month. We com- bility in the Middle East. It would have go. And we all know they did. I believe pleted, as I said, that 5-year program required the administration to tell us history will remember their courage to eliminate out-of-cost housing ex- the steps that our country and our al- and name them. But until it does, I call penses. lies would take to protect United them Freedom Believers. We have eliminated the requirement States soldiers, including providing On my first trip to Iraq, I met a to pay subsistence charges for those them adequate body armor. It would young man on the crew of our C–130. He brave members of the military who are have required the President to esti- told me he had a small daughter, yet hospitalized. We now pay an allowance mate the full cost associated with mili- defending freedom was so important to reimburse for the cost of life insur- tary action against Iraq. And it would that when he finished his enlistment, ance. And in the bill we passed this have required the President to provide he would join his Reserve unit. He said year, that cost will be totally paid for an exit strategy, a plan for achieving by the Federal Government for the there were so many from that unit who long-term social, economic, and polit- volunteered to go to Iraq; he knew he first time in our Nation’s history. We ical stabilization of a postwar Iraq so authorized a new payment of $430 a would not be back soon. that we and the troops could tell when Another soldier said to me: Let me month to combat wounded service- we had crossed the finish line. make this simple. In a football game, members who are hospitalized, and on The administration has still not pro- you want to play at home. But this is and on and on. vided answers to the questions many of The chairman mentioned that in us asked before the war. Three years not football. This is not a game. This is each of the last 8 years we have in- later, the Iraq war has cost more than war. And war must always be played creased pay to our military men and 2,500 American lives and nearly $300 away. We played at home on September women in uniform by more than half a billion, with no end and no plan in 11, and we lost. percent over what the civilian sector in sight. Secretary Condoleezza Rice said My proudest moments in Iraq have this country has received, whether it is this war could last for 10 more years. been the ones spent seeing their smiles TRICARE for every Guard and Reserve Today’s resolution presents a false when I told them about the support member; hospitalization, better cov- choice: Support the administration’s that they have here at home. Many erage. We have cared for these troops. flawed war policies or concede defeat that I met were on their second and The chairman noted, and the figures on the war on terror. We are asked to third tours. Their feelings are summed show it, though I have heard about a support Iraq’s new Prime Minister in up in a recent letter to the editor, a re- strained force, and we are concerned the amnesty, the amnesty he will offer turning soldier said: ‘‘If the choices are about them. We worry about them to the insurgents who have attacked pull out or I go back, I’m going back.’’ every day. I know I have in my six and killed U.S. troops. On the way home from Iraq in Shan- trips to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. Our troops have done everything, ev- non, Ireland, as a Marine unit walked But let me read you the recruitment erything we have asked them to do in through that terminal, everyone stood figures we have thus far this year. Iraq and more. They have acted hero- and clapped for them. On both of my The Army, 104.3 percent of goal. The ically. They have done their job and we trips to Iraq, I was asked repeatedly by Navy, 100 percent of goal. The Marines, should honor them today and every our troops: When are we going to tell 101.5 percent. The Air Force, 100.5 per- day. But this is the second time that a America what they are doing in Iraq, cent. A DOD total of 102.1 percent. congressional debate on the handling of explain the threat to America and the Lastly, retention. Those brave mem- the war has been replaced with a polit- world, and share the successes that bers that General McCaffery talked ical stunt. The troops and the Amer- they have achieved? The saddest mo- about. Retention in the Army, 113 per- ican people deserve much better. ments were when they quietly asked cent; Navy, 106 percent; Marines, 145 Our troops deserve more than a me: What are Americans thinking and percent; and Air Force, 109 percent. round of applause. They deserve a real- saying?

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4087 These are people who show no fear on clusion that it is not working? But concerned that this Nation does not the battlefield, but it was like they what do we get here from our Repub- understand that we are now at war were afraid to ask that question and licans friends, a resolution that is a with an evil ideology. It is an ideology hear my reply. They are probably refer- farce, a political document that by the that has the most profound human im- ring to stories such as the one from the majority leader’s own admission was plications and consequences. New York Times, October 26, 2005. They designed to embarrass Democrats and On September 11, terrorists murdered quoted Corporal Jeffrey Starr, who lost put Democrats in a box. on our own soil 3,000 American citizens. his life defending freedom. Here is their All of the problems we see in Iraq But this ideological war did not begin quote: ‘‘I kind of predicted this. A third today, the daily deadly attacks by in- on 9/11. It began many years ago when time just seemed like I’m pushing my surgents, the rise of ethnic militias, certain Muslim extremists embraced a luck.’’ the shortage of gas and electricity, the divergent Islamist dogma that dictates And here’s the real quote: ‘‘Obviously weakness of the economy, can be tied that all infidels must die. if you are reading this, then I have died to the complete lack of planning by the Not so long ago, al Zarqawi himself in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that’s administration. It seems they didn’t said of America’s leaders: ‘‘They are why I am writing this in November. A have a clue as to what they would get aware that if the Islamic giant wakes third time just seemed like I’m pushing when they came into Iraq. up, it will not be satisfied with less my chances. I don’t regret going. Ev- Our intelligence was faulty, but what than the gates of Rome, Washington, erybody dies, but few get to do it for really makes me mad was this war was Paris and London.’’ something as important as freedom. It mishandled from the get-go. First, we Mr. Speaker, we cannot deny that we may seem confusing why we are here in didn’t send in enough troops. Secondly, are fighting a war against an ideology Iraq. It’s not to me. I’m here helping we didn’t secure the borders. We fired that is bent on the destruction of the these people so they can live the way the Baath leaders and created all kinds Western world. They are committed to we live, not to worry about tyrants or of antagonisms and unemployed peo- killing us and would like nothing bet- vicious dictators, to do what they want ple. We fired the security forces so our ter than to decapitate this country by to do with their lives. To me, that is people would have to do security, and detonating a nuclear yield weapon 100 why I died. Others have died for my we fired our own generals that dis- yards from here. To allow Islamist ex- freedom, now this is my mark.’’ agreed with the administration. tremists to declare victory in Iraq will Our military is the most lethal fight- A former commander of U.S. Central only hasten such a day. ing force in the world, not solely be- Command, General Zinni, said: ‘‘10 These are moments when we must cause of their training, not solely be- years’ worth of planning were thrown hear the voice of history and remember cause of their technology, but because away; troop levels were dismissed out the words of Winston Churchill when they engage the enemy, our enemy, of hand. These were not tactical mis- he said in part: ‘‘If you will not fight with the most unequivocal support of takes; these were strategic mistakes, when your victory will be sure and not the American people. That is the most mistakes of policy made back here.’’ too costly, there may come a moment effective tool in their arsenal and one But what do we have here from our when you will have to fight with all they cannot afford to lose. Republican friends? A resolution that the odds against you and only a precar- Mr. Speaker, they watch our news. is not bipartisan. We could have had a ious chance of survival. There may They watch C–SPAN. They are watch- resolution that all of us could have even be a worse moment. You may ing us right now. supported. We treasure our troops. I have to fight when there is no hope of This is your time. What do you want want us to succeed in Iraq, but what do victory because it is still better to per- to say to them? Do you want to tell we have: partisan, political drivel. ish than to live as slaves.’’ them, you’re doing a terrible thing, but Democrats had no input. Democrats Mr. Speaker, if freedom is to survive, we support you? were not allowed a substitute. Demo- to allow Islamist terrorists to declare Well, I want to say: you’re doing an crats were not consulted so our men victory in Iraq is not an option. We honorable and noble thing. We support and women serving in the military are must win. The world has changed since you and we love you. being reduced to pawns in the Repub- Mr. Churchill warned us all. We are 60 There is only one option for Iraq, lican’s election game. years now into a nuclear age. We must that’s victory. Thank you to our brave Shame on this resolution. I wish we not let terrorists have even the slight- American heroes. Thank you to their could have a resolution that I could est hope of victory ever. families. God bless America, and God vote for, but we do not have one on the Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I con- bless the men and women who keep us floor today. tinue to reserve the balance of my free. Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would time. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am like to yield 3 minutes to the gen- Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gen- tleman from Arizona (Mr. FRANKS), a minutes to the gentleman from Texas tleman from New York (Mr. ENGEL). Member who is a leader not only in (Mr. CONAWAY), a great member of the Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank supporting the troops but in humani- Armed Services Committee. the gentleman for yielding me this tarian efforts in Iraq. (Mr. CONAWAY asked and was given time. Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I thank the permission to revise and extend his re- Mr. Speaker, I believe in fighting the gentleman for yielding. marks.) war on terror. I believe America must Mr. Speaker, America is first and Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, this stay engaged in the world, but what we foremost an ideal. It is an ideal that resolution that we are debating, I have in Iraq today is a quagmire, and holds that all of us are created equal, would like to focus on point four of the what we have on the floor today is a endowed by that Creator with resolution that declares that the resolution that essentially says stay unalienable rights of life, liberty, and United States is committed to the the course. the pursuit of happiness. Truly, that is completion of the mission to create a You know, sometimes the American what our troops fight for in Iraq. sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq. people are smarter than the politi- For their efforts, we now see a coun- I think it is helpful for us to look cians. This resolution would have us try that, although it has been in bond- back at some milestones over the last believe that everything is hunky-dory age since it was called Babylon, has a year or so to help us understand how in Iraq and everything would be won- freestanding constitution and hope for far we have actually come. derful if we only stayed the course. The freedom. And there is hope that free- We went there to take Saddam Hus- American people don’t believe that; dom may take root in the Middle East sein out of power. He is now in jail and and, Mr. Speaker, neither do I any and turn the whole of humanity in a on trial for his life. We got that done. more. better direction. In January of 2005 we held the first We need a new strategy in Iraq, not But, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to election for a transitional government. an open-ended rubber stamp and more you that there are other ideals in the That got done. of the same. At what point do we reas- world besides America’s noble ones, Their job was to write a Constitu- sess our strategy and come to the con- and they have great consequences. I am tion. At each and every one of these

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4088 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 steps there was great anxiety that the The truth is that this administra- until Saddam had nuclear weapons. We Iraqi people couldn’t get it done. They tion’s incompetence has set back the acted on intelligence, not just our in- got their Constitution written in Au- effort against global terrorism. Don’t telligence, but intelligence from agen- gust of 2005. take my word for it. Simply come to cies around the world. We thought it The next step was a referendum on this floor and read the statements of was accurate. Unfortunately, it was that Constitution. They got that done. these generals, patriots all. wrong. But it took us going into Iraq Then we held national elections The administration claimed that to find out that he did not have the bi- under that Constitution in December of there was a link between Iraq and al ological, chemical and nuclear capa- 2005. Again, ahead of that election Qaeda. Again, false. But they are not bilities we thought he might be build- there was grave concern that the Iraqis talking about a link that does exist ing. But we removed a tyrant. We freed couldn’t do it. But they went to the and should cause us all profound con- a people and we focused the war on ter- polls and elected that government. cern. That is the relationship between ror in Iraq. And today we are helping When I was there in April, the con- the new government in Iraq and Iran. to build a democracy in an Arab world cern at that point in time was that The new Iraqi government is full of Ira- which can be a model to other nations they couldn’t pick a prime minister, nian allies. They have signed a mili- to create liberty, justice and, most im- the next big step to the road to democ- tary cooperation agreement. And the portantly, hope, hope for a better to- racy in Iraq. That got done. Iraqi Foreign Minister just recently morrow for millions of Arabs. Two weeks ago when I was there, the said, Iran has a right to develop nu- We must stay the course, as this res- final point was they couldn’t find a clear technology and the international olution states, until Iraq can secure its minister of defense or a minister of in- community should drop its demands nation and we defeat terror. This terior to lead those very important that Iran should prove that it is not struggle will be as long as it is hard. ministries, but they have gotten that trying to build a nuclear weapon. But in the end, the lesson of history done. And we are supposed to believe that will be reaffirmed that appeasement is By any evaluation, we have a long our national security has been a failed strategy, and that sacrifice for stretch of historic milestones that are strengthened, and that we are making freedom is always worthwhile. proof that the Iraqi people are up to progress on the war on terrorism? Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 the task. The truth is that the war in Iraq has minutes to our colleague from Florida A CODEL I participated in, our job not just simply been a distraction from (Mr. WEXLER). the global war on terror, it has actu- Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I oppose was to go over there and get a sense of ally increased the power and influence this resolution because it represents an whether the Iraqi Army was standing of the number one state sponsor of ter- unrealistic and disingenuous portrayal up to the task. We met with a General rorism, according to our own Depart- of the situation in Iraq. The rhetoric Bashir at his base at Tajik and found a ment of State, an original charter on the other side of the aisle is filled very professional individual. He was member of the club, the Is- with erroneous assertions of impending very candid in his remarks on where lamic Republic of Iran. victory reminiscent of President the Iraqi Army was up to that point in Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 Bush’s premature ‘‘mission accom- time. As I watched the staffers, his minutes to the gentleman from Penn- plished’’ claim. staff in the room, I tried to assess them sylvania (Mr. SHUSTER), a very fine Mr. Speaker, after 31⁄2 years, it is as best I could. I found professionals member of the Armed Services Com- clear that the Iraq war has become an with a quiet sense of confidence that mittee. exercise in futility that can no longer they could lead, fight and defend their Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I want be justified with pipe dreams and good country. to first rise tonight to thank the men intentions. Americans were egregiously We are making this happen, and we and women of our military for their ef- misled going into this war without a are completing this mission in Iraq. I forts in Iraq, in Afghanistan and other plan to win the peace. They have been support this resolution and I ask that places around the world in the war on misled about America’s progress in each of my colleagues all support it be- terror. Their sacrifice, their families’ Iraq, and today they deserve the truth. cause a free, sovereign, united Iraq will sacrifice, has value and will never, The truth is that President Bush make the Middle East a safer place to never be forgotten. took his eye off the ball in the war on be, and by extension it will make Mr. Speaker, there are many mem- terror, diverted necessary resources America a safer place to be. bers of the minority that have forgot- from Afghanistan to Iraq, and today So I rise in support of this resolution ten an important lesson of history, and Osama bin Laden remains free. and ask my colleagues to vote for it. I, that is you cannot appease tyrants and The truth is that victory is not too, like Mrs. DRAKE ask God’s bless- evil. We need to remember the 1930s, around the corner in Iraq, that the in- ings on our country and in particular the voice of Winston Churchill that surgency and sectarian violence con- on our fine young men and women who said we must confront Hitler and the tinue unabated, and that the death of are fighting this fight. Nazis as they began to build up the Zarqawi, while very significant, will Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am German military machine. Well, we not bring security to Iraq. pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gen- waited and we waited until they in- The truth is that on the day Zarqawi tleman from Massachusetts (Mr. vaded their neighbors. And it was the was killed there were five bombings in DELAHUNT). blood and lives of hundreds of thou- Baghdad, and the violence continues ir- b 2000 sands of Europeans and Americans that respective of his death. defeated that evil. The truth is that while 265,000 Iraqi Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, Colin In the 1960s and the 1970s, we failed to security forces have been trained and Powell thought Vice President CHENEY confront the growing Soviet threat. We armed, nearly one-third of the force was so obsessed with attacking Iraq waited and we waited until Ronald does not show up for work. that he suffered from war fever. The Reagan inspired this Nation to have The truth is that our policies have problem is that fever can make you de- the will to stand up to the Soviets and failed to stabilize Iraq, and we must lusional and you can see things that engage them in an arms buildup that not stay the course. We must change aren’t really there, no matter how cost Americans billions of dollars, but the course. much you want them to be true. bankrupted the Soviets, and we de- Mr. Speaker, this resolution blurs The Vice President said that we feated that evil. the line between reality and fiction by would be greeted as liberators. False. In the 1990s the terrorists attacked us painting a rosy picture of Iraq and ig- Secretary Rumsfeld said that the war over and over again. We failed to re- noring the ongoing insurgency on the would not last more than 6 weeks. spond, as President Clinton dismantled ground. False. Secretary Wolfowitz said that our intelligence capabilities. Appease- To paraphrase Secretary Rumsfeld, Iraq could pay for its own reconstruc- ment does not work. History shows us in a war we must deal with the reality tion from oil revenues. Again, false. We that over and over again. we have and not the reality we want. were told that the administration had President Bush learned this lesson, Please join me in opposing this cha- a coherent plan for postwar Iraq. False. and he and this Congress did not wait rade.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4089 Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 us free. Our heartfelt thanks and grati- 21⁄2 minutes to the gentlewoman from minutes to the gentleman from North tude to them and their families. North Carolina (Ms. FOXX). Carolina (Mr. HAYES), a very fine mem- Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I rise today ber of the committee. minutes to the gentleman from Cali- in strong support of H. Res. 861. I am Mr. HAYES. Mr. Chairman, thank fornia (Mr. SHERMAN). proud of the progress being made in the you for yielding time. Your commit- b 2015 global war on terror every day. While ment to our troops is unmatched. there is no quick path to victory, it is Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Mr. Speak- Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, by this absolutely necessary for us to maintain er, said we are all entitled to our own point just about every point has been our resolve. Many people forget that opinions, but he went on to say we are made. But believe it or not, I would terrorists have long waged war against not entitled to our own facts. like to make a point that has not yet the United States, well before the 9/11 Facts have been badly set aside been stated on this floor. attacks. Americans were bombed in today. Oversight? 92 hearings, 42 full I think we all realize that the devel- Lebanon in 1983, at the World Trade committee, 52 subcommittee and oth- opment of Iraq, its ability to provide Center in 1993, at Khobar Towers in ers. Anyone that did not have oversight water and electricity to its people, will Saudi Arabia in 1996, at the American or was not fully informed simply had influence the level of casualties that embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in other priorities. And that is an option we suffer, may even influence the re- 1998, and on board the USS Cole in 2000. in the People’s House. But the informa- sult of success or failure of this mis- Over the years, terrorists have made it tion was there, publicly exposed. And sion. But what is not stated is how the their mission to strip us of our free- other information was readily avail- debts of Saddam Hussein now crushing doms, thinking they could kill inno- able. the existing regime in Baghdad are cent Americans unprovoked, without Generals? Six generals have spoken playing a role in preventing that devel- paying a price. It is vital that we con- out. In America we are free. We can opment, a role in killing our soldiers. tinue to stand up to these murderers speak out. But the facts are that in the Now, most oil rich countries borrow and show them that the United States Army alone there are 11 4-stars, 53 3- for development. They do not rely will not sit back and tolerate their sav- stars, in the Air Force 11 4-stars, 38 3- chiefly upon aid. Why can’t Iraq with age acts. We can either win this global stars and numerous others who take enormous oil wealth borrow? The an- war on terror now, or we can let the exception to the quotes that have been swer is the huge debts incurred during terrorists bring the war to us like they misstated here tonight. the years of Saddam Hussein. In fact, did on 9/11. The right choice is clear. This is a war against terrorists. Ter- on this floor many of us thought that Thanks to the hard work and perse- ror is a tactic. Here are 27 pages and half of that $19 billion of aid we gave in verance of our troops, Abu Musab al 191 incidents since 1961 where Ameri- 2003 should be a loan, and we were told Zarqawi was killed last week. Yet, as cans have died at the hands, the bombs no, Iraq can’t borrow, they have too President Bush said, we must continue or other devices of terrorists. Make no many debts already. to prosecute this global war on terror mistake about it. Terrorists have a Now, the well-known debts to Europe until our mission is accomplished and goal, and it is to destroy freedom, and Russia have been 80 percent for- until Iraq can defend and govern itself America, all of us who live free. That is given. The secret debts, the ones that fully. their goal. This is not about territory. are never talked about, are the enor- I am very proud of our troops for This is not about negotiation. mous debts claimed by Saudi Arabia, their service, selfless attitude and sac- Our men and women have served us Kuwait, and other Gulf States detailed rifice. They are making great strides. admirably, courageously and well. The on this chart, totaling over $64 billion. They are freeing people from oppres- progress was well documented by a re- Now, much of the European money sion so they may enjoy the same free- lease from Zarqawi himself this morn- that was lent to Iraq was used for roads doms that all Americans cherish. ing. The war for terrorists is going and oil wells, things of continuing Today our military has liberated the poorly, an incredible sign of progress. value to the Iraqi people. But what did people of Afghanistan from the brutal And I have been to Iraq and Afghani- Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lend Saddam Taliban regime, and has denied al stan many, times Mr. Speaker. But on money for? To finance his war of ag- Qaeda its safe haven of operations. the floor of this House, just last week, gression and death against Iran. So They have crushed Saddam’s Hussein’s I looked into the gallery, right there, why does the State Department not brutal dictatorship and captured thou- and there sat seven members of Par- have the courage to stand by the new sands of terrorists and terrorist oper- liament from Afghanistan. I went up to Iraqi government in its declaration ations. Children in Iraq are returning speak to them, and as I walked down that these debts are odious, null and to school and Iraqi businesses are pros- the steps, they saw me coming and void, and need to be wiped off the bal- pering. Iraq has had several successful they said, we had dinner with you in ance sheet? elections and has formed their govern- Afghanistan last week. Members of The question before us is whether the ment under a new prime minister. Parliament here in America looking at blood of Americans will be shed in There is undeniable progress and hope the People’s House seeing how freedom, order to pay the debts Saddam Hussein in Iraq every day. liberty, justice and the rule of law is incurred. Mr. Speaker, I close with a story made and administered. Remarkable, Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would about a constituent, Sergeant Dale remarkable progress, Mr. Speaker. like to yield 21⁄2 minutes to the gen- Beatty of Statesville, North Carolina. I am so proud of the men and women tleman from Idaho (Mr. OTTER), who Sergeant Beatty was severely injured who are making this possible around has just welcomed home his old unit, while fighting the global war on terror the world. And I guess I should close by the 116th Armored Cav. and lost both legs. Yet Sergeant Beatty saying redeployment? What is that? It Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my is not angry. In fact, his resolve is even is cut and run. It is snatch defeat from hope that we pause long enough during stronger today. He knows that he made the jaws of victory. Sam Adams, sev- this important debate tonight to re- a great sacrifice for a noble cause. Ser- eral hundred years ago, spoke to this member back to another time in a geant Beatty came to visit me while he when he said, ‘‘if you love wealth place not too far from this place. was at Walter Reed and told me he greater than liberty, the tranquility of During the heated debate and many would gladly go back to the Middle servitude better than the animating times rancorous discussions on their East to fight alongside his comrades if contest for freedom, go from us in efforts to establish a government that he could. That is a true American hero. peace. We ask not your counsel or your would elevate the individual above the Sergeant Beatty’s morale and the mo- arms. Crouch down and lick the hands crown, above the prince, above the rale of our troops I have spoken with which feed you, and may posterity for- king, and above the head of state, demonstrate we are doing the right get that you were our countryman.’’ much was said about the doubtfulness thing. Mr. Speaker, God has blessed this of victory and the certainty of failure. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve country with men and women who wear Caution was urged, voted on, and re- the balance of my time. the uniform, make us proud and make jected. The hope and the promise, the

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4090 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 value for the chance at being free was Iraq are safe on the streets, our chil- Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I so strong that our Founding Fathers dren won’t be safe in Florida or in have been amused at some of the rhet- measured well that the risk was worth America.’’ oric tonight, but one of the questions the reward. Obviously we are very proud of what that has been asked is what is our Now is our opportunity once again to our soldiers are doing, as are their fam- strategy? revive that spirit. And in doing so, we ilies. As Members of the Congress, I be- We have a strategy. The strategy is demonstrate to ourselves, the people of lieve that we have an obligation to to win. The strategy is to keep Amer- the United States, indeed, Mr. Speaker, honor every person’s service to our ica safe. the people of the world that we are country. Using words like ‘‘quagmire’’ We are winning the war on terrorism. worthy of the suggestion that we are and ‘‘mistaken war’’ do not honor our We have gotten Saddam Hussein. We the beacon of freedom for the world military’s service. We can do this by have gotten Zarqawi. But the problem and we share that light with pride, providing our soldiers with the support is are there other Saddams, other with honor, and hope. that they need and the recognition Zarqawis out there that would threat- The Iraqi people who yearn for free- that they deserve. The negacrats and en the very fabric of the life that we dom, I am confident, do so with no less the media do nothing to make our chil- live in America? courage and resolve than those who so dren safer on the streets in America We have a choice. We can fight that boldly signed the Declaration of Inde- like Joe and his buddies do. This kind war on terrorism in other places pendence and at that time set this Na- of rhetoric not only impacts our sol- around the world or we can fight it tion on a destiny of freedom envied by diers, but as I sat here tonight, I could here in America. The right choice is to all peoples of the world who suffer not help but think about the families fight those terrorists where they are, under the burden of tyranny. of the soldiers who are watching this at where they are beginning to thrive, and Our allies throughout the war for home, the children of our very, very keep them contained where they are. independence did not pack up and go brave soldiers who are in harm’s way. If we get out too quickly, what are home when the going got tough. They In closing, I want to thank Joe and we going to tell those families of those believed in us, as I believe that we all of our troops and those families, young soldiers that paid the ultimate price for the freedom and democracy should believe in the Iraqi people. They and I want to convey my eternal grati- that we are sewing the seeds for in Iraq stayed the course, as I believe we tude for everything that they do. May today? What are we going to tell the should. God bless them all. May God bless our Mr. Speaker, in his book ‘‘The Glo- troops, who, together with God, will young men and women that are over there today that have volunteered, I rious Quest,’’ James R. Evans gives us keep our country safe. repeat, volunteered, to come and serve all a thought that we should ponder as Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gen- a noble purpose? we approach this freedom-rendering I got a letter from a young marine vote. He said, ‘‘No historian of the fu- tleman from Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER). Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, it named Kevin Hester. And Kevin en- ture will ever be able to prove that the is sad that the greatest deliberative listed, Mr. Speaker. He knew exactly ideas of individual liberty practiced in body of the world’s democracies cannot what he was getting into when he en- the United States were a failure. He provide an opportunity to give voice to listed in the Marines. And Kevin is in may be able to prove that we were not the concerns that are shared by Ameri- Iraq today. And Kevin wrote me a let- yet worthy of them. The choice is cans. Instead, we are given a White ter the other day, and he said, The ours.’’ House press release against terror and Iraqi people trust us, and they trust us By our actions here today, we are de- for staying the course. That is not a now and they are trying to help us help ciding whether or not the Iraqi people plan. It is a bumper sticker. them by telling us who the bad guys are worthy of living in freedom. This Our troops won the war against Sad- are in their country. choice is ours. Those of us who will dam Hussein over a thousand days ago, We have been fighting the cause for favor or deny this resolution surely de- and they have been paying the price America and keeping America safe for cide the worth of the Iraqi people. ever since their victory because they over 230 years coming this July 4. This Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would were not properly managed, staffed, is a war on terrorism. This is a dif- like to yield to the gentlewoman from trained, or equipped. Of course, nobody ferent war than we have fought before. Florida (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE) for is in favor of an arbitrary cutoff. On This is like the war on drugs. This is 1 2 ⁄2 minutes. my Web site I detailed an approach like the war on crime. The war on ter- Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Flor- that I think ought to be taken to focus rorism is a war that we will be fighting ida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gen- our priorities and stop short-changing, for many years to come, but it is a war tleman for yielding. for instance, our battle in Afghanistan, that we cannot afford to lose. We can- Mr. Speaker, even those of us on this slowly spinning outside of control. But not disgrace those young men and side of the aisle sometimes wonder if it is sad that the Republicans can only women that are representing and de- after 3 years we should still be in Iraq. think of two choices: stay the course, fending our country so greatly. I recently traveled there, and like cut and run. And so, Mr. Speaker, I encourage many of my colleagues, we met with If the White House and the Repub- people to support this resolution in soldiers from Florida. We each asked to lican leadership believed in democracy order to say to the young men and meet with soldiers from our home in America as much as they say they women around the world that are de- State. I will never ever forget this do in Iraq, we would be debating the fending freedom and democracy, we young man. He was not from my dis- resolution of Mr. MURTHA’s, for exam- love you, we appreciate you. trict. He actually was from south Flor- ple, here. Americans could see their God bless them and God bless Amer- ida. And I asked each of them where hopes and their concerns not just de- ica. they were from and if they were mar- bated but acted upon. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I con- ried. This young man’s name was Joe. But, sadly, it is going to take an- tinue to reserve the balance of my And I said to him, ‘‘Joe, are you mar- other day and different leadership to time. ried?’’ give Americans that type of democracy Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield He said, Yes, ma’am. I am married here in Congress. And in the meantime 21⁄2 minutes to the distinguished gen- and I have five children.’’ every day our troops will continue to tleman from Kansas (Mr. RYUN), a very So right away I said, ‘‘Your wife pay the price in Iraq as American pres- distinguished member of the Armed must be a saint to be home with five tige is assaulted around the world. Services Committee. children.’’ It is sad and it is unnecessary, but it Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I And he looked at me with all of the is the hand that we have been dealt. thank the chairman for yielding. conviction that you would ever ask for Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would I rise today in strong support of our in a soldier, and he said, ‘‘Ma’am, he like to yield 21⁄2 minutes to the gen- servicemembers who have worked hard said, ‘‘my wife who’s home with my tleman who represents Dyess Air Force during the global war on terrorism. five children feel exactly the way that Base, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. They are keeping us safe by defeating a I do, and that is until the children in NEUGEBAUER). very destructive enemy.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4091 I am disappointed, however, that Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am the right track? And we can think many of my colleagues on the other pleased to yield 21⁄2 minutes to the gen- about this country that we love so side of the aisle have lost sight of what tleman from New York (Mr. MEEKS). dearly, the flag that we have just cele- our servicemembers are doing and have Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- brated, and all that makes America turned the global war on terror into a er, I rise to share with the American special. cheap political issue. They have forgot- people the truth about the war in Iraq. But what happens if you were to try ten that instead of defeating terrorists For truly it had nothing to do with 9/ to condense the goodness that we love on their home turf we could be allow- 11 or the war on terrorism. in America into a formula, which is, ing our citizens to be attacked here at We invaded Iraq because Vice Presi- which really states what Americans home. I prefer to keep the terrorists dent CHENEY erroneously claimed, have been for all time? outside our borders. there is overwhelming evidence that If you were like an onion to peel off Right now al Qaeda and the insur- there was a connection between al the outer things of hot dogs and base- gents in Iraq are busy attacking our Qaeda and the Iraq Government. ball, what would be the core that servicemembers and our allies, and The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that Sec- makes America what we love? I would they would like nothing better than to retary of State Colin Powell conceded suggest that the answer to that ques- bring these attacks to America. Even that he had no smoking gun proof of a tion is found in your birthday docu- the terrorists themselves admit Iraq is link between the Government of Iraq, ment, the Declaration, that says, we the front line of the global war on ter- President Saddam Hussein, and the ter- hold these truths to be self evident, ror. Why should we not continue this rorists of al Qaeda. that all men are endowed by their Cre- fight and keep it from coming to our We know there were no weapons of ator with certain inalienable rights, own backyard? mass destruction. The prewar costs es- life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. Fortunately, we are fighting this bat- timates were as incorrect as our intel- And it goes on to say the job of gov- tle in Iraq and our servicemembers are ligence on WMDs. The postwar plan- ernment is to protect those rights. And making real progress in the global war ning was nonexistent. The laundry list that is what we have fought wars all on terror. Not only are we capturing, of things we did wrong and the decep- through history, to support that basic destroying, and eliminating al Qaeda’s tions surrounding this war are never- idea. And so should it surprise us this most brutal leaders, but we are train- ending, and we continue to make mis- evening to find ourselves on the battle- ing law abiding Iraqi citizens to defend takes even now. field against terrorists? their own freedom. In fact, over 250,000 No, Mr. Speaker, the mission was not Let’s see. Terrorists blow up inno- Iraqi citizens have stepped forward and accomplished. Instead of invading Iraq, cent people. We say, innocent people responded to the call of duty to defend we should have mobilized all of our have a life that is given them by God. their country. forces to pursue and apprehend Osama They say they want to terrorize so that I think there are several obvious rea- bin Laden, the terrorist who in fact or- people cannot be free, to compel you to sons why so many Iraqi soldiers and chestrated 9/11 while we had him do what you do not want to do. citizens are willing to join the Iraqi se- pinned down in Tora Bora, in Afghani- We say, liberty is a gift of God. And curity forces. First, they know the stan. so it should be no surprise, just as we enemy they are fighting against be- At that time we had an opportunity have found ourselves in the War of cause they have endured hardship to unite the world and bring people to- Independence and the wars against Hit- under this enemy for most of their gether when we had a true coalition of ler and the other wars of our history, lives. For years they and their families nations. American families can tell that we are arrayed against people who have been brutalized by ruthless dic- that things are not going well in Iraq. have no respect for the formula that tators. Many of them have been sepa- However, a leader, a true leader, a has made America so great. rated from their families and had not real leader, needs to have a plan. A And just as in the past, there is a seen them for many years. plan of engagement. A plan of how to cost. You know, my own son just came Second, they have seen the pain that exit. We went into war with neither. back from Fallujah. They say that the al Qaeda has inflicted on America and The American people, the families cost of freedom is not free. And the other democracies around the world. who have lost the loved ones, deserve parents all across our country, just as They know that what al Qaeda did on more than that. They deserve to know my wife and I did, would look at the 9/11 is just a hint of what could happen. that there is indeed a plan, an exit local paper in the morning. We would Because of this, Iraqi security forces strategy. This Congress, this Congress, say, oh, three marines killed in are seizing this opportunity to root out must stand up for our troops, for their Fallujah. I wonder if my son is one of evil. families, for America, and for the sake them. Third, they can taste freedom and of refocusing, to wage a real struggle No, freedom is not free. But we were they want to hold on to it. After being against terrorism. proud that our son, just as other fami- liberated from tyranny and introduced No, Mr. Speaker, we must not stay lies are proud of their children, can to democracy they cherish the freedom our failed course. We must not be stub- carry on that same tradition that the and are willing to fight for it just as born, because stubbornness does not patriots did. That is what makes us our servicemembers have fought for win wars. Stubbornness really and ac- feel so good when we see the flag fly- our freedom. tually causes us to lose. I tell my chil- ing, the heart and soul of America, dren not to be stubborn, because stub- that there is indeed a God that gives b 2030 born does not win. Let’s do the right basic rights to people and government Fourth, they are inspired by the thing for the American people and tell should protect those rights. And the work servicemembers are doing in Iraq. them the truth. terrorists will not stand, because that As a result, they are joining the Iraqi Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 formula does not apply just to Ameri- security forces in the fight for freedom. minutes to the gentleman from Mis- cans; it applies to people all over the Not only are their servicemembers souri (Mr. AKIN), a distinguished mem- world. fighting against terrorism, but they ber of the committee. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 are also working alongside our mem- Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, I think that minutes to gentlewoman from Florida bers and the Iraqi security forces to this debate is helpful. I think that (Ms. CORRINE BROWN). train them how to effectively defeat whenever you get into a complicated Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. the enemy. project, even if you are solving a phys- Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by I want to encourage all of our col- ics problem, many times it is helpful to saying that I support the troops. Yet leagues today to support our out- just stop, stop right where you are and the debate about the Iraqi war is not standing men and women in uniform. say to yourself, just using common about supporting the troops. I knew May God continue to bless them and sense, are we on the right track? from the very beginning that there their families. Our prayers are with I think we should stand back from were no weapons of mass destruction. them. I urge my colleagues to support the war for just a moment tonight and Well, how did I know that? Well, I am House Resolution 861. ask that simple question: Are we on from Florida. And I knew back in 2000

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4092 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 that the Bush administration that we can use that I think is very logical. He said, Now is not the time to cut were dealing with would say anything You know, when I have been to the the- and run. Mr. Speaker, I urge my col- and do anything. They were full of lies. ater, the generals talk about the way leagues to support this resolution and Let’s look at the evidence. that they assess the capability and the not cut and run. Since the beginning, the Republican readiness of the Iraqi brigades. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield leadership in Congress has outright re- They categorize them into four lev- back the balance of my time to the fused to investigate Vice President els. They know how to assess the readi- gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. CHENEY involving the billions of dollars ness of the Iraqi brigades. They have MURTHA). awarded to Iraq for reconstruction con- perfected it. What we should be doing The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- tracts to Halliburton. $9 billion in re- is what is already happening. We do tleman is recognized for 21⁄2 minutes. construction funds have been unac- not tie the removal of our troops to an Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 counted for. I repeat, $9 billion in re- artificial date. We tie it into the as- minutes to the gentleman from Cali- construction funds have been unac- sessment that our generals make of the fornia (Mr. FARR). counted for. capability of the readiness of the Iraqi (Mr. FARR asked and was given per- The amount of taxpayers’ money brigades. mission to revise and extend his re- spent by Halliburton and the defense Mr Speaker, this morning I went marks.) contractors audit agents have deemed back to my district. I was at the Boe- Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am here either excessive or insufficient docu- ing plant where we rolled out the new- tonight, I have been watching this on mentation is $1.7 billion. est model of the CH–47F, the cutting- TV and listening all day long. I am Halliburton has received more than edge platform for our Army for the really kind of saddened by the fact that $17 billion in no-bid cost-plus contracts next 50 years. It is a great aircraft. it seems to be an issue between making for Iraq reconstruction. Folks, I am The speaker there, the keynote excuses for why we are in Iraq, and the talking about billions with a B. That is speaker for this rollout was an Army other side is cut and run. billions and billions of dollars. It colonel. In fact, he was the airwing I remember being in the Congress be- amazes me now that these figures con- commander of the 101st Airborne Divi- fore we voted on this resolution. I re- trast with the attention that the media sion. He oversees 167 aircraft in theater member being summoned into a hear- has given to the Katrina mismanage- right now. He is home for two weeks of ing with all of the intelligence agencies ment, while the billions and billions of R&R. He oversees 3,200 of our troops there. I remember a colleague asking dollars in unaccounted funds to Halli- that are on the cutting edge. He wants these intelligence agencies, is Iraq an burton are still largely ignored by the to be home with his family. He has immediate threat to the United States, media. been in the service 24 years. This was yes or no? Every single one of those in- You know, we need checks and bal- his second deployment. He is from telligence agencies represented, every ances. The House, the Senate and the Edgewater, Maryland; he is not my one said no. administration are all Republicans. constituent. And here we are 3 years later with all There are no checks and balances. No And I said to Colonial Warren Phipps, of the loss of life. Some say, just stay checks, no balances. No checks, zero Colonel, we are debating today in Con- the course. Stay the course for what? balance. gress whether or not we should set a There is not even a plan. Mr. WELDON was right, we had a plan in Kosovo, we ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE date certain. What do you think? You The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. are there. Is that the right thing for us had a plan in Bosnia, we had plans. Where is the plan? PUTNAM). The Chair will remind Mem- to do? He said, With all due respect, We have a plan by Mr. MURTHA. bers that although remarks in debate sir, that is the worst thing that our There is no cut and run date in it. may include criticisms of the Presi- Congress could do for my troops under There are no specifics on it. But it is a dent’s or the Vice President’s official my command. plan. Why are we not debating a plan? actions or policies, it is a breach of That is the worst thing we can do, be- order to question the personal char- cause it would telegraph and signal the b 2045 acter of the President or the Vice enemy when they can plan their at- It is embarrassing that we are here President, whether by actual accusa- tacks, and when they can do harm to this far into the war, people watching tion or by mere insinuation. my colleagues. us and having Congress without the Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield Well, I will be honest with you, Mr. ability to exercise democracy, without 31⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from Speaker. I did not support artificial the ability to have a vote on the only Pennsylvania (Mr. WELDON), the chair- dates under President Clinton, and I do resolution that is ready for a vote, man of the Air Land Subcommittee. not support artificial dates under which is Mr. MURTHA’s. I associate my- (Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked President Bush. self with the remarks he made about and was given permission to revise and I want the ultimate decision of when what he saw and what we experienced extend his remarks.) the troops come home not to be done going into Iraq. Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. by us, but by the field generals in the I wish the majority in this House Speaker, I thank my distinguished command situation, command leader- would have allowed a debate on Mr. chairman for yielding me time. ship in Iraq, who understand that the MURTHA’s resolution. I heard one of our colleagues on the safety and security of the troops is I rise to associate myself with the remarks other side say that we have two choices their number one priority as well as of Mr. MURTHA and to everyone who supports tonight: we could stay the course, or ours. our men and women in uniform. We all sup- we can cut and run. Well, those are not What this young colonel said was, port the troops and the sacrifices they and the only choices we have. They were Congressman, we are making great suc- their families have made. But, that’s not what not the choices that we used in the 38 cess. Today the Iraqis are handling this debate is about. deployments in the 1990s when I sup- more and more of their own security. I’ve been listening all day to this debate and ported our Democrat President when That should be the determining cri- find Members are still making excuses for why we sent troops to Somalia, Haiti, East teria on when our troops come home. we got into Iraq in the first place. Timor, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia. As this colonel sees with his own You are not hearing what the intelligence You name it we were there. eyes that the Iraqis are engaged and community really told this house. The decision of when we left those are handling more and more of their Before the vote on authorization of the war countries was made by our military own defense. He said, Today, Congress- all the intelligence agencies were gathered to- leaders. It was made by the generals man, they are going out on their own gether for a Congressional briefing. One of my and the commanders, not arm-chair missions. He said, when I have meet- colleagues asked the question: politicians back here who try to do ings and we are doing planning ses- ‘‘Is Iraq an immediate threat to the United what was done by the Congress during sions, if I close my eyes, when I hear States, tell us Yes . . . or No?’’ the Vietnam War. the Iraqis planning, it is just as though It was surprising to me that each intel- Believe me, I want our troops back it were American generals planning for ligence community representative said—‘‘No, home. But there is a process that we our operations. Iraq is not a threat to our national security.’’

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00082 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4093 And even more shocking to see was that so death and destruction to Iraq’s neigh- oversight that has led to some of the few of my colleagues were listening. bors is running out for them. most egregious and embarrassing ex- So, why have we been sucked into a war Ironically the document notes that al amples of waste, fraud and abuse on that was not necessary to protect our national Qaeda originally saw time as being on record. We need to be working nonstop security? their side in Iraq. It states time has to bring our troops home as soon as And here we are 3 years later. Over 20,000 been an element in affecting negatively possible, not trying to score political U.S. military personnel have been killed or the forces of occupying countries due points while they are fighting a war. wounded in Iraq. to losses they sustain economically We need to be working to keep them The loss of American lives is tragic and un- and in human lives which are increas- safe, as safe as possible, until they are necessary. ing with time. However, here in Iraq, home. For starters, we should send a Especially because Iraq never was a threat time is now beginning to be a service of strong, loud message to the insurgents to the United States, nor is it now. the American forces and harmful to the who will not occupy Iraq and will not So, today, why aren’t we discussing an end resistance. control Iraq’s oil, a message that we to wasteful spending, to unnecessary loss of Winston Churchill understood the want to leave, as bad as they want us lives and building a stronger America? importance of resolve when a nation’s to leave. We can’t because, as you have heard so interests are on the line. Winston On my last visit to Iraq, everyone I often today, the majority has stopped listening. Churchill, quote, I was only the serv- spoke with said that they want the They have made up their minds. They are ant of my country and had I, at any Iraqis to assume more security respon- just as wrong today as they were 3 years ago. moment, failed to express her unflinch- sibility faster. Our military has done Look—we need a plan. Congressman MUR- ing resolve to fight and conquer, I its job, often in two, three or four de- THA is the only one with a plan. Congressman should at once have been rightly cast ployments, an unconscionable demand MURTHA’s bill, H.J. Res 73, is doable and its aside. on our troops, an unconscionable de- implementation would be respected by the rest This body recognized that necessity mand on their families, and an uncon- of the world. when we passed the authorization of scionable demand on their commu- Mr. Speaker, I hope the President is listen- the use of military force against Iraq. nities. Make no mistake, it has taken a ing to this debate. And more importantly I While five pages long, the really vital toll on our military. Stay the course is hope he implements the Murtha plan. 10 words are, ‘‘be it resolved by the not a strategy for success, and we are The world would be better off for it. Senate and the House of Representa- not doing our job by being a rubber Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would tives.’’ stamp for this administration. like to yield 21⁄2 minutes to a very dis- Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Mr. Speaker, this isn’t honest debate. tinguished member of the Armed Serv- the combat veteran from the 173rd who While the majority plays politics, our ices Committee, Mr. CALVERT. preceded the gentleman from Cali- men and women serving in Iraq are in Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, just last fornia in the 173rd, 151⁄2 minutes, and terrible danger. week we witnessed American, coalition ask unanimous consent that he may Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the and Iraqi forces taking the fight to the yield time to other Members of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. DIN- enemy by eliminating the terrorist Veterans Caucus. GELL), a veteran of the Second World leader of al Qaeda in Iraq. During the The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. War. very same week the Iraqi people looked PUTNAM). Is there objection to the re- (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given as their first democratically elected quest of the gentleman from Pennsyl- permission to revise and extend his re- Prime Minister finalized his cabinet by vania? marks.) selecting a new Minister of Defense, a There was no objection. Mr. DINGELL. ‘‘To announce that new Minister of Interior, a new mem- Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. there must be no criticism of the Presi- ber of the state for national security. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I dent, or that we are to stand by the The two events are clear evidence may consume. President, right or wrong, is not only that Iraqi forces are making progress Mr. Speaker, this resolution will not unpatriotic and servile, but it is mor- on two major fronts in the ongoing secure any success in Iraq. It will not ally treasonable to the American pub- war. On one front the coalition and bring our troops home. It will only sig- lic.’’ Teddy Roosevelt. Iraqi forces remain in the hunt for in- nal the death of true, honest debate I remember how proud I was to serve surgents and other groups that threat- within the walls of this great Chamber. my country in World War II, and I re- en a free and democratic Iraq. On the Today’s so-called debate is politics at member how proud I was of the support other front the Iraqi government con- its worst. We are playing politics while of Americans, and I remember how tinues to show encouraging signs into U.S. men and women are being killed, proud I am now to be a Member of this developing a much needed stabilizing wounded and kept away from their body. I know how important it is that body the country is longing for. families. I remember laying in an we support the troops, and I remind my During my three trips to Iraq I have Army hospital bed just home from colleagues over here, we all, everyone observed our military engaging the Vietnam while another Congress in this room, supports our troops with- enemy, protecting the innocent citi- played politics. out exception. We have honest dif- zens, training the Iraqi forces to make He was disdainful then, and when I ferences about the policies or how we and control and support the new elect- think of those brave men and women I got where we are. We are not permitted ed government. Despite the positive de- visited at Walter Reed, Bethesda, to discuss those under this gag rule. velopments on the ground, we continue Ramstein, it makes me sick today. What this body should do, and I re- to hear naysayers around the world Let’s do our job and bring our troops member how proud I was of the dif- questioning the importance of the out- home as soon as possible. ferent meaningful debates which we come in Iraq. For weeks we have been told, and the had here, where there was opportunity On the other hand, al Qaeda leader- American people have been promised to amend, to discuss, to have a 5- ship and its terrorist network fully un- by the Republican majority, that there minute rule, to have a motion to re- derstand the consequences of war, call- would be a debate on this floor on the commit, so that a national policy ing Iraq the place for the greatest bat- Iraq war. Instead we get what the news bringing us together could be forged in tle of the modern era. is calling today Republican election a proper legislative forum and a proper I have a copy of a document captured year strategy. This resolution ignores legislative fashion. from the safe House where al Zarqawi the issues most important to the men We are told, either expressly or im- met his end. In it al Qaeda leaders la- and women serving in Iraq, their fami- plicitly, by the administration, and by ment the fact that their strategy for lies and the taxpayers who have al- people on that side of the aisle, that undermining America’s resolve in Iraq ready been billed nearly a half trillion there is something unpatriotic about is failing. They know that time, time dollars. questioning the behavior of this admin- to undermine America’s resolve, time It ignores the issues raised by some istration or the policies or the way to foment a civil war, time to get of our most respected generals, and it they are being conducted. Let me not media on their side, time to spread ignores the lack of accountability and answer that yet. But let me give you

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00083 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4094 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 the answer that Teddy Roosevelt, a I am outraged at the fact that this exercise Detainees—4 great patriot, a Republican, a wonder- appears to be politically motivated. Charges Mark-Ups—5 ful President, had to say: ‘‘To an- verging on disloyalty are directed at loyal FULL COMMITTEE BRIEFINGS, SUBCOMMITTEE nounce that there must be no criticism Americans who criticize the administration fail- HEARINGS, AND CDR HEARINGS ON IRAQ AND of the President, or that we are to ures or suggest better tactics or strategies. GWOT stand by the President, right or wrong, Listen to Republican leadership instructions 10/21/2003: Readiness Subcommittee is not only unpatriotic and servile, but to their members: ‘‘Democrats on the other Resetting and Reconstituting the Forces it is morally treasonable to the Amer- hand are prone to waver endlessly about the 2/2/2004: ican people.’’ Listen to that. That is use of force to protect American ideals. Cap- Members Only Force Protection Briefing what we are supposed to do. itol Hill Democrats’ only specific policy pro- 3/9/2004: We are not supposed to be a con- posals are to concede defeat on the battle- Full Committee Briefing gregation of yes men and lickspittles. field.’’ Top Secret Codeword on Operations in We are supposed to be the voice of the These words are false, deceitful, dishonest, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Evolving Situa- tion in Haiti people and to hammer out the policies outrageous, and vicious. So here we have to- 3/31/2004: of this Nation in an honorable and open day’s proceedings: Political attacks on Demo- Full Committee Briefing fashion. That is not happening today. crats. Disregard of truth. Disregard of facts, Top Secret Codeword on Activities of the Mr. Speaker, this is not a fair and proper and most importantly, disregard of the need to procedure nor is it a debate. correct failed policies. I cannot, and will not, 4/1/2004: H. Res. 861 comes before us under a support such a phony and arrogant process. Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee closed rule, no amendments are allowed. This Hearing We must deal more fairly with one of the Land Component Request for FY05—in- body is told by the rule, no amendments are great issues of our day, which has cost us cluded Force Protection allowed. Take it or leave it, we are told. over $450 billion, 2,500 dead Americans, 4/2/2004: I say shame. What is there to fear from an 20,000 casualties, the trust of our people and Full Committee Briefing open debate and what is there to cause us to the respect of the people of the world. Top Secret Codeword on GWOT lose the right to amend this legislation? We are losing the equivalent of a battalion 4/28/2004: Full Committee Briefing There is much which we can approve in H. a month and spending $11⁄4 billion a week. Top Secret Codeword on Operations in Iraq Res. 861 and much on which we can arrive at Our troops are performing magnificently, but and Afghanistan agreement and consensus. the administration is functioning without any 5/4/2004: There are things in this resolution which are adequate plans. Full Committee Briefing controversial, and these require, more than The results are disastrous consequenes for Secret brief on Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Inves- ever, honest and frank discussion. our troops, for our country, for our relatIons tigation I find the language of paragraph 3 to be a with our friends and allies, particularly people 5/17/2004: particular problem. We should not foreclose Issue Forum in the Arab world. Stability Operations by the Iraq Coalition our options on redeployment. We need a real opportunity to discuss these 5/18/2004: It may well become that there is such a matters and to provide real congressional Full Committee Briefing need and such an interest in the United input into this situation. That is being denied to Secret on Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Investiga- States, and arbitrary pronouncements such as the Congress and the country here. tion this will actually haunt us. I cannot support this process and I express 5/18/2004: Like many other Members of this body, I the thoughts of the people on this war and on Full Committee Briefing Top Secret/SCI on Iraqi Prisoner Abuse In- supported the President’s father when he a strange, foolish, and irresponsible process. vestigation came to Congress seeking authorization to lib- Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6/2/2004: erate Kuwait. myself 1 minute to say earlier the gen- Full Committee Briefing There the process was honest, open, and tleman from Arkansas (Mr. SNYDER) Secret on DOD Detainee Interrogation Pro- truthful. The intelligence was clear, the mis- rose and talked about what he called a gram at GTMO sion was finite, and the world was united. lack of oversight on the Armed Serv- 6/10/2004: Here the process is closed, the debate filled ices Committee with respect to Iraq. I Members only Force Protection Briefing 6/24/2004: with hyperbole and half-truths, the world is want to enter into the RECORD, if I Full Committee Briefing alienated, and our mission is murky and indefi- might, the fact of 41 full committee Members Only on ICRC Review of U.S. De- nite. hearings, 21 on the war on terror, two tainee Operations Here the reasons given for invasion of Iraq on reconstruction, two on troop rota- 6/24/2004: were that Saddam Hussein had weapons of tion, three on the Iraqi forces, four on Full Committee Briefing mass destruction, chemical weapons, and nu- force protection, four on detainees and Top Secret Codeword on Iranian Nuclear clear weapons. Weapons Deployment Program and Involve- five markups on that issue. ment in Iraq Like many others, I did not believe the evi- I would just point out that the most 7/8/2004: dence supported the administration. extensive investigation in the history Full Committee Briefing I believed we had careless use of intel- of detainees was completed by General Secret on Army Force Protection Pro- ligence: honest mistake, careless with use of Taguba, who gave us a voluminous re- grams in Iraq and Afghanistan the facts, or willful deceit. port with something like 116 annexes. I 7/14/2004: History tells us one or all of these unflat- Member Session made that available to everybody, Members Only review of copies of reports tering conclusions are supported by the unfor- Democratic, Republican, on the Armed from ICRC related to the Iraq Theater of Op- tunate facts of the administration’s behavior. Services Committee, including Mr. erations’ Detention Facilities Now for my own position: Like all of us, I SNYDER, and a total of three members 7/21/2004: support our troops. I consistently vote for more from the Democrat side of the aisle on Member Session money, more equipment, and more resources our committee looked at that the re- Members Only review of detainee oper- ations in Iraq and photographs related to a to support them in every way I can to win and port. It is still available for Mr. SNY- new investigation of Iraqi detainees while in to bring them home safe and well. DER. When he gets finished reading it I have not called for withdrawal of our the custody of U.S. forces we will have more hearings for him. 9/26/2004: troops. I have suggested no tactics or strat- HASC BREAKDOWN OF IRAQ/GWOT ACTIVITIES Full Committee Briefing egy, but then neither has the administration, TOTAL COMMITTEE EVENTS—93 Top Secret Codeword on Operations in Iraq which seems to have for its purpose and tac- and Afghanistan Detainees—17 11/18/2004: tics more of the same, stay the course. Force Protection—10 Full Committee Briefing Our failures and mistakes are many, leaving ISF—6 Top Secret Codeword/SCI on Operations in weapons and munitions everywhere uncol- FULL COMMITTEE HEARINGS—41 lected and available to criminals, insurgents, Iraq General GWOT/Iraq—21 1/25/2005: jihadists, and al-Qaeda members. Reconstruction—2 Full Committee Briefing We disbanded the army police and security Troop Rotation—2 Top Secret Codeword on Ops and Intel in services, necessary to keeping order and as- ISF—3 Support of Tsunami Relief, Iraq, and Afghan- sisting in husbanding victory and peace. Force Protection—4 istan

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4095 1/26/2005: 2/1/2006: Oct. 21, 2003: Full Committee Briefing Joint Subcommittee Hearing and Brief on Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and Secret on Efforts to Train Iraqi Security Force Protection Reconstruction—Operation Iraqi Freedom: Forces and the Up-coming Elections 2/16/2006: Outside Perspectives 2/2/2005: TUTC Hearing Oct. 29, 2003: Readiness/Tactical Air Land Subcommit- Combating al Qaeda and the Militant Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and tees Jihadist Threat Reconstruction—Iraq Reconstruction and Ground force vehicle and personnel protec- 3/1/2006: Stability Operations: The Way Forward tion and rotary wing safety of flight issues Mark-up for H. Res. 645 Jan. 28, 2004: 2/2/2005: Requesting the President and directing the Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Full Committee Briefing Secretary of Defense to transmit to the Iraq—Operation Iraqi Freedom Force Rota- Secret on OIF and OEF Force Protection House of Representatives all information in tion Plan Initiative the possession of the President or the Sec- Apr. 21, 2004: 2/15/2005: retary of Defense relating to the collection Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Strategic Forces/TUTC of intelligence information pertaining to Iraq—Iraq’s Transition to Sovereignty Able Danger Program persons inside the United States without ob- Apr. 21, 2004: *Followed by a closed briefing taining court-ordered warrants authorizing Performance of the DOD Acquisition Proc- 3/16/2005: the collection of such information and relat- ess in Support of Force Protection for Com- Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee ing to the policy of the United States with bat Forces Hearing respect to the gathering of counterterrorism May 7, 2004: Future Combat System, Modularity, and intelligence within the United States. Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Force Protection 3/2006: Iraq—The On-Going Investigation into the 6/8/2005: Full Committee Brief Abuse of Prisoners within the Central Com- Full Committee Briefing TS Brief on Joint Improvised Explosive De- mand Area of Responsibility TS on Metrics, Trends, and the Iraqi Secu- vice Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) May 21, 2004: rity Forces 3/8/2006: Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in 6/16/2005: Full Committee Briefing Iraq—Conduct and Support of Operation Member Session Secret Brief from General George Casey, Iraqi Freedom Members Only review of copies of reports U.S. Forces Commander in Iraq June 14, 2004: from ICRC related to the Iraq Theater of Op- 3/8/2006: Mark-up of H. Res. 640—Resolution of In- erations’ Detention Facilities TUTC Hearing quiry requesting that the SECDEF transmit 6/23/2005: Special Operations Command: Trans- to the House any picture, photograph, video, Full Committee Briefing forming for the Long War etc. produced in conjunction w/ any com- Members only from Gen. Barry McCaffrey 3/15/2006: pleted DOD investigation conducted by MG (Ret.) on his experiences and observations in TUTC Hearing Taguba relating to allegations of torture or Iraq Implementing the GWOT Strategy: Over- violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 6/23/2005: coming Interagency Problems at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq or any com- Full Committee Briefing 3/30/2006: pleted DOD investigation relating to abuse Secret on Iraqi Security Forces Readiness/Tactical Air Land Subcommit- of a prisoner of war or detainee by civilian 7/14/2005: tees contractors working for DOD. Full Committee Briefing Army and Marine Corps Reset Strategies June 16, 2004: Secret on the Schmidt/Furlow Detainee In- for Ground Equipment and Rotorcraft Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in vestigation Report 4/4/2006: Iraq—Status of U.S. Forces in Iraq after 7/19/2005: Tactical Air and Land Subcommittee June 30, 2004 Full Committee Briefing Hearing on Force Protection Initiative June 17, 2004: From TYCO Corp. on Rapid Fielding of the 4/6/2006: Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in low-cost Warlock Blue Jammer for IED Tactical Air and Land Forces Briefing Iraq—Training of Iraq Security Forces Force Protection TS on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Re- June 22, 2004: 7/21/2005: connaissance Activities are being used in Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Full Committee Briefing theater to counter IEDs. Iraq—Progress in Iraq DOD’s work in developing and tracking HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE HEARINGS July 7, 2004: metrics for OIF ON IRAQ AND GWOT Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in 7/28/2005: Sept. 10, 2002: Iraq—Army and Marine Corps Troop Rota- TUTC/Oversight and Investigation of the The State of the Iraqi Weapons of Mass De- tions for Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 Oper- Financial Services struction Program and the History of the ation Enduring Reserve Committee Hearing United Nations Inspections Efforts in Iraq July 15, 2004: Financing of the Iraqi Insurgency Sept. 18, 2002: Mark-up on H. Con. Res. 472—SOC on ap- 10/26/2005: U.S. Policy Towards Iraq prehension, detention, and interrogation of Radical Islam Gap Panel Sept. 19, 2002: terrorists are fundamental in successful Alternative Views on U.S. Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Pro- prosecution of GWOT and protection of lives Counterterrorism Policy—Roles, Missions, gram and Technology Exports of U.S. citizens at home and abroad. and Capabilities Sept. 26, 2002: July 15, 2004: 10/27/2005: U.S. Policy Towards Iraq Mark up of H. Res. 869—Requesting POTUS Full Committee Briefing Oct. 2, 2002: and directing other federal official to trans- Secret on Activities involving the ICRC U.S. Policy Towards Iraq mit to HOR docs relating to treatment of and enemy combatants detained by Amer- Apr. 4, 2003: prisoners or detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, ican Forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and GTMO Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and and GTMO. 11/1/2005: Reconstruction: Iraq Violations of the Law Aug. 10, 2004: Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel of Armed Conflict Final Report of the National commission DOD Roles, Missions, and Capabilities in June 12, 2003: on terrorist attacks upon the U.S. Counter-Terrorism The State of Reconstruction and Stabiliza- Aug. 10, 2004: 11/13/2005: tion Operations in Iraq Denying terrorist sanctuaries: policy and Radical Islam Gap Panel July 10, 2003: operational implications for the U.S. mili- Understanding Aspirations of Radical Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and tary Islam: Why Mainstream Islam is Radically Reconstruction—Operation Iraqi Freedom: Aug. 11, 2004: Different The Commander’s Perspective. Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in 11/9/2005: Sept. 25, 2003: Iraq—Implications of the Recommendations Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and of the 9/11 Commission on the Department of TS Brief on Counter-Terrorism Intel- Reconstruction—U.S. Policy and Operations Defense ligence in Iraq Sept. 8, 2004: 11/10/2005: Oct. 2, 2003: Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and Iraq—The Performance of U.S. Military S Brief from State on Counter-Terrorism Reconstruction—Operational Lessons Servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan Policy Learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom Sept. 9, 2004: 11/17/2005: Oct. 8, 2003: Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel Operation Iraqi Freedom: Operations and Iraq—Report of the Independent Panel to Re- S Brief from DIA on Counter-Terrorism Reconstruction—Iraq: Reconstruction and view Department of Defense Detention Oper- Policy Rehabilitation ations

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4096 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Sept. 9, 2004: al Qaeda. The experts readily admit that Iraq indefinitely and an outright refusal to set Operations and Reconstruction Efforts in there is no real connection. a date for withdrawal. For these reasons, I Iraq—Investigations of Military Activities at I can believe that Iraq is a threat to the re- strongly oppose the resolution. Abu Ghraib Prison Facilities gion and to some American interests over- Mar. 17, 2005: seas, but I do not believe the threat is immi- Eighty-two percent of the Iraqi people want Current Operations and the Political Tran- nent or must be handled with a unilateral us out of their country, and 47 percent say it sition in Iraq military strike. is justified to attack American troops. It is sim- Apr. 6, 2005: This resolution is an unwise step for Amer- ply unacceptable to keep our troops in Iraq in- Iraq’s Past, Present and Future ica that will in the end weaken America. definitely under these conditions. I continue to May 5, 2005: How unsatisfactory are the words ‘‘I told you call for the withdrawal of American forces from Status of Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Armor- so’’. Iraq, and challenge the Iraqi people to stand ing Initiatives and IED Jammer Initiatives We invaded Iraq even though it was not in- up and defend their own country. in OIF volved with al Queda and, when we diverted Mr. Speaker, when we debated the original June 21, 2005: our gaze from the War on Terror, we let Iraq war resolution, the administration told us Marine Corps Underbody Armor Kits Osama Bin Laden get away and now his orga- June 23, 2005: that Iraq was stockpiling weapons of mass de- nization has metastasized so that his capture Progress of the Iraqi Security Forces struction, that there were ties between Sad- would no longer be the disruptive blow to al June 29, 2005: dam Hussein and 9/11, and that Iraq was Queda that it could have been then. Our sol- Detainee Operations at GTMO within a year of having a nuclear capability. Sept. 29, 2005: diers have served bravely but their courage Operations in Iraq has not been matched by adequate leadership Fast-forward to the deliberations of the 9/11 Oct. 20, 2005: by the brass starting with the Commander in Commission. They concluded that there were Army’s 4th ID Up-Armor HMMWV Dis- Chief. The problems that face us now in Iraq no weapons of mass destruction, no ties be- tribution Strategy are not primarily military ones but we are ex- tween Saddam Hussein and 9/11, and no nu- Nov. 3, 2005: pecting our military to accomplish them any- clear capability. Your Troops: Their Story Mr. Speaker, these votes weren’t 8–4 or 7– March 14, 2006: way. Mark-up for H. Res. 685 This entire venture was a mistake, but the 5, they were all 12–0 that the very basis for Requesting the President and directing the question is what do we do now? I think the the war did not exist. Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense answer is that it’s time for the Iraqi’s to take When I go back home, Mr. Speaker, and my provide to the House of Representatives cer- responsibility for their own country. Our Amer- constituents ask me to summarize where we tain documents in their possession relating ican soldiers signed up to defend America. Let are in the war on terror, I tell them this: As we to any entity with which the United States the Iraqi’s do the same for their country. approach the fifth anniversary of the worst ter- has contracted for public relations purposes We have spent American lives and treasure concerning Iraq. rorist attack in the history of our country, we in Iraq. It is now the obligation of the Com- have committed hundreds of billions of dollars April 4, 2006: mander in Chief to present a strategy for a Improving Interagency Coordination for in Iraq. More important, over 20,000 young GWOT and Beyond successful completion of American activities Americans have either been killed or seriously there so that our troops can be removed from Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of wounded going after Saddam Hussein, who Iraq as soon as is practicable. did not attack us, while Osama bin Laden, my time. Doing the same thing over and over again Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. who did attack us, is still alive, free, planning and expecting a different result is the definition another attack on our country. Speaker, we reserve the balance of our of insanity. It is time for leadership from the That, Mr. Speaker, is the very definition of time. We have a lot less time than on Commander in Chief that is more than ‘‘stay failure in the war on terror. the other side. the course’’ and more of the same. Mr. HUNTER. We have reserved the The war in Iraq is not the war on terror and We went after the wrong guy. balance of our time. I think we have never has been. I voted to authorize the use But after the invasion, did we have a re- got a transition here, Mr. Speaker, of force in Afghanistan because it was nec- sponsibility to help the Iraqi people build a with the next committee coming up. essary that we disrupt that terrorist hotbed that new government and a new way of life? The Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. had helped breed the terrorists who attacked answer to that question is yes. And we have Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman us on September 11th. Now even that nec- fulfilled that obligation. We have helped them from California for the purpose of put- essary endeavor in Afghanistan is faltering be- through not one, not two, but three elections. ting a statement in the RECORD. cause of the diversion into Iraq. It is now time for the Iraqi people to stand up (Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California If we are to win the war on terror, we must and defend themselves. asked and was given permission to re- focus our efforts on the terrorists and not on There is a general rule of military engage- vise and extend her remarks.) Iraq. We are spending $8 billion or more a ment that says that you do not signal to your Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. month in Iraq and need to utilize those funds enemy what you are going to do in advance. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the res- instead effectively in the fight against terrorists But there are exceptions to every rule, and olution. and also to protect the United States from the there are two exceptions to this rule. Mr. Speaker, When we made the decision potential of terrorist attacks. Number one is that the insurgents in Iraq to invade Iraq I said this: We have other threats around the world and are using as a recruitment tool the argument The President is asking us to pass this res- have, tragically, damaged our military readi- that we have no intention of leaving their olution now, but he has not yet made the ness to face them through our miscalculations country, and that we’re going to steal their case for war. in Iraq. To maintain the strong military might oil—and it is working. It is fueling the insur- I cannot support the President’s request that America needs we need to bring the Iraq gency. that we authorize military force against misadventure to an end as soon as is prac- Iraq. I make this very difficult decision for As for our friends in Iraq, those who want tical. three important reasons: The United States Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. this new government and new way of life, they is not acting in self-defense or from an immi- Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from seem perfectly content to let our soldiers take nent threat from Iraq, the United States all of the enemy fire. The problem with secu- should not be pursuing unilateral action New York for the same purpose. (Mr. MCNULTY asked and was given rity in Iraq is not the system of training; it’s the without international support, and the fact that the Iraqis are not stepping forward to President has not stated an exit strategy. permission to revise and extend his re- I believe there are times when countries marks.) defend their own government. must resort to war, and indeed international Mr. MCNULTY. Mr. Speaker, in ac- So, today, Mr. Speaker, my basic disagree- law recognizes the rights of nations to de- cordance with my statement on Tues- ment with the President is this: He says that fend themselves. I strongly support our cam- day, I rise in opposition to the resolu- we should stay in Iraq until the Iraqis declare paign against terrorism. But are we voting tion. that they are ready to defend their own coun- this week on a case of self-defense? It would Mr. Speaker, I am in agreement with much try; and I propose that we announce a time- certainly be self-defense if Iraq supported the al Qaeda attack on September 11, but the of the content of House Resolution 861, par- table for withdrawal, start withdrawing our evidence of such support is lacking. ticularly the expressions of gratitude for the troops, and make our position very clear to the I have listened to the administration and service and sacrifice of our troops. Iraqis: If they want this new government and met with top officials. I have yet to see any The language of the resolution, however, in- this new way of life, they have to come for- credible evidence that Iraq is connected with cludes a commitment to keep our troops in ward, volunteer, stand up, and defend it.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4097 Mr. Speaker, it is time to bring our troops rorism is an element of terrorism that bill, which originated in the Judiciary home. I think is lost on many Americans. Committee, gives law enforcement offi- Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. They are joined at the hip, and I am cials and intelligence officials the abil- Speaker, I reserve the balance of my particularly pleased that the PATRIOT ity to cooperate during investigations. time. Act did respond to that end. More than 250 people in the United Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am man- Seventeen months ago, Mr. Speaker, States have been charged with crimes ager of the bill for the Judiciary Com- I publicly indicated that troop with- tied to international terrorist inves- mittee for our side. drawal was conspicuously absent when tigations and have been convicted or The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- the war on terrorism was discussed. Oh, have pled guilty because of the USA tleman from North Carolina is recog- we spoke of appropriating more funds, . nized. we spoke of dispatching additional In response to the events of Sep- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield my- troops, but virtually no one ever even tember 11, 2001, we also passed legisla- self such time as I may consume. remotely included troop withdrawal in tion that created a Director of Na- I want to initially present an update their discussions. tional Intelligence so that all of our in- as to where we have been and where we Now, I am not suggesting troop with- telligence capabilities would be coordi- are in Iraq. Many months ago an Iraqi drawal tomorrow, but I want our armed nated by one official. citizen said to me, you all must remove servicemen and -women home sooner We passed the REAL ID Act which Saddam. We can’t do it, he said, be- rather than later. Some may declare, contains several antiterrorism provi- cause we know what he is capable of oh, we cannot cut and run. Cut and sions, including one that makes certain doing to us in retaliation. I said to him run? We have had a presence in Iraq in foreign nationals deportable because of if we do remove him, will you embrace excess of 3 years. 2,500 armed services their ties to terrorism. us or will you kick us? He said, I don’t Americans have given the ultimate We must continue to pass legislation know. sacrifice to the cause of freedom, Mr. that makes it more difficult for terror- I responded, that is my concern. I Speaker. Thousands of permanent and ists to enter the United States. That don’t know either. I believe his anti- disabling injuries have been inflicted means enacting meaningful border se- Saddam remarks at that time rep- upon members of our armed services in curity legislation like the bill that the resented a majority view in Iraq, but addition to the spending of billions of House passed last December. my concern proved prophetic. Our exer- dollars. Those who would do us harm, Mr. I do not know what constitutes cut- cise in Iraq, Mr. Speaker, and col- Speaker, respect no borders. Potential ting and running, but I do know that leagues, has not been without mis- terrorists and thousands of others con- when we have logged a wartime dura- takes. Our entry strategy was superb. tinue to enter our country illegally tion of 3 years, when 2,500 Americans Our post-entry strategy was tentative every day. have given their lives for freedom, and at best, inept at worst. In America, we are blessed to have Lord only knows how many Americans A better response to the looting that the freedom that others only dream have been injured, this does not con- ensued in the early days should have about, but freedom is never free. It stitute cutting and running. must be nurtured and protected, some- been in place. The disestablishment of The time has come, it seems to me, times at great cost in lives; but we will the Army, without an alternative plan, Mr. Speaker, to pass the baton to the not surrender to terrorists. That only in my opinion, was premature. Some Iraqi Government. Now, this decision empowers them. We will fight them would blame the United States for the will ultimately be made militarily, and today so we can enjoy a better tomor- delayed political development, but properly so, by the commanders on the row. Any other course only resigns us after all, our forefathers were delib- ground; but I do not want this matter to an uncertain future. erate in forming our country’s oper- of withdrawal to be lost in the shuffle. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me pay ational apparatus, so I think the polit- If freedom and peace prevail in Iraq, tribute to the brave men and women of ical complaint is probably unfounded. Mr. Speaker, history will be generous the 21st Congressional District of Was Saddam an evil, brutal mur- in its praise to President Bush and the Texas who are fighting this war over- derer, a flagrant violator of human Congress. rights? You bet. Was he involved in Mr. Speaker I reserve the balance of seas. The most difficult action I have international terrorism? You bet. Was my time. ever taken as an elected official is to he directly or indirectly involved in Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. call the families of the 14 servicemem- the 9/11 attack? I don’t know. I can nei- Speaker, I reserve the balance of my bers from my district who have made ther confirm nor reject that theory. time. the ultimate sacrifice. Their families’ My point, Mr. Speaker, is that intel- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am patriotism and love of country is al- ligence was flawed. Mistakes were pleased to yield 4 minutes to the dis- most indescribable. Their faith is great made. But the cause for freedom is a tinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. because they know our cause is great. noble one, and progress has, indeed, SMITH) who chairs the judiciary Sub- Mr. Speaker, I am glad this resolu- been realized. committee on Courts, the Internet and tion has been brought to the floor, and I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, and Intellectual Property. I urge my colleagues to support it. colleagues, about the lack of objec- Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. tivity in reporting the war on ter- thank my colleague on the Judiciary Speaker, I yield 31⁄2 minutes to the gen- rorism. Some liberal talk show host re- Committee, the gentleman from North tleman from New York (Mr. RANGEL) ports imply that no good has been ac- Carolina (Mr. COBLE) and the chairman who fought in the Korean War and was complished. Conversely, some conserv- of the Subcommittee on Crime, Ter- awarded the Purple Heart and the ative talk show hosts portray Baghdad rorism and Homeland Security, for Bronze Star. as moonlight and roses. Clearly these yielding me time. (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given two slanted versions are inaccurate Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this permission to revise and extend his re- and unfair. global war on terror resolution. The marks.) war on terror is being fought on two Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I regret b 2100 fronts, both abroad and here at home. that the majority has seen fit to bring Let me say a word about the PA- We applaud the diplomatic and mili- to this floor a political statement TRIOT Act, Mr. Speaker, and this will tary achievements overseas, but we where if you vote against it, you are be discussed in more detail subse- also need to remain vigilant here in voting against our troops; and if you quently. our own country. vote for it, of course you are sup- But the PATRIOT Act was reported Until the terrorists are defeated, porting the President’s policy. But in the full House by the Judiciary Com- Americans will continue to be their being a politician, I can understand mittee, and it addressed the nexus of targets as long as we stand for freedom that. the sale of illicit narcotics and ter- and democracy. We cannot say enough about the rorist financing. These two shadowy One of our weapons in the war on ter- courage and the dedication of our worlds of narcotics trafficking and ter- ror is the USA PATRIOT Act. That young people, the volunteers and the

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4098 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 National Guards people that are put- Mr. Speaker, I have just returned The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- ting their lives on the line each and from visiting our troops in Iraq and Af- tleman from North Carolina has 621⁄2 every day. Tragically, we reached a ghanistan. I witnessed the impact of minutes remaining. point that we passed the 2,500 mark in Zarqawi up close and personal. I have Mr. COBLE. And the other side? terms of loss of life, and tens of thou- seen the damage Zarqawi inflicted. I The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- sands are permanently maimed. visited the areas where Zarqawi lived tleman from California has 7 minutes When we laud them, as we have and terrorized people, and I met the remaining. The gentleman from Penn- heard, as supporting the President’s brave soldiers who ultimately tracked sylvania has 57 minutes remaining. policy, I really think this is so unfair, him down and killed him. Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 and why? Because with our fighting It was Sunday evening, May 28, 2006, minutes to the distinguished gen- men and women, when that flag goes and I was in Amman, Jordan, with a tleman from Ohio (Mr. CHABOT) who up, they salute it not because of a small delegation of six Congressmen. chairs the Subcommittee on the Con- President’s policy, but because of re- As I walked through the metal detector stitution on the House Judiciary Com- specting their oath to the Commander to enter the hotel’s lobby, I thought of mittee. in Chief. Zarqawi. It was here, in Amman, Jor- Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I thank When I was in Korea, I do not remem- dan, that Zarqawi, a native of Jordan, the gentleman for yielding. ber any of the soldiers that were in killed 60 people by bombing three ho- No one can honestly say that every- combat questioning the wisdom of tels on November 9, 2005. thing has gone just as planned in the Commander in Chief President Tru- The next day was Memorial Day, war on terror. As with any war, we con- man. They never asked did the Con- Monday, May 29, and I was in Iraq vis- tinue to face many challenges, some gress declare war. They never asked iting with our troops. Once again, my predictable, others unforeseen. thoughts turned to Zarqawi. I toured why were we involved in a civil war be- b 2115 tween the North Koreans and the the Special Operations Command Cen- South Koreans. They never thought ter with General Stan McCrystal, a But I have no doubt that we will ulti- that the North Koreans were going to three-star general in charge of track- mately prevail and we will prevail be- invade our communities. ing down Zarqawi. All over the walls of cause of the bravery and sacrifice and I tell you that our fighting men and the command center were posters of commitment to excellence of so many women today are not saying that they Zarqawi. General McCrystal and his of our courageous men and women in challenge the Commander in Chief. team were confident that they would uniform who have selflessly answered They do not ask whether there were get Zarqawi, and they briefed us on the call to duty. weapons of mass destruction. They do their efforts. Because of these patriots, Saddam not ask whether or not Saddam Hus- That same day I flew in a Blackhawk Hussein is on trial for his life, for his sein was a part of al Qaeda. They do helicopter around the area of Ba’Qubah crimes against humanity. His evil sons, not ask those political questions, and where Zarqawi was ultimately located. Uday and Qusay, are no doubt roasting neither did I when I was a sergeant in I also toured Baghdad, where Zarqawi in hell. There are no more mass graves the infantry. intimidated the U.N. by bombing their in Iraq being filled with the bodies of But I am not a sergeant in the infan- headquarters and where al Jazeera TV the innocent. And 25 million Iraqis, in- try now. I am a Member of the United once broadcast a videotape showing stead of fearing torture and execution States Congress, a Member of this Zarqawi personally beheading an for such crimes as insulting the Presi- House of Representatives, and each one American citizen. dent, can now, instead, actually vote A week later, on Wednesday, June 7, of us has the right to challenge any di- for their leaders. And Iraq now has an I was at the White House with a few rection, not of the Commander in elected government under a new con- other Members of Congress to brief Chief, but the President of the United stitution. And because of the skill and President Bush about what we saw in States. That is the most patriotic professionalism of our troops and our Iraq. At exactly 3:57 p.m., National Se- thing we can do because, in doing that, allies in the war on terror, terrorist curity Advisor slipped kingpin, Abu Musab al Zarqawi is dead, whether it is Vietnam, whether it is a note to President Bush, Vice Presi- Korea, or whether it is Iraq, we are and al Qaeda is left without its master- dent CHENEY and Secretary of State mind in Iraq. And in Afghanistan, in protecting as best we see it, the lives Condi Rice. President Bush read the and the safety of the men and women the face of extremely difficult condi- note, smiled and winked at Condi Rice. tions, our courageous men and women that have volunteered. Zarqawi was dead. have overcome al Qaeda and the Let us face it, they did not volunteer General McCrystal later personally Taliban, allowing for free elections and to knock off Saddam Hussein. They went to the scene and determined for volunteered because they were looking himself that Zarqawi had officially the first democratically elected Presi- for a better way of life, the same way been killed. President Bush already dent, President Karzai, in that nation’s I did when I volunteered in 1948, and called General McCrystal to thank him history. you can see where they come from. It and his troops, and today Congress The job done by our soldiers and our does not take away from their patriot- thanks them as well. sailors, our airmen and marines has ism, but they did not take a poli-sci Mr. Speaker, Amman, Jordan, is a been nothing short of superb. It is be- course in terms of how do you bring long way from my hometown of Or- cause of them that we will ultimately peace in the Middle East. I mean, they lando, Florida. Tonight, thousands of prevail in the war on terror. Of that I were not there looking for Saddam people in Orlando will walk into hotel have no doubt. Like many of my col- Hussein. They were looking for a better lobbies without having to go through a leagues, I have had the opportunity to opportunity, which I guess they re- metal detector, unlike the hotels in visit with our troops in Afghanistan ceived. They come from our inner cit- Amman, Jordan. Why? Because our sol- and in Iraq, and I have returned home ies. They come from our rural areas. diers are taking the fight to the terror- with even more respect and admiration They come from the areas of high un- ists, like Zarqawi in the Middle East, for the great work our servicemembers employment. But when they get in the so the rest of us can live freely in the do each and every day. And like many military, they are patriots who do not United States. of my colleagues, I have attended fu- challenge the policies of a President or However one feels about the war in neral services for too many of our he- Commander in Chief. So they are not Iraq, realize that our troops deserve roes who have given their lives on the advocates. They are patriots. our support 100 percent. God knows battlefield in the service of their Na- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am they have earned it. tion. May God bless them and the fami- pleased to yield 3 minutes to the dis- I urge my colleagues to vote ‘‘yes’’ lies that they have left behind. tinguished gentleman from Florida on House Resolution 861. Mr. Speaker, these sacrifices remind (Mr. KELLER) who sits as a member of Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. us that ultimately the people of Iraq the Judiciary Committee. Speaker, I reserve my time. must control their own destiny. Many Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, how much of us have supported the important Chairman Coble for yielding me time. time remains on each side? mission of training Iraqi troops to take

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4099 responsibility for the security of Iraq. fight terrorists. If we can shatter the render before the operation ever began. Ultimately, the Iraqi people, the myth that occupying Iraq is the same And now we have an operation going troops, the police officers there have to thing as fighting terrorism, then these over there that has freed 25 million be responsible for the security of Iraq. 10 hours of debate tonight will have more people. And Afghanistan and Iraq There is only so much that our troops been worth something after all. are the lodestars for the Arab people in can do. This must continue to be a pri- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield the the Arab world. mary focus so that our brave men and distinguished gentleman from Iowa When the Berlin Wall came down on women can return home as soon as pos- (Mr. KING), who sits as a member of the November 9 of 1989, many in this place sible. Judiciary, 3 minutes. did not predict that freedom would Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Mr. KING of Iowa. I thank the gen- echo across Eastern Europe for hun- Speaker, it is a pleasure to yield 31⁄4 tleman from North Carolina, and I ap- dreds of millions of people, but it did. minutes to the gentleman from Michi- preciate the privilege to address you, And freedom can echo across the Arab gan (Mr. CONYERS), a combat veteran of Mr. Speaker, and also this Chamber. world for tens and hundreds of millions the Korea war. If we take ourselves back to Sep- of people the same way that it echoed Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank tember 11, 2001, we had a lot of small across Europe. That is the Bush doc- the gentleman for yielding. problems then that we thought were trine. That is the vision: To free peo- Ladies and gentlemen, General An- big problems, and all of a sudden we ple. Because free people never go to thony Zinni and other retired generals had a great big problem. We were at- war against other free people. We have been outspoken in their opposi- tacked by an enemy that most of us don’t, at least. tion to the planning and execution of hadn’t paid much attention to, if in- And to the extent that the world is a our occupation of Iraq. But our admin- deed we had ever heard of that enemy. freer place, it is a safer place, espe- istration rejected their sound rec- We believed that that day wouldn’t be cially a safer place for Americans. So, ommendations which predicted exactly over before on top of the attacks we Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the privilege what would happen if we didn’t plan for knew about there would be other at- and I stand with our military. the occupation. These generals ex- tacks on top of that. We believed in the Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. plained that our forces were not pro- following days there would be more and Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds to vided enough resources to do the job; more attacks in this country because correct some disinformation that the that we alienated allies that could of an organized effort that would be previous speaker put out. have helped in rebuilding Iraq; and continuing with suicide bomber at- It should be noted that this Chamber that the Defense Department ignored tacks that would continue to cost the was near united on going into Afghani- planning for the postwar occupation, lives of Americans. stan. Moreover, we believed strongly unaware of the growing insurgency We mobilized this. The President that is where we should have been. So there. stepped up in New York at ground zero it wasn’t anywhere close to what he ex- I have heard from too many military and took a leadership role. He said if plained. families, those children of theirs who you’re not with us, you’re against us. If Mr. Speaker, I yield 31⁄2 minutes to have been wounded or killed in duty. you harbor terrorists, you are a ter- my friend from Tennessee (Mr. TAN- Their grief is so much harder to bear rorist. And he carried that out. NER), who served 4 years active duty in knowing that often we did not ade- And as we began to get mobilized to the U.S. Navy and retired as a full bird quately equip their sons and daughters go to Afghanistan, there were those on colonel after 26 years with the Ten- in battle. the other side of the political equation nessee National Guard. Back home I have met many times that said you can’t go in there and suc- (Mr. TANNER asked and was given with Lila Lipscomb, a proud mother cessfully invade and occupy a nation permission to revise and extend his re- from Flint, Michigan, who lost her son like that; that has never happened in marks.) Michael in Iraq. Initially, Mrs. the history of the world. The terrain is Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, our coun- Lipscomb supported the war, on the as- too difficult, the fighters are too tena- try was founded and bases itself on ci- sumption that the government knew cious, and it is a fool’s errand to go vilian control of the military. And best. A week after finding out her son into Afghanistan and think you can when I wore the uniform of our coun- had died, she received a letter from her succeed in there militarily. But in fact try, I, like all other military people in son in which he forcefully argued that that is what happened. uniform, followed orders. I obeyed my we should not be in Iraq because there They said it would be another Viet- commanders and I tried to do whatever was no connection between Iraq and nam, but it wasn’t another Vietnam. the mission was that was set before us. Osama bin Laden. The Afghani people voted on that soil That is what you do in the military of Cindy Sheehan lost her son Casey in for the first time in the history of the the United States under civilian con- Iraq and became a voice for mothers of world, and American troops were there trol. soldiers who oppose the war. Cindy’s to see to it that they were able to do But I am not in uniform any more. I loss motivated her to unite with other that. They have chosen their own lead- am a civilian now, and part of that ci- grieving mothers in opposition to the ers and directed their own national vilian authority. And it is our patriotic war. And her willingness to speak truth destiny, 25 million people. duty as part of that civilian authority to power has drawn attention to the And the advisers that put that to- to ask questions, to constantly reex- misconduct of the war and the terrible gether, both civilian and military, were amine the strategy, to constantly reex- price that service men and women and the same advisers that advised Presi- amine the policy of this country, to do their families have paid. dent Bush on Iraq. The similarities are everything we can to, one, accomplish Let me tell you this: We need to en- almost identical: Difficult country, 25 our mission; and, secondly, and more courage our friends and allies around million people, you can’t go there and importantly, protect the men and the globe to help with Iraqi reconstruc- succeed. The same advisers. And be- women who are actually doing the tion and peacekeeping. We just don’t cause some people can find one or two fighting for us now. have sufficient resources to manage generals that had a different idea, they That is why this debate, I would have this work on our own. We haven’t seem to believe that the President hoped, would have been more broad; learned from the first gulf war. If we hasn’t used the best wisdom possible. that we would have had more oppor- can bring the international community In the shortest time in the history of tunity, because this debate in this into Iraq to help establish a democ- the world, an armored column went country has to take place in this build- racy, protect its citizens, and rebuild across the desert and invaded and occu- ing on this floor here and in the Senate its infrastructure, it will free American pied the largest city ever in the history Chamber. It is the patriotic obligation forces and resources to address the real of the world to be invaded and occu- and duty of civilian authority to do problem we face: Terrorism. pied, and that is Baghdad, successfully, that, and I am proud to be here to- Let’s heed the advice of our col- 25 million people. Even though we had night. league, Mr. MURTHA, and redeploy our some people who have spoken on this Now, I have supported resolutions troops to find Osama bin Laden and floor tonight that were inclined to sur- like this in the past, but I want to ask

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00089 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4100 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 Mr. COBLE a question, sir. There was a We fought back against terror fin- tleman from Pennsylvania for yielding news report this morning that the new anciers with people like Dennis time for some of the veterans on the Iraqi government is negotiating with Lormel, a veteran FBI agent who was Democratic side of the aisle to have some of the elements there in Iraq that tasked with tracking down the finan- the opportunity to speak out against are insurgents who have been mur- cial lifelines that enabled the 9/11 hi- this sham resolution, and I yield back dering Americans, and this was what jackers to operate. to him the balance of my time. one of the Iraqi government officials We fought back with people like Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 said this morning, according to these David Aufhauser, who was then general minutes to the gentleman from Maine news reports, and I quote: ‘‘There is a counsel at the Treasury Department (Mr. ALLEN). patriotic feeling among the Iraqi youth who was put in charge of a small inter- Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank and the belief that these attacks on agency terror finance group which met the gentleman for yielding. Americans are legitimate acts of re- regularly at the White House after 9/11. I rise to oppose this resolution and to sistance in defending their homeland. And we fought back here in this call for a significant reduction of U.S. These people will be pardoned, defi- House. Chairman OXLEY and the rank- forces this year and an end to the occu- nitely, I believe.’’ ing member, Mr. FRANK, convened a Fi- pation in 2007. Now, unless that can be cleared up, I nancial Services Committee hearing on I voted against the invasion in 2002 am not prepared to vote for a resolu- terror finance just 3 weeks after the at- because I believed the war would be a tion which says in part that the United tacks. Shortly thereafter, this body strategic blunder of historic propor- States and its coalition partners will passed the PATRIOT Act, which pro- tions. And it has been. continue to support Iraq. If this gov- vided critical new terror finance tools. We owe the men and women we sent ernment in Iraq is going to grant am- We have held numerous hearings to Iraq and their loved ones more than since to improve the government’s nesty to people who kill Americans be- a few hours of grandstanding on this antiterror finance efforts and to iden- cause they feel it is their patriotic floor and an empty resolution of sup- tify which foreign countries need to do duty and they are defending their port. more to stop terror financing within homeland, then we have got to reassess We must work toward a national con- their borders. where we are with these people. sensus to end this war, a war born in And we have created the bipartisan deception and managed under a delu- Do you know whether or not this has Congressional Anti-Terrorist Financ- been cleared up? sion. Today’s news that the American ing Task Force to bring a stronger death toll has surpassed 2,500 is the Mr. COBLE. Mr. TANNER, I do not focus on bolstering our fight against know. I am told that it was announced grim reminder of the danger and sac- terror financiers. rifice our Armed Forces face daily in that it was a mistake. But I cannot In just a few years, we have made sig- Iraq. We need to end our occupation of verify that, and this is a case of first nificant progress in combating terror- Iraq so America can rebuild our econ- impression with me, what you have funding networks. We still have a long omy at home and regain respect just shared with me. way to go, but we are on the right abroad. Mr. TANNER. Well, I don’t want to track. catch you off guard, but we need to Last December, the 9/11 Commission Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 clear this up before we vote on this res- came out with a report card grading minutes to the distinguished gen- olution. I do not think the American the government’s response to 9/11. The tleman from Arizona (Mr. HAYWORTH), people will support a government that government’s efforts against terror fi- who sits on the House Ways and Means grants amnesty to people who kill nance got the highest grade of them Committee. (Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was American soldiers. all, an A minus. Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am Just last week, an al Qaeda planning given permission to revise and extend pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gen- document was found in al Zarqawi’s his remarks.) tlewoman from New York (Mrs. hideout which laments our successes in Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, again KELLY), who, by the way, is the founder restricting the al Qaeda financial out- we return to the people’s House to dis- and chairman of the bipartisan, bi- lets. This House has played an impor- cuss the people’s business and the cen- cameral Anti-terrorist Funding Task tant role in this effort, and it has been tral question that cuts to the very core Force. approached in a bipartisan way even of our existence: free men and women Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I want to when dealing with terror finance in engaged in an armed struggle to ad- talk briefly about one aspect of our Iraq. Continued progress on this com- vance freedom elsewhere in the world; fight against terrorism that is often plex issue requires a sustained commit- our all-volunteer military, standing in overlooked, and that is our efforts to ment from our Congress. the breach against Islamofascism and detect and eradicate terrorist funding Last year, members from both sides of the terror in Afghanistan and in innumer- networks around the world. The fight aisle joined me in a letter pressing Syria for able other places around the globe. But against terror finance goes hand in more action in stopping the flow of fighters the central front for our discussion this hand with the war on terror. and finances into Iraq. evening in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the b 2130 Members from both sides of the aisle joined me in asking the government of Italy to crack resolution, in support of the troops, in Terrorists infiltrate our financial down on open fundraising efforts for Iraqi ter- support of this mission, as I often re- systems to distribute the money that rorists in their country. call the words of Mark Twain that his- they need to support their evil activi- As we move forward, our challenges con- tory does not repeat it, but it rhymes. ties around the globe. They exploit a tinue to grow more daunting as terrorists per- I review the debate that has gone on wide variety of alternative funding net- petually adapt to our methods to stop them. in the people’s House today, so many works that range from charities to They are constantly finding new ways to raise willing to compare this to Vietnam. So commonplace criminal activity like and distribute money. many coming to this floor using the drug peddling and illegal cigarette So we must work even harder to keep up term ‘‘quagmire,’’ and yet any dis- sales. with terrorists’ ever-changing financing tech- passionate, objective evaluation of My colleagues would likely agree niques. We must continue pressing foreign what has transpired would be remiss if that while we may have targeted the fi- governments to do the same. we did not include not one, not two, nancial resources of terrorists net- Continued progress on this complex issue but three elections where we have seen works at times prior to 9/11, the fight requires a sustained commitment from Con- turnout by the Iraqi people exceed on against terror finance didn’t begin in gress. By stopping the flow of terrorist money, each occasion what had gone on before. earnest until after the 9/11 attacks. we can diminish the ability of terrorists to at- We see a nation being born, fighting The 9/11 hijackers used U.S. and for- tack our citizens and our country. Fighting ter- terror, and we see American troops, eign banks to transfer the roughly ror finance must remain a critical component volunteers, stepping forward. half-million dollars necessary to the of the War on Terror. Others have made the point, Mr. plan to execute their attacks on Amer- Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, that there is no more solemn ica. Speaker, I would like to thank the gen- and sacred obligation than casting a

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4101 vote to put our military into harm’s go. Good friends know when to come; Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 way. I have been at Walter Reed with good friends know when to go. minutes to the gentleman from Geor- one of my constituents prior to sur- In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, it is im- gia (Mr. LEWIS). gery. I had that young man say to me: portant to be resolute about our sup- Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Congressman, I am a cav scout. That’s port for the troops. But it is also time I want to thank my friend and col- my job; that’s my profession. Help me to send a clear message that our com- league, Mr. MURTHA, for yielding. do all I can to get back with my unit. mitment is conditional on their suc- Mr. Speaker, it is time for us to close The men and women of our military cesses, and our days in their country this very grim and dark chapter in are professionals doing a tough job. I are not indefinite. American history, a chapter that is don’t doubt the sincerity and intent of Mr. Speaker, I rise in qualified support of leaving a dark stain on the moral fab- those who oppose this resolution, but I the Resolution. There is much in this resolu- ric of our Nation and compromising do respectfully take issue with their tion to like. our credibility among the communities judgment. After all, it honors those Americans who nations. If not us, who? If not now, when? We have fought in the Global War on Terror, and As Gandhi once said: ‘‘Liberty and have no choice. Failure is not an op- especially those who have been wounded or democracy become unholy when their tion, and to those for whatever reason died. hands are dyed with innocent red eager to snatch defeat from the jaws of It expresses a commitment to a ‘‘sovereign, blood.’’ victory, al Zarqawi is dead. A democ- free, secure and united Iraq.’’ And it urges that Mr. Speaker, we have buried 2,500 of racy is being born. Freedom is on the we ‘‘protect freedom.’’ our Nation’s mothers, fathers, daugh- march. This remains an imperfect But this resolution fails to fully address a ters, sons, husbands, wives, brothers world with mistakes and challenges key question that most Americans are asking: and sisters. The lives of 18,000 men and that likewise remain, but let us stand ‘‘When are the troops coming home?’’ women have been changed forever. Some have lost their arms, their legs, steadfast, true to the course, true to Now let me be clear—I have long opposed and their sight in this unnecessary the cause, true to freedom. Vote ‘‘yes’’ setting a ‘‘date certain’’ for ‘‘immediate with- drawal’’ of U.S. forces because such plans en- conflict. on this resolution. Mr. Speaker, war is messy. War is Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve courage our enemies and put our troops at bloody. It tends not only to hide the the balance of my time. risk. truth, but to sacrifice the truth. While Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am However, speaking as a Vietnam Veteran, I we may have won some military vic- pleased to yield 2 minutes to the dis- believe that every unconventional conflict has tories, those do not erase the mistake tinguished gentleman from Con- a ‘‘tipping point’’ where the presence of foreign of a preemptive war. necticut (Mr. SIMMONS), a Vietnam vet- soldiers on sovereign soil begins to become They will not silence the questions eran and the recipient of two Bronze counter-productive. that are troubling the minds of the Stars. I learned that we cannot secure a foreign American people. They know today Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in land all by ourselves. We must plan a transfer that Iraq did not pose an immediate qualified support of the resolution. of authority where a sovereign state assumes threat. There were no weapons of mass There is much in the resolution to like. the solemn task of securing their own people destruction, and they see that we are It honors those Americans who fought within their own borders. deeply involved in a misguided con- in the global war on terror, and espe- I believe that this ‘‘tipping point’’ is fast ap- flict. cially those who have been wounded proaching in Iraq. We must patiently, but firm- Mr. Speaker, I deeply believe that and died; and it expresses a commit- ly, insist that the new Iraqi Government as- the American people want us to bring ment to a sovereign, free, secure, and sume these responsibilities. our children home. We are not safer united Iraq. And it urges we protect We must also be systematic in bringing today than we were before we went to freedom. home those American soldiers who have so war. This war is not the answer, so we But the resolution fails to address a bravely served us on the ground in Iraq. must find a way out of no way to bring key question that most Americans are President Bush and this Congress must our young men and our young women asking: When are the troops coming clearly tell our partners in Iraq—particularly, home. Bring them home. home? Let me be clear, I have long op- the new government—that they must step up Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, before I posed setting a date certain for imme- to the plate and assume their solemn respon- recognize the next speaker, could you diate withdrawal of U.S. forces because sibilities for securing their country. tell me how much time remains. such plans encourage our enemies and The new Iraqi Government must understand The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- put our troops at risk. that the American people will not allow their tleman from North Carolina has 49 However, speaking as a Vietnam vet- own sons and daughters to stay indefinitely; minutes remaining. The gentleman eran, I believe every unconventional and that it’s time for the Iraqis to assume from Pennsylvania has 541⁄2 minutes re- conflict has a tipping point where the more of the burden of sacrifice that any war maining. presence of foreign soldiers on sov- and any revolution might bring. Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am ereign soil begins to become counter- It is time for Iraq to come together and show pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gen- productive, and I learned that we can- the American people that it is ready to defend tleman from California (Mr. DANIEL E. not secure a foreign land all by our- itself, govern itself and sustain itself. LUNGREN) who sits on the House Judi- selves. We must plan a transfer of au- In closing, Mr. Speaker, I observe in this ciary Committee. thority where a sovereign state as- great chamber two large portraits. One is of Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of Cali- sumes the solemn task of securing George Washington, our revolutionary leader. fornia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gen- their own people within their own bor- The other is of France’s General Lafayette, tleman for yielding, and I rise in sup- ders. And I believe this tipping point is who helped us with our revolution from 1777 port of this resolution. fast approaching. to 1781. Over a quarter of a century ago when We must patiently but firmly insist It is instructive to note, that General Lafay- I served in my first term during my that the new Iraqi Government assume ette did not stay here forever; nor did we want first period of service in Congress, I re- these responsibilities, and we must also him to. Good friends know when to come— member making a very difficult phone be systematic in bringing home those and when to go. call. That phone call was to the par- American soldiers who have so bravely In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, it is important to ents of a young man in uniform who served us on the ground in Iraq. be resolute about our support for our troops had died in our failed attempt in the Mr. Speaker, I observe in this great and their important mission. But it is also time desert to attempt to rescue our hos- Chamber two portraits: one of George to send a clear message to our friends in Iraq, tages in Iran. Washington, a revolutionary leader; that our commitment is conditional on their I recall the feeling of helplessness we the other is France’s General Lafayette own successes, and that our days in their had at that moment, not under- who helped us with our revolution from country are not indefinite. standing what we were doing, not hav- 1777 to 1781. It is instructive to note And although I wish this resolution could ing a strategy as to how we respond to that General Lafayette did not stay have made this point more clearly, I will sup- what was, very simply put, a terrorist here forever, nor did we want him to port the resolution. attack.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4102 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 I recall being awakened one morning attacks in Iraq on our troops and Iraqi Many brave men and women have to learn that we had suffered the loss citizens. given their lives in Baghdad and all of our marines in Beirut. I recall the We have seen success in capturing across Iraq. We honor those families attack on the USS Cole. And then, of Saddam and eliminating al Zarqawi. I for their sacrifice, their ultimate sac- course, I recall with all of us the ter- have never doubted the ability of our rifice. rible tragedy of 9/11. young men and women in our Armed Mr. Speaker, this war is not the one Say what you will about the Presi- Forces. We saw what they were capable we anticipated fighting or the war we dent’s policies and say what you will of doing in the first days of the war were led to believe we were getting about the imperfections involved, the when they stormed Iraq and Baghdad into, but I believe we must leave a se- fact of the matter is since 9/11 this within days, overwhelming the Iraqi cure Iraq that can defend itself and be President, this administration, has em- forces. a symbol for democracy to prosper. barked on a strategy that says we will The accomplishments we have seen Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 not wait to be attacked. We will not in Iraq can be attributed directly to minutes to the distinguished gen- wait to respond exactly where they at- these troops’ discipline and persistence tleman from Texas (Mr. GOHMERT). tacked us. We will change the rules of in fighting the insurgency. Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, the the game, and we will decide where and Mistakes have been made, and the question came up previously from a when we will attack. most experienced members of our colleague about did Iraq intend to give We understand that this is a global Armed Forces have pointed that out. amnesty to those who have killed war on terror. Those who suggest that One of the individuals who spoke out American soldiers, and I want to clar- the war in Iraq is not essential to our was retired Marine General, Former ify that. The National Security Adviser defense in the war on terror should Chief of U.S. Central Command An- said just earlier regarding alleged com- thony Zinni, who said, ‘‘We grow up in only listen to the words of Mr. Zarqawi ments from the Prime Minister that a culture where accountability, learn- and the correspondence that he had supposedly amnesty would be given to ing to accept responsibility, admitting last October where he suggested one of some who have killed Americans. He mistakes and learning from them was the very first objectives of al Qaeda said, ‘‘This is not the case. I am sorry critical to us. When we don’t see that was to make sure we were defeated in to say the has happening, it worries us. Poor military Iraq. been misquoted and misunderstood. He judgments has been used throughout did not mean to give amnesty to those b 2145 this mission.’’ who killed Americans.’’ So that should As this war has gone on, the lack of We should understand that we have clarify that. done great things in response to this, planning and poor judgment by this ad- Now, Mr. Speaker, there are those on a bipartisan basis. We have given ministration has become more appar- who have said it is a quagmire in Iraq. ent. the President the tools to use, the PA- It is a mistake for us to be there. Some I have here the May 1, 2003 press re- TRIOT Act, intelligence gathering that made these statements from personal lease from the White House in which he did not have the capacity for before. President Bush, on board the U.S. heartache. Some, on the other hand, And let me just mention a number of Abraham Lincoln, declared all major were made from partisan political mo- plots that have been deterred. combat operations have ended. We now tivation, and some from disdain for our The West coast airliner plot in mid- know that this was one miscalculation President and a desire to see his efforts 2002. The U.S. disrupted a plot to at- among many. fail, even though it risks world sta- tack targets on the West coast of Since that time, seven young men bility and national security. United States using hijacked airplanes. from our 29th Congressional district in But our soldiers are there. They The East Coast airliner plot in mid- Texas have lost their lives in Iraq. know they have done great things and 2003, Across this Nation, 2,300 service per- will continue to accomplish more. The Jose Padilla plot to blow up sonnel, men and women have lost their They have seen the admiring faces of apartment buildings in the United lives since the President made these Iraqi children that were never present States in May of 2002. remarks. in Vietnam. They have heard gratitude The 2004 U.K. urban targets plot Reading over these remarks, it is from many there in Iraq that was never where the U.S. and partners disrupted clear that the administration had no heard in Vietnam. a plot that involved urban targets in clear plan for securing Iraq after the Our valiant soldiers not only fight, the United Kingdom. invasion and no clue about what was to protect and defend, they also see the The 2003 Karachi plot. follow the next 3 years. frantic efforts of terrorists who are ter- The Heathrow Airport plot in 2003. Given the size and the strength and rified that democracy and the people The 2004 U.K. plot. the effectiveness of the insurgency, the will begin to rule over them and their The 2002 Arabian Gulf shipping plot. administration’s intelligence should oppressive dictatorial ways. They keep The 2002 Straits of Hormuz plot, have given some indication that there many terrorists occupied there rather The 2003 tourist site plot where the would be problems down the road and than here in America. U.S. and a partner nation disrupted a done a better job of preparing both our Mr. Speaker, as legislators, we get to plot to attack a tourist site outside the public and, more importantly, our ask a question that I didn’t get to ask United States. troops on what was to come the fol- as a judge. It was inappropriate be- We are making progress precisely be- lowing month and the following years. cause of the separation of powers. And cause we are playing away games, not It is clear that we did not have that is, who will be hurt or helped by home games. Let’s not forget that as enough troops on the ground imme- the actions and, in my case as a judge, we debate this important resolution. diately after the invasion, and that by the ruling? Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 shortage continues. Well, here in this debate as legisla- minutes to the gentleman from Texas Congress doesn’t direct troops on the tors we get to ask that question. Who (Mr. GENE GREEN). ground. We are not the Commander in will be hurt by pulling out? Those Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chief. But we are charged with sending yearning for freedom who have it with- Speaker and Members, our job is to our sons and daughters into battle, and in their grasp will be hurt. And ulti- protect our Nation. We have thousands therefore we need an honest and open mately America will be hurt because of of young men and women who are debate about what is occurring in Iraq. terrorist activities that would resume doing it today. I strongly disagree with the way the and multiply unabated in Iraq, and bin I believed in early 2003 we should do administration planned and carried out Laden would have been proven right, more to capture or eliminate the peo- this war. I will continue, though, to that we didn’t have the stomach to go ple who caused the 9/11 attacks. They vote for the defense appropriations and all the way to victory. were predominantly in Afghanistan, the supplemental dollars because we Who would be helped by our pulling not in Iraq. have to give our troops protections out? Well, there are some families that Today it seems we have a resurgent that they need, and we learn every day would not endure the heartache from Taliban in Afghanistan and increasing that they need even more. losing or having a wounded soldier in

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4103 their family. But the price in lost lives mass destruction, that Iraq was likely to a democratic Iraq, lest it return to might be far more expensive in the fu- to attack us, and that it was necessary tyranny and a breeding ground for ture. Who would really be helped would to wage a preemptive war against international terrorists who would be ruthless, heartless, finger detaching, them. President Bush was wrong. then seek to fight us far closer to our hand removing, throat slashing, de- Three and a half years ago, we were own shores. capitating, women raping and abusing, told that there was a link between Iraq Let us choose a democratic Iraq and child misusing, corpse abusing, merci- and al Qaeda. That was wrong. a safer America. I urge my colleagues less, calloused, deranged, religious Three and a half years ago, we were to support this resolution. zealot, murderers who think they are shown all of those aluminum tubes Mr. MURTHA. I yield 3 minutes to going to get virgins in the next life, which allegedly told us about a nuclear the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. but may find they are the virgins with weapons program in Iraq. That was ROTHMAN). what happens to them. wrong. Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, how did Let me just close by saying, some Three and a half years ago, we were this happen? We have lost 2,500 Amer- have not had nice things to say about told that Iraq was importing depleted ican servicemen and women. They have our colleague, Mr. MURTHA, and others uranium from Niger. That was wrong. been killed in Iraq. 18,000 U.S. soldiers wanting to pull out of Iraq quickly. Mr. Speaker, terrorism is a major grievously wounded. We have spent But I understand the faithful visitation problem for our country and the world. over one-third of a trillion dollars in that he does routinely. So I say thank Unfortunately, in many respects, the Iraq on this war, so far. Yet, 80 percent God for his big heart. I say thank God war in Iraq has created more terrorists of the Iraqi people want us to leave. 80 for his compassion. Thank God for his than it has stopped, and has deflected percent of the Iraqi people want us to visits to the wounded. Thank God for our attention away from the fight leave. They are shooting at our sol- his ministering to grieving families. against Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. diers, blowing up our soldiers with im- But thank God he was not here and Mr. Speaker, let us bring our troops provised explosive devices. prevailed after the bloodbaths at Nor- home as soon as possible. Let us mount How did we get here? Oh, yeah. I re- mandy and in the Pacific, or we would a focused campaign against terrorism member. President Bush said that Sad- be here speaking Japanese or German. with military force, with improved in- dam Hussein was an imminent threat Mr. MURTHA. I yield myself 1 telligence capabilities and with an un- to the United States and had weapons minute. derstanding that we need to work with of mass destruction. So many of us I ask the Speaker, was the gentleman the entire world. voted to send our troops to Iraq to at any of those locations? Was the gen- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 eliminate this threat of the use of tleman at either Normandy or any of minutes to the distinguished gen- weapons of mass destruction and this those locations? tleman from New Jersey (Mr. FER- imminent threat to our national secu- Mr. GOHMERT. Will the gentleman GUSON). rity. Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise yield? b 2200 You want to know which locations? in support of this resolution. Mr. MURTHA. Yes. Mr. Speaker, Iraq is a part of the It turned out not to be true. There Mr. GOHMERT. Normandy was a hor- global war on terrorism, and a strong were no weapons of mass destruction. rible bloodbath. democratic Iraq means a safer Amer- Saddam Hussein was no imminent Mr. MURTHA. I said were you there? ica. threat to the United States. Well, we Mr. GOHMERT. Oh, no, I wasn’t. Rather than debate the past, I choose deposed him and that is a good thing. Mr. MURTHA. Were you in Vietnam? to look at where we are today and But there was a huge power vacuum Mr. GOHMERT. No, sir, I wasn’t. where we will be tomorrow. In the days and many of us felt, even though we Mr. MURTHA. Were you in Iraq? and weeks and months ahead, the glob- were misled going into war, that we Mr. GOHMERT. I have been over al war on terrorism will come to a had a moral obligation to help the there. I haven’t been fighting. turning point. Today the question is, Iraqi people stabilize their country and Mr. MURTHA. Boots on the ground? do we continue to fight and defeat the bring democracy there, and we have Mr. GOHMERT. And I do admire the terrorists who will stop at nothing to been there now 3 years, 2,500 dead, gentleman’s compassion, and I do ap- destroy Iraq’s democracy? 18,000 of our young men and women preciate all that he has done for our Ultimately, the success of democracy wounded, a third of $1 trillion spent, wounded. He has done a great service, in Iraq will be decided by the Iraqis and 80 percent of the Iraqis want us to and that would be you, Mr. MURTHA. themselves, for it is they who must leave. Thank you for your work. take their country back. I support the Murtha resolution, Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 Like many of our colleagues, I have which says that we should withdraw minutes to the gentleman from traveled to Iraq. I have visited with its most of the U.S. troops back to the Vermont (Mr. SANDERS). leaders, including the new Prime Min- United States and leave a quick reac- Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, the ister. I have also visited with our tion force in friendly countries around process that we are dealing with this troops, including from my home State the region. evening is nothing less than an out- of New Jersey. I have met with mem- Some say Iraq is part of the war on rage. The idea that on an issue of this bers of the Signal Battalion from West- terror. Nonsense. There are 25 million great importance those of us in the mi- field and our Finance Battalion in people in Iraq, 25 million people in nority are not being allowed to offer a Flemington before their deployments. Iraq, less than 1,000 foreign fighters. resolution of our own is an insult to Their courage in the face of danger and This is a civil war. The Iraqi Shiias, the democratic process and tells us willingness to serve inspire us all. Sunnis, and Kurds cannot agree how to why we have to end one party govern- Difficult days still lie ahead. We ac- divide up Iraq now that we got rid of ment in America. knowledge the sacrifices of our Armed Saddam. Well, it is 3 years later. All of The Republican resolution talks Forces and their families here at home. this American loss of life. President about democracy in Iraq. I am all for For those Americans who have made Bush says stay the course, and in fact, that. But I would also like to see some the ultimate sacrifice, 2,500 as of today, it will not be President Bush who gets democracy on the floor of the U.S. their sacrifice is immeasurable, and rid of this war. It will be the next House of Representatives. America extends our hands and our President. Well, you know what? Amer- Three and a half years ago, when we hearts to their families. icans do not want this war without were asked to give the President the Looking forward, not backwards, I end. Deploy most of our troops back to authority to go to war in Iraq, I voted believe we must stand with the Iraqis America within 6 months. Redeploy a against that resolution, and I think who are fighting for their country, be- significant number in friendly coun- history will indicate that that was the cause a strong democratic Iraq means a tries around the horizon in case other right vote. safer America. There can be no alter- countries want to meddle. Three and a half years ago President native to winning the global war on War without end is not the American Bush told us that Iraq had weapons of terrorism. There can be no alternative way. We met our moral obligation to

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4104 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 the people of Iraq. Now it is up to the ades. We must defeat the terrorists overseas, East expert Anthony Cordesman of the Shiias, Sunnis, and Kurds in Iraq to de- so we don’t have to fight them here at home. Center for Strategic and International cide whether they want to live in peace Mistakes have been made, so have correc- Studies. with one another or not. tions, but the fundamental fact remains that The real question before us and the Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 John F. Kennedy’s words have never been question most Americans are asking is, minutes to the gentleman from Min- more true: ‘‘If men and women are in chains how long must our troops stay in Iraq? nesota (Mr. KENNEDY), who sits on the anywhere in the world, then freedom is endan- Our military’s valiant efforts have Financial Services and Transportation gered everywhere.’’ clearly facilitated such important Committees. People in the chains of tyranny without hope steps as such as the formation of a (Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota asked are the breeding ground for terrorists that en- democratically elected government in and was given permission to revise and danger America and the entire civilized world. Iraq. But the troubling reality is that extend his remarks.) Terrorism can only be defeated by bringing our continued presence also makes suc- Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. hope to harsh places. cess more elusive. It serves as a dis- Speaker, for our families and country We must also remember our own proud his- incentive for Iraqi military and polit- to truly be secure, we must prevail in torical tradition: America has always found that ical leaders to take courageous risks to the war on terror. Iraq is a central the best way to provide for our security at stabilize their country and assume re- front in that war. home is to confront tyranny and expand the sponsibility for their government. Mistakes have been made, but so frontiers of freedom. Equally important, our presence is a have corrections. But the fundamental That is our mission in Iraq. magnet for international terrorism and fact remains that John F. Kennedy’s And with a democratically elected govern- an incitement for the insurgency. words have never been more true: ‘‘If ment and an Iraqi army and police force in- In order to jump-start progress, our men and women are in chains any- creasingly taking over for our troops, we are troops must begin to come home. We where in the world, then freedom is in on a path to success, and a path to bringing must leave in a way that maximizes endangered everywhere.’’ our troops home. Iraq’s chances to govern and defend Men and women in the chains of tyr- Others offer a different path, a path that itself. At the same time, we cannot be- anny, without hope, provide the breed- says, get out now, no matter what the com- come hostages to the failures of admin- ing grounds for terrorists that endan- manders on the ground think; get out now istration policy, prolonging or staying ger America and the entire civilized whether or not milestones are achieved; get in a situation where our very presence world. Terrorism can only be defeated out now, whether or not Iraq becomes a sanc- is a continuing provocation. How we by bringing hope to harsh places. tuary for terrorists to regroup and attack Amer- leave does matter, but we must leave. America has always found that the ica again; get out now, no matter what signal That is why Representative BRAD best way to make our families secure is it sends to Iran and other countries that would MILLER and I introduced a resolution to confront tyranny and expand the endanger our security. last fall, H.J. Res. 70, which would re- frontiers of freedom. That is our mis- Cutting and running is one path. But it is the quire the President to deliver an exit sion in Iraq. And with a democratically wrong path. strategy for Iraq. Tonight I am renew- elected government and Iraqi troops in- The only path that makes our families se- ing that call. Let me explain briefly in creasingly taking over for our troops, cure is victory in the War on Terror. clear terms what a responsible exit we are on a path to success. Mr. Speaker, beyond the lessons of history, strategy means. Others offer a different path, a path I look to what the soldiers on the ground are First, we need to hear that the Presi- that says get out now no matter what saying. dent has a plan for reducing our pres- the commanders in the field say; get The soldiers I have spoken to on the ground ence in Iraq within a reasonable time out now, whether or not milestones in Iraq, at places like Camp Victory in Bagh- frame. ‘‘As they stand up, we will stand have been achieved; get out now, dad, many of them men and women from the down’’ is not a strategy. It is a slogan. whether or not Iraq becomes a sanc- Minnesota Army National Guard, want to Secondly, we need to hear that such a tuary for terrorists to regroup and at- come home as soon as possible. plan would begin with an initial near- tack America again; get out now no However, they realize better than most that term drawdown of U.S. forces to send a matter what signal that sends to Iran. if they come home before they have defeated clear message to the Iraqis that our Let me be clear. Cutting and running the terrorist threat, there will be no lasting presence is coming to an end. We also is one path, but it is the wrong path. peace—there will be no victory in the War on need to hear a pledge from the Presi- The only path for security for our fam- Terror. They know that if we don’t finish the dent that we will not establish long- ilies is victory in the war on terror. job in Iraq, we’ll have to finish it someplace term bases on Iraqi soil. The troops that I visited in Iraq in else. And, finally, we need to hear that each of the last 3 years have told me Like them, I want to finish the job in Iraq, there is a plan for filling the void left that they should come home as soon as because if we don’t finish it there, the horror behind when our troops depart, to mo- possible, after we have defeated the of 9/11 should inform us that the war will be bilize resources within the inter- terrorist threat and set out a lasting brought to us here at home. national community, to ensure that peace. Mr. Speaker, let us remember in our Iraq’s neighbors do not interfere in in- I support this proposal and encourage thoughts and prayers those who have sac- ternal Iraqi affairs, and to support the all my colleagues to do the same. rificed, as well as those who continue to stand ongoing development of the Iraqi Gov- Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the in harm’s way around the world fighting the ernment and security forces. Resolution offered by the gentleman from Illi- War on Terror. Let us deserve the bravery and These are the elements of a respon- nois, a man who has spent his life as a tire- selflessness of our men and women in uni- sible exit strategy. This is the type of less advocate for freedom and respect for the form. leadership that the President owes our fundamental dignity of all human life. Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 troops and the American people. It cannot be overstated how important it is minutes to the gentleman from North Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am that we are here for today’s debate. There is Carolina (Mr. PRICE). pleased to yield 2 minutes to the dis- no more important issue facing this Congress (Mr. PRICE of North Carolina asked tinguished gentleman from California or this country than winning the War on Ter- and was given permission to revise and (Mr. HERGER), who sits on the Ways ror. extend his remarks.) and Means Committee. Our mission in Iraq is a central front in that Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, Sep- war. Speaker, the American people are in- tember 11, 2001, proved that our enemy At stake is not only the safety of our families creasingly aware of where things stand is determined to kill Americans. In- and our country but also the resolve of this in Iraq, despite the glib assurances and stead of sitting idle, our Nation went great Nation to stand up and oppose the political spin we get from sources like on the offense. We removed the Taliban forces of terror wherever they may appear. the whereas clauses of the resolution from power in Afghanistan. We re- Make no mistake about it: there is more at before us and the Pentagon’s most re- moved the regime in Iraq that had in- stake in our mission in Iraq than helping re- cent quarterly report, which has been vaded neighbors and financed ter- build a country decimated by a despot for dec- so devastatingly refuted by Middle rorism. And we have kept terrorists on

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4105 the run, limiting their avenues of at- Some talk about cutting and run- succeed, as it is succeeding in many tack, disrupting their finances and ning. But I say we must confront the parts of the Arab world, the terrorists eliminating safehouses around the legacy of cutting and running from vet- lose. globe. Mr. Speaker, it is not by coinci- erans health care. Just as the next gen- And the most important thing in all dence that our Nation has not suffered eration of combat veterans return of this that all of us should have in the another attack here at home. home, the long-term veterans health front of our minds is will our children Some have doubts about our mission care budget falls $8.6 billion short from grow up in America with the fear of in Iraq. But I believe Americans can projected needs. We must reject that terrorism in the front of their mind or find solace in the midst of sacrifice and legacy of Iraq. will it be a distant memory in history? hope in the midst of hardship. The rea- And, finally, I join my colleagues in I grew up in Jamesville, Wisconsin, as son is simple: we are clearly on the commending our U.S. military working a happy kid. I want my kids to grow up road to victory and success in Iraq, and in conjunction with Iraqi security and in Jamesville, Wisconsin, with the our Nation is safer today because of it. Iraqis themselves for locating and same kind of happiness, not with the Since the fall of Saddam’s regime, 70 eliminating Abu Musad al Zarqawi. His fear of terrorism. percent of eligible Iraqis for the first terrorist violence is gone. But we have This is a global war, a war we have to time in history elected a national learned in Iraq that fighting a classic win, a war that only America through unity government. They have ratified a guerrilla-type war means that a vic- its leadership can win for the rest of democratic Constitution for the first tory like killing Zarqawi cannot be the world. The sooner we wake up to time ever, and they helped us eliminate celebrated too long. Much remains to that, the better off we are and the al Qaeda’s mastermind, Zarqawi. be done in Iraq, and Democrats have to more peaceful life we can leave to our Mr. Speaker, progress in Iraq makes make right where the administration children. America safer. Terrorists are being has gone wrong. Our obligations com- b 2215 pursued, not harbored. We have seen pel us to ask the tough questions that movement toward democracy in neigh- are currently ignored. That is why our troops overseas are boring countries. Work remains, but Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am doing a great job. That is why we have freedom is making progress. And free- pleased to yield 3 minutes to the dis- to see this thing through. The terror- dom, Mr. Speaker, lays the foundation tinguished gentleman from Wisconsin ists think we are weak because of our for a more secure future for America. (Mr. RYAN), who sits on the Ways and freedoms. They think that we do not Mr. Speaker, I have also had the Means, Budget, and Joint Economic have the stomach. They think they can privilege of visiting our troops in Iraq. Committees. turn our public opinion. That is not They are outstanding young men and Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, true. women, and they overwhelmingly be- I thank the gentleman for yielding. Let’s prove that that is not true, and lieve in their mission. I urge my col- Mr. Speaker, I just recently read a let’s win this war on terror. leagues to offer their unqualified sup- lecture from the most highly respected Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 port to our troops abroad until their scholar on Middle East affairs and minutes to the gentleman from New mission is complete. Islam in America, Bernard Lewis. He Jersey (Mr. ANDREWS). Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given minutes to the gentleman from Wash- went through Osama bin Laden’s origi- nal fatwa. He went through a lot of permission to revise and extend his re- ington (Mr. LARSEN). marks.) Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. writings of al Qaeda back in the early Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Speaker, I rise today because the cur- to mid-1990s, and what they declared is my friend from Pennsylvania for yield- rent administration has gotten too very chilling. They declared that their ing me time. many things wrong in Iraq and has to- war was going to be against the two su- Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this res- tally misrepresented the lessons of the perpowers at the time: the Soviet post-9/11 world. It is now up to Demo- Union and America. They believed they olution because its words honor our crats to get things right in Iraq so we defeated the USSR in Afghanistan. I troops, but its deeds do not. It is not at can focus our military efforts to fight- would like to think peace through all controversial that we honor and re- ing terrorists around the world who strength is what beat it here and the spect the heroism of those who serve want to harm us. fact that communism did not work. us. Today I ask my colleagues: Will we But they think they beat it. But they deserve so much more than realistically confront terrorists and Now they think they have one last the hollow words of this resolution. terrorism with all the elements of our enemy to beat before they can reach They deserve a plan that for the first national power, or will we continue to their caliphate from Spain to Indo- time would achieve an intelligence alli- ignore a proven approach in order to nesia: America. ance, it would make strikes like the follow a shop-worn, idealistic approach Mr. Speaker, the war on terror did one against Zarqawi on a regular basis that drains our military of its re- not begin on 9/11. It began on 2/26. Feb- against the leaders of the resistance. sources and America of its goodwill ruary 26, 1993, when they first hit us at But this resolution has no plan. They with the very partners we need to fight the World Trade Center. Then in 1996, deserve a real plan to fortify and im- terrorists? That is the choice that our the Khobar Towers. Then in 1998 at our prove the Iraqi security forces so as country faces in Iraq and in our na- two embassies in Africa. Then in 2000, they step forward, our troops can come tional security. the USS Cole. Then in 2001, 9/11. home. But this resolution offers no Democrats must speak out against Mr. Speaker, we are at war. They such plan. They deserve a clear path to this administration’s tendency to over- have declared this war against us long political stability and broadening po- look problems and push for a policy ago. The sooner we realize it, the bet- litical participation so the government that centers on oversight of U.S. tax- ter we are. The best way to win this of Iraq is viewed as an Iraqi Govern- payer dollars. Unfortunately, we do not war is to play away games and not ment and not a tool of any outside practice oversight. This Congress prac- home games. forces. This resolution has no such tices ‘‘overlook.’’ We must respond to The good news on this front is we plan. public frustrations by creating a secure have not had another 9/11 since 9/11. We We are in the problems that we are in future for our military and reestablish have not had a major terrorist attack today because the administration has a foundation for American efforts to here in America. given us slogans, not solutions. This fight terrorists and terrorism across If Iraq becomes democratic, if Iraq resolution is very much in that sorry the globe. Congress must confront the becomes free, they lose. They cannot tradition. This debate is a sham, Mr. legacy of the waste, fraud, and abuse win and manifest their distorted belief. Speaker. It is a pep rally. It is not a that plagues our efforts in Iraq. They want to have a world like what discussion of the alternatives before As Democrats, we must continue our we saw on display in Afghanistan, the the country. efforts, in spite of the current opposi- Taliban, throughout the entire Middle So although I join the words of the tion, to bring this waste, fraud, and East. If democracy and freedom can resolution in praising our troops, let’s abuse in Iraq to light. persist, if it can take root, if it can move beyond the words to the deeds.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4106 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 The way to honor those who fight for with the bureaucracy in the interim However, what is probably a lot more this country is to match their sacrifice ministry of defense but both generals true is that the war in Iraq has in- with our own wisdom. This resolution demonstrated a quite confidence and creased, not decreased, terrorism and falls far short of that objective and we professionalism exhibited by seasoned the resolve of the terrorists. It has cre- should oppose it. battle-hardened commanders. ated conditions in Iraq that allow ter- Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 These two commanders demonstrated rorism to thrive. minutes to the gentleman from Min- the will and the ability of the Iraqi se- Finally, the Resolution asserts that ‘‘Iraqi nesota (Mr. KLINE), a 25-year veteran of curity forces to battle the terrorists forces are, over time, taking over from United the U.S. Marine Corps, a Vietnam vet- and the insurgents who plague their States and Coalition forces a growing propor- eran who sits on the Armed Services country. tion of independent operations and increas- Committee. In our discussions, Mr. Speaker, they ingly lead the fight to secure Iraq.’’ If that were Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the were blunt. They were proud of their true, we would have started bringing our gentleman for yielding me time. accomplishments. They were confident troops home by now. At some point we’ve got Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support in their ability to move forward, but to make Iraq assume responsibility for itself of this resolution today. I have enjoyed they recognize that they continue to and its own people. I just don’t believe they or the debate immensely. The rhetoric rely on U.S. logistical and medical as- we have come to grips with that. has been sometimes heated, the facts sistance, that they cannot move for- There obviously are a number of things in sometimes obscured. But I think it is ward by themselves. Not now. the Resolution with which I agree. But we healthy for the American people to see We have made a commitment, Mr. were given no opportunity to amend the Reso- this debate. I am sorry that the gen- Speaker, not only to our American lution to strip out the things that are untrue tleman from New York is not here. I forces, but to these Iraqi forces. We and/or offensive or, for that matter, to add to wanted to have a discussion about have got to stay with them and help the things with which we agree. My Repub- what buck sergeants know and what them achieve their freedom and their lican colleagues have, once again, chosen to they do not know in today’s Army. But independence. politicize a matter that should be above par- I suppose we will have to let that one We have made a commitment—not only to tisan politics. I cannot vote for the Resolution slide by. the American men and women of our Armed in this form and will, therefore, vote ‘‘no.’’ But I will tell you that my son, serv- Forces—but to those who wear the uniform of Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, may I in- ing in Iraq today, and his colleagues the Iraqi Security Forces. They have shed quire of the Chair the amount of time and his soldiers in the 101st and the their blood alongside our soldiers and Marines on both sides. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- other soldiers and marines that I have in pursuit of a stable and peaceful Iraq. tleman from North Carolina has 31 talked to, they know why they are in Now is not the time to abandon them, now minutes, and gentleman from Pennsyl- Iraq. They know what they are doing. is the time to stand firm with those who de- vania has 371⁄2 minutes remaining. They know what their mission is. And fend freedom in a land that has known only Mr. COBLE. I thank the Speaker. they understand that not everyone tyranny. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the here does, that Iraq is the front line in Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 distinguished gentleman from Pennsyl- minutes to the gentleman from North the war against Islamist extremists in vania (Mr. SHERWOOD), a veteran of the the words of the 9/11 Commission. Carolina (Mr. WATT). U.S. Army, who sits on the Appropria- But I am here this evening to talk (Mr. WATT asked and was given per- tions Committee. about a trip that I took to Iraq a week mission to revise and extend his re- Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise ago at the request of the Chairman of marks.) in strong support of this resolution for the Armed Services Committee to as- Mr. WATT. Mr. Speaker, during con- many reasons. But one is that I know sess the progress of the Iraqi armed sideration of the rule this morning, our we are achieving real progress in Iraq forces. I am pleased to report that I Republican colleagues suggested some- and Afghanistan. I know this not from was very heartened by what I found. I thing pretty revolutionary, that is, government reports or media sources, think all of us now understand that the that we do something we do not nor- but from two fine Pennsylvanians. I Iraqi Army is progressing with amaz- mally do often around here, and that is want to quote from an e-mail I received ing speed. We know the numbers. Over read the resolution. They said they en- this morning from a constituent, an 260,000 Iraqi security forces, over 100 couraged us to review it, and vote Army officer in northwest Iraq com- Iraqi Army battalions, almost 30 Iraqi based on whether we agree or disagree manding the military transition team. police battalions, either leading the with the content of the resolution. And he writes, ‘‘There are many posi- fight or serving with their coalition So I reviewed the resolution. And as tive things going on over here that the partners. our colleagues suggested, I intend to American public never hear about. My But it is not the numbers that count; vote against it based on the fact that little 10-man team contributed over 150 it is the quality of the troops. It is there are several things in the resolu- boxes of school supplies to the schools what they are able to do. In a previous tion that I strongly disagree with. in my area. Other units purchased trip to Iraq in November of 2005, I had First, on page 2 of the resolution, it grain to give out to small villages. I the opportunity to meet with and as- states as follows: ‘‘Whereas by early am very proud of the accomplishments sess the progress of the Iraqi counter- 2003, Saddam Hussein and his criminal of U.S. and Iraqi forces and it truly is terrorism forces. These are special Ba’athist regime in Iraq constituted a a shame that all of the news tends to forces trained by our Special Oper- threat to global peace and security.’’ be negative towards the activities of ations Command, and they are impres- I think the only way one could con- the soldiers, both American and Iraqi sive. clude this would be to conclude that who are working very hard every day The Iraqi special forces have proved there were, in fact, weapons of mass de- to make this country safe.’’ their mettle in combat and in training. struction in Iraq. I did not vote for the I am very pleased and honored this Last month, last month a young cap- war resolution because I never believed summer to have an intern, Mike tain became the first Iraqi to graduate the President when he asserted that Wright, who is a soldier in the 82nd from the United States Army Ranger there were weapons of mass destruc- Airborne. When he arrived in Afghani- School, an exceptional feat achieved by tion in Iraq in the first place. I did not stan in July 2002, the people had noth- only 35 percent of any foreign military believe it then. It was subsequently ing: no schools, no healthcare, no personnel who try. proven not to be the case. And I most paved roads. But in 7 months his unit Over Memorial Day weekend, my certainly cannot support a resolution helped build the first school and health confidence was further boosted when I that asserts it now. clinic. When his unit came back to Af- visited with Major General Bashar Second, the resolution asserts that: ghanistan in late 2004, it was a dif- Ayoub, commander of the Iraqi 9th ‘‘The terrorists seek to destroy the new ferent place. New facilities, factories, Mechanized Division, and Major Gen- unity government because it threatens more electricity, and miles of paved eral Jamal Khalid, Commander of the the terrorist’s aspirations for Iraq and roads. Iraqi Second Division. Both com- the broader Middle East.’’ There is When arriving in the village, he tells manders expressed their frustration probably some truth to that. me his unit would be greeted by small

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4107 children, smiling youngsters throwing Instead we would delve into the deception, another portion, and I quote, he, as a colorful plastic flowers at them. These the intelligence failures, the scapegoating of matter of fact, if you were there, and examples are among many that illus- the C.I.A., and the mismanagement that has this is the Iraqi National Security Ad- trate real progress, laying a foundation placed us where we are today. The generals, viser speaking, if you were there in for future peace, shaping the world the men and women of our Armed Forces this meeting with President Bush a where the terrorist message will fall on have done their job. We have voted time and couple of days ago, he looked the Presi- deaf ears. time again in budgets and supplements sup- dent in the eye and he said, thank you Mike told me this also, ‘‘The Afghani ported their protection, yet we have had the very, very much for liberating our war veterans, the old-timers have real culprit come to this floor and demean, un- country. I thank the American wives, asked him, why did you abandon us dermine, those who ask questions or may criti- the women, the American mothers for when the Soviets left?’’ cize. Teddy Roosevelt turned over from the the treasure and the blood that they Today their biggest fear is that we clownish gyrations of the Congressmen or have invested in this country. It is will leave before the mission is done women from Ohio. worth investing for liberating 30 mil- and allow the Taliban or other tyrants And we’d also take up H.J. Res. 73—Con- lion people, and we are ever so grateful. to take over. We must know that the gressman JOHN MURTHA’s well-reasoned, es- Mr. Speaker, we all stand grateful. Iraqi civilians remember 1991 and fear sential call to redeploy our troops from Iraq. We stand grateful. the same thing. We must complete this We are faced with a choice—more of the From CNN Interview: mission. same from the Bush administration, or JACK’s KAGAN. Doctor, I know there’s a big effort Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 way. I believe that rapid turnover of Iraq to the by your government in your country to try minutes to the gentleman from New Iraqi people is essential and that our troops to prevent civil war. And as part of that, The Washington Post reports today that your Jersey (Mr. PASCRELL). need to be redeployed at the earliest prac- Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, their prime minister is considering offering am- ticable date. That is why I am proud to co- nesty to Sunnis or to others who perhaps at- side of the aisle, your side of the aisle, sponsor my friend’s resolution. tacked only U.S. troops. This, not surpris- has a major problem. Yesterday, Prime Today is just another sham in the House of ingly, causing great consternation here in Minister Nouri al Maliki suggested Representatives, but that is what we’ve come the U.S., even talking about it and being that they would provide amnesty for to expect. raised on the floor the U.S. Senate today. Is those people who killed or who wound- Our troops deserve better. this, indeed, the case? Is your government ed our soldiers. We are going to see Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 thinking about offering amnesty to those who are the patriots here in the future. minutes to the distinguished gentle- that attacked only U.S. military? RUBAIE. This is not the case. I’m sorry to In a speech that JACK MURTHA gave woman from Tennessee (Mrs. say that the prime minister of Iraq has been on April 20 this year, he started off by BLACKBURN) who sits on the House En- misquoted and misunderstood. He did not talking about President Teddy Roo- ergy and Commerce Committee. mean to give amnesty to those who killed sevelt. He said, ‘‘There must be no crit- Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, you the Americans. icism of the President or that we have know, our colleagues across the aisle Aa matter of fact, if you were there in his to stand by the President right or are asking the American people to di- meeting with President Bush a couple of wrong is not only unpatriotic and ser- vorce our mission in Iraq from the days ago, he looked the president in the eye vile, but is morally treasonable to the and he said, thank you very, very much for global war on terrorism. I think it is liberating our country. Please thank the American public.’’ impossible. I think it is irresponsible, American wives and American women and You are going to have to explain and it is bad policy. American mothers for the treasure and the that. You made a very big mistake. I If only terrorism were as clear cut a blood they have invested in this country. It’s voted for the war, for the efforts of the problem as they want us to believe, and well worth investing, of liberating 30 million President, the Chief, the Commander in if only elimination of the Taliban people in this country. And we are ever so Chief in December of 2002. And here we would have been sufficient to free us grateful. are a few years later, looking back at from the threat of terrorism. Mr. And we will—the blood of the Iraqi soldier and blood of Iraqi civilian soldier is as sacred what that decision was based upon. Speaker, have we not learned anything Talk about impunity, we have had to us as the American soldier. We are fight- from September 11? It should be crystal ing the same war, we are fighting together, people come on the floor in the last 2 clear that terrorism went far deeper and this is a joined responsibility. And we years to impugn this gentleman’s char- than one rogue regime in Afghanistan. will never give amnesty to those who have acter. The CIA impugned the very facts But that is where they are in this de- killed American soldiers or killed Iraqi sol- that the administration has tried to bate. They are ignoring reality. Our dier or civilian. provide. Every day a former CIA agent troops, my folks from the 101st and the Mr. MURTHA. Let me ask the gen- says that this administration failed to National Guard, know that if we are tleman, my good friend, how many listen to the advice and counsel of going to be free of terrorism, if the more speakers he has? those folks who have boots on the goal is to prevent terrorism from kill- Mr. COBLE. I say to my good friend ground. That is a shame. ing 2,000 Americans on our soil tomor- from Pennsylvania, I have two more And the other side, the other side has row or forevermore, then we must speakers, Mr. MURTHA. simply provided a rubber stamp, a rub- bring major change to the Middle East. Mr. MURTHA. I will be the last ber stamp to all of the policies. You speaker. have mindlessly rubber-stamped the b 2230 Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I am mismanagement that has cost our It is an unpleasant reality, but it is a pleased to recognize for 2 minutes the sons, and you may laugh, these are our reality. That is where we are in Af- distinguished gentleman from Con- sons and daughters, our sons and ghanistan. That is where we are in necticut (Mr. SHAYS), who is the chair- daughters their lives. Iraq. Progress is being made. Libya has man of the National Security Sub- And now, here we are today—considering a changed, the Taliban is basically gone committee of the Government Reform partisan, political resolution that ultimately now, al Qaeda has significantly weak- Committee, and who has been to Iraq means nothing; a resolution that won’t assist ened and bin Laden is on the run. 12 times. our troops on the ground; a resolution that Pakistan is an ally in the war on ter- Mr. SHAYS. I thank the gentleman does not help us move forward in bringing our rorism. Iraq, despite a 24/7 massive for yielding. men and women home. media campaign of negative news, is I have been listening to this debate This is just another shameful example that making progress, and we have elimi- all day. The argument I am hearing the leadership of this body is not fit to serve. nated al-Zarqawi. On this issue of am- most from the opponents of this resolu- This Congress has failed to fulfill its most nesty, the Iraq National Security Ad- tion is we shouldn’t have gone into basic of duties. Shame should permeate every viser corrected the record and, for the Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein in hallway and every hearing room. record, stated that the Prime Minister spite of the fact that many of them If we were serious—truly serious—about was misquoted. voted to go into Iraq. helping our men and women in the military, I have that entire interview and the I am hearing from opponents that we would not waste our time on this resolu- transcript for the record, and I would there was and is no connection between tion. like to quote for my colleague’s benefit Islamist terrorists and the war in Iraq,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4108 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 in spite of the fact that the prince of al ing in the Vietnam War, and yet a plu- people that caused us a terrible public Qaeda, al Zarqawi, did his gross handi- rality of people still supported the relations disaster. work in Iraq. Fortunately, he is dead. Vietnam War to the very end. So you have this combination of un- I am hearing from opponents of this Let me read something. People say trained troops, inadequate forces, and resolution that we have made many they don’t want a time schedule. No- then on top of that, you have no plan mistakes in Iraq, as if that is justifica- body has said they don’t want a time. to remove the military. Every military tion for arguing that we need to leave. Let me read these comments from leader I have talked to has said the We have made a number of mistakes. some of the people that traveled back same thing to me. They have said, we We permitted the looting of govern- from the President from Iraq recently. can’t win this militarily. ment buildings. We didn’t secure the She says in her news release, here is All of us want the same thing. We munitions depot. We disbanded their Bush Tuesday night on the way home want a resolution to this thing. We army, their border patrol and police, on Air Force One discussing his con- want to not only bring our troops and then asked the 150,000 coalition versation with Iraqi leaders. There are home. Internationally it is important forces, mostly brave American soldiers, concerns about our commitment and we have stability in the Middle East. to protect and defend 26 million Iraqis keeping our troops there. They are There is no question. All of us want the living in a country the size of Cali- worried almost to a person that we will same thing. It is how we get it. And we fornia. leave before they are capable of defend- have to have international coopera- These were mistakes, but mistakes ing themselves. I assured them they tion. do not justify leaving prematurely. didn’t need to worry. As I had mentioned, and I will end They help explain why things could be That is what we hear back here all with this, in the first war we had inter- better, and why, because we learn from the time. But apparently what he says national cooperation. We had 160,000 our mistakes, we are doing better. almost to a person, not including the international troops and 400,000 Amer- Since the transfer of power to Iraq in President and the Vice President, the ican troops. And $60 billion came from June of 2004, we have seen considerable President and Vice . the international community and we progress, three free elections that put The Associated Press reports this paid between 4 and $5 billion. our elections in the United States to morning, Iraq’s Vice President has In this particular war so far, we have shame, the training of hundreds and asked President Bush for a timeline for spent $450 billion and not only the fi- hundreds of thousands of Iraqi security the withdrawal of foreign forces from nancial treasure but the human treas- forces, the establishment of a govern- Iraq. The Iraqi President’s office said, ure that we have lost in the United ment chosen by a national assembly the Vice President, a Sunni, made the States. comprised of 30 percent women. request during his meeting with Bush Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, our final I am not afraid we will lose the war on Tuesday when the U.S. President speaker from this side tonight is the in Iraq. I am deeply concerned we will made a surprise visit to Iraq. distinguished gentleman from North lose the war in Iraq here at home. Our I supported him in this. This is the Carolina who sits on the Armed Serv- efforts to remove Saddam Hussein from President of Iraq. I supported them, ices Committee, vice chairman of the power and help bring democracy to the said the President, in a statement re- Special Forces Subcommittee and is a most troubled part of the world is truly leased Wednesday. Now, 80 percent of leader on the bipartisan congressional a dear and noble effort that must suc- the Iraqis want us out of there, 62 per- delegation to Iraq and Afghanistan, ceed. cent of the people in the United States Mr. HAYES. I yield 2 minutes. Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield want us out of there. Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my myself 5 minutes. It is not surprising to me that they friend the gentleman from North Caro- I was just out to a hospital a week or are going to offer amnesty to some of lina for yielding and I rise today to en- so ago, and a young woman whose hus- the Iraqis who are killing Americans, gage in this discussion on Iraq. But I band was in the bed right next to her, because 47 percent of the Iraqis think don’t think this is solely a discussion and she said, I didn’t join the Army to it is all right to kill Americans. on Iraq because what happens in Iraq fight for Iraq. He joined to fight for the We have diverted ourselves away will have far-sweeping ramifications United States. from the war of terrorism. All of us across the Middle East and around the We don’t send people to fight for agree about the war on terrorism. All world. other countries. We send them to fight of us have the same goals in the war on When I am asked about a time line for the United States’ national secu- terrorism. What we are concerned for removing our troops, my answer is rity. That is the first lesson we learn, about is we are caught in a civil war in not a day more than we need to ensure and then we send them with overwhelm Iraq. There is only 1,000 al Qaeda or victory. We could leave tomorrow. We force and then we have an exit strat- less in Iraq. We destroyed the leader of could set an arbitrary deadline, 6 egy. al Qaeda. months, a year, and tell the terrorists What we are looking for is all the What we are worried about is the how long they need to stick it out be- same thing. All of us want the same Sunnis and the Shiias. The Shiias are fore we leave. But what would the thing. We want a resolution. We want a 100,000, and there are 2,000 Sunnis fight- ramifications of that be? positive resolution to what is going on ing with each other. The way we have Unfortunately, I think there is a per- in Iraq. We want a plan. We want a to do it is one of the biggest problems ception in this country that we are plan that we can live with. It is not we have. When you fight a military op- fighting a broad-based resistance from enough to say stay the course. We need eration, you have to destroy every- the Iraqi people, and we are not. Iraqis somebody to tell us exactly how we are thing. Fallujah, for instance. We put and their new government want to going to do this. 300,000 people outside their homes and have a peaceful, free and democratic When you talk about the amount of only 100,000 came back. That is nation existence. money this is costing us per month, building. Yet we are trying to make I don’t think it is a coincidence that and I think about $8 billion, which al- friends in that country. You can’t violence escalated from the terrorist most as long as I have been on the De- make friends if you operate the way factions when the new government fense Subcommittee, and all of the the military does. formed. While the violence in Iraq will money that I have seen in the Defense And I agree with the military. To not cease overnight, it is apparent to Subcommittee, and I can’t recognize protect American lives, we have to go me that real progress has been made in what $1 billion is, $450 billion at the in with overwhelming force. When you the year since I last talked firsthand to end of this year. go in with overwhelming force, you are our soldiers in Iraq. Then I think how long did it take us going to inadvertently kill civilians. One of the most compelling changes to pay for the Vietnam War? It took us Then when you send in people who made since last year is that Iraqi secu- almost 18 years at 18 percent interest are untrained and they go into a coun- rity forces are coming online and are rates to pay for the Vietnam War. try, into a job like a prison and they more involved in planning and exe- There were a lot more people, a lot don’t know what they are doing, they cuting missions to stop terrorist activ- more of a cross-section of people fight- don’t know how to handle it, untrained ity. In a briefing with Special Forces

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Today it turing and eliminating key figure- think they will allow the democratic process to seems we have a resurgent Taliban in Af- heads, as evidenced by the recent death continue? ghanistan, and increasing attacks in Iraq on of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. A while back, some of my colleagues on the our troops and Iraqi citizens. There was so much attention on al other side of the isle raised a good point—we We have seen success in capturing Sad- Zarqawi that the appointment of three walked away from Afghanistan following the dam and eliminating AI-Zarqawi. I have never security ministers to complete the new Soviet withdrawal. What emerged from that doubted the ability of the men and women of Iraqi cabinet was all but missed. The void were the Taliban and a safe haven for al our Armed Forces—we saw what they were fulfillment of the new government and Qaeda. Is that what we want the legacy of capable of in the first days of the war when these three posts in particular is a crit- Iraq to be? If you think we made a mistake in they stormed Iraq and Baghdad within days, ical development in securing their na- the past, why would we repeat it? overwhelming the Iraqi forces. The accom- tion from internal and external ter- If we walk away prematurely, how can we plishments we have seen in Iraq can be attrib- rorist factions. deal with Iran? How can we deal with North uted directly to the troops’ discipline and per- Mr. Speaker, the key to victory in Korea? sistence in fighting the insurgency. Iraq is the Iraqi people. As their gov- As I said in the beginning, what we do in Mistakes have been made, and some of the ernment forms, as it gains influence, as Iraq will have ramifications across the world most experienced members of our Armed their military is able to defend the peo- for many years. Forces have pointed that out. One of the indi- ple and the infrastructure, we can con- I don’t think it is a coincidence that violence viduals who spoke out was retired Marine escalated from the terrorist factions when the tinue to pull back. And we should. But General and former chief of U.S. Central Com- new government formed. While the violence in we have to ask ourselves what legacy mand Anthony Zinni who said: we want to leave behind in this region, Iraq will not cease overnight, it is apparent to We grow up in a culture where account- because that is the fundamental ques- me that real progress has been made in the ability, learning to accept responsibility, ad- tion we are asking today. year since I last talked first-hand to our sol- mitting mistakes and learning from them Mr. Speaker, I rise today to engage in this diers serving in Iraq. was critical to us. When we don’t see that discussion on Iraq. But I don’t think this is One of the most compelling changes made happening it worries us. Poor military judg- solely a discussion on Iraq, because what since last year is that Iraqi security forces are ment has been used throughout this mission. happens in Iraq will have far-sweeping rami- coming online and more involved in planning As this war has gone on, the lack of plan- fications across the Middle East and around and executing missions to stop terrorist activ- ning and poor judgment by this administration the world. ity. In a briefing with Special Forces leaders, has become more apparent. I have here the When I am asked about a timeline for re- we learned that more than 30 percent of all May 1, 2003 press release here from the moving our troops, my answer is not a day day-to-day missions are planned and carried White House in which President Bush—on more than we need to ensure victory. out by the Iraqis themselves. This is significant board USS Abraham Lincoln—declared all We could leave tomorrow. We could set an because it frees our soldiers to focus on cap- major combat operations have ended. We now arbitrary deadline—six months, a year—and turing and eliminating key figureheads, as evi- know that this was one miscalculation among tell the terrorists how long they need to stick denced by the recent death of Abu Musab al- many. Since that time seven young men from it out before we leave. But what would be the Zarqawi. our 29th Congressional District in Texas have ramifications of that? Zarqawi was an important leader for al lost their lives; across our nation over 2,300 I recently returned from leading a bipartisan Qaeda and a powerful figure for terrorists servicemen and women have lost their lives Congressional Delegation trip to Iraq and Af- around the world—both tactically and symboli- since the President made those remarks. ghanistan, where I met with Special Forces cally. He was responsible for orchestrating the Reading over these remarks it is clear that the troops to assess the training progress of Iraqi death of many civilians and coalition soldiers. administration had no clear plan for securing security forces as well as met with top Iraqi I don’t believe his death will end all violence Iraq after the invasion, and had no clue about government leaders to discuss their commit- in Iraq, but his demise is an important psycho- what was to follow for the next three years. ment to building a coalition government and logical boost to the Iraqi people and a blow to Given the size, strength and effectiveness of securing their own country. those across the world who sympathize with the insurgency, the administration’s intel- It’s been a year since I was last in Iraq. militant extremists and terrorists. Since that time, I have attended many brief- The end of one of the most notorious terror- ligence should have given some indication that ings and received many reports, but seeing ists in the world was a great day for our mili- there would be problems down the road and our troops and talking with leaders was the tary forces, but I would point out that our spe- done a better job of preparing the public and most telling status report of all. cial and regular forces have had many vic- more importantly our troops for what was to Unfortunately, I think there is a perception in tories that didn’t gain media attention or just come in the following month and years. It is this country that we are fighting a broad-based could not be brought to light due to their sen- clear that we did not have enough troops on resistance from the Iraqi people—and we are sitive nature—and we all owe our troops a the ground immediately after the invasion, and not. The Iraqis and their new government want great deal of gratitude for all they do. that shortage continues. Fortunately, thanks to to have a peaceful, free and democratic exist- There was so much attention on Zarqawi the relentless efforts by our Armed Forces, ence. that the appointment of three security min- progress is being made. There has been and continues to be a very isters to complete the new Iraqi cabinet was Congress does not direct troops on the small but determined portion of the population all but missed. The fulfillment of the new gov- ground and we are not the Commander-in- in Iraq combined with al Qaeda who are deter- ernment and these three posts in particular is Chief, but we are charged with sending our mined to stop freedom at any cost. They will a critical development to securing their nation sons and daughters into battle and therefore kill indiscriminately and there is no target off from internal and external terrorist factions. we must debate what is occurring in Iraq. limits—coalition forces, police, women, and Mr. Speaker, the key to victory in Iraq is the While I disagree with the way the administra- children. Iraqi people. As their government forms; as it tion planned and carried out this war, I support Their goal is to break our resolve with these gains influence; as their military is able to de- our troops and will continue to vote for De- barbaric acts of terror. The Iraqis who profited fend the people and the infrastructure, we can fense appropriations and supplemental dollars. under Saddam’s regime do not want a free continue to pull back. And we should. But we Many brave men and women have given and stable Iraq. Al Qaeda does not want a have to ask ourselves, what legacy we want to their lives in Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi, free and stable Iraq. Freedom is not conducive leave behind in this region, because that is Mosul and across Iraq to bring peace and de- to their long term goals. Accountability is not fundamental question we are asking today. mocracy to that country. We honor them, their conducive to their long term goals. Democracy Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve families, and the ultimate sacrifice they made is not conducive to their long-term goals. the balance of my time. serving their country. I want our troops to Saddam’s former loyalists and al Qaeda thrive Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve come home soon. on poverty, despair, violence and fear. The the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this is not the war we antici- bottom line is that they cannot afford for free- Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pated fighting or the war we were led to be- dom to succeed. it is our job to protect our Nation and we have lieve we were getting into, but I believe we

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00099 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4110 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 must finish our mission to leave a secure Iraq Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to us and our allies harm. But our emotions are that can defend itself and be a symbol that de- give strong support to H. Res. 861. For more not bent on creating destruction but preventing mocracy can prosper in the Muslim world. than three years, the man Osama bin Laden it, not on crying out for the annihilation of an Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise called ‘‘the prince of al-Qaeda’’ orchestrated entire nation but on rebuilding and helping in support of America. I rise in support of our terror attacks that killed thousands of Iraqis, those who choose to enter the civilized world active troops and those who have given their American troops and coalition forces. Now, community. To those who wish to be our lives and those who will give their lives so that thanks to hard work and dedication of the U.S. friends, there is no more generous nation than we will prevail in this Global War on Terrorism. military and our coalition partners, Abu Musab that of the United States of America and to These troops are part of an all-volunteer force al-Zarqawi’s reign of terror is over. those who wish us harm no more determined that is the envy of the world. Since the U.S. and our coalition partners lib- of a nation when our values and safety are I rise to reassure the American and Iraqi erated Iraq, bin Laden has sought to defeat threatened. people that we reject any timetable for the the efforts of the people of Iraq to transform In order to win this war, we must support withdrawal or redeployment of U.S. forces in their nation into a peace-loving democracy so our troops who are deployed around the Iraq. Al Qaeda and other terrorist organiza- he can turn it into a radical Islamic state world. They protect and defend our nation and tions have attacked our families, neighbors where al-Qaeda calls the shots. The air strike our allies everyday. These young men and and friends numerous times over the last three that killed Zarqawi has dealt bin Laden’s orga- women carry the patch of our flag on their decades. What has been the response? For nization a crucial blow by eliminating the man arms and the spirit of our nation in their the most part, there has not been an adequate he trusted to wage his jihad in Iraq. It is a hearts. response. And Mr. Speaker, that is hard to major victory in the War on Terror. We also must continue to rebuild our intel- admit. Some would tell you we didn’t respond Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the House VA ligence agencies so they do not fall into the due to lack of political will, others would say Economic Opportunities Subcommittee, I feel lackluster conditions they did before and work America just didn’t have the stomach. From strongly about coming to the floor today to with others in the world community to stop the killing of 241 U.S. service members in Bei- honor our brave servicemen and women who threats before they reach our shores. There is rut in 1983 to the attack on the USS Cole in are defending our homeland in the Global War still a great deal more work to do, but we will 2001, America responded in a cautious man- on Terror. They have fought valiantly since the pursue until the job is finished. ner. vicious unprovoked attacks of 9/11. They liber- While we fight this battle across the world, This is no longer the case. Due to the ated the people of Afghanistan from the others may wonder where we draw our energy events of September 11, 2001 our country Taliban, an abusive regime that once harbored from. It is important that our friends and en- was forced to reevaluate our defensive and of- Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda leader- emies realize one important and crucial fact: fensive strategies. Led by our Commander in ship. The terrorists no longer have a safe the war on terror is spurred on by the hearts Chief and with the support of the Congress, haven and are on the run. Their hopes of cre- and minds of every American who will not let our government decided to take the fight to ating a new Taliban-like state in Iraq has suf- the world forget what happened on that tragic every cave the enemy hides in—sending an fered a major setback with our military’s latest day in September. unmistakable message. We will fight the success in getting Zarqawi. Mr. BASS. Mr. Speaker, today we come to enemy overseas and prevent him from reach- Since the end of the initial operation in Iraq, the floor to debate the merits of H. Res. 841, ing our shores. many of my Democratic colleagues have legislation honoring the men and women of Having been to Iraq during the recent Me- called for a full withdrawal of our troops from our armed forces and declaring our commit- morial Day holiday, I am pleased to report the Iraq. When the attacks on U.S. troops and ment to a sovereign, free, and united Iraq. As message is getting across. Our enemies are Iraqi civilians intensified, so did their calls for our country continues to engage Al Qaeda starting to realize that America and its allies us to pull out. If we had heeded those calls and other international terrorist organizations are not leaving and are not intimidated. I say and not allowed our military to complete their around the globe, it is important that we con- to the Iraqi people—we will not abandon you. mission, Zarqawi would still be alive and be vey the depth of our resolve. We cannot allow We are committed to the completion of the making further strides toward turning Iraq into Osama Bin Laden and his lieutenants to suc- mission to create a sovereign, free, secure al-Qaeda’s new home base. ceed in their attempt to drive our forces from and united Iraq. Whether or not you supported the initial op- Iraq and topple that country’s democratically During my 4 trips to Iraq in the last 3 years eration in Iraq, the fact of the matter is we elected government. I have been heartened by the continued re- have to see this through. Our troops deserve Today, we are engaged in what I hope will solve of our forces. After receiving briefings our support and all the resources they need to be the first of many public debates on our na- from the Generals, I always make sure to get the job done. And I am committed to giv- tional strategy to combat the growth and de- spend an equal amount of time with the senior ing them both. velopment of global terrorist networks. In Iraq enlisted men and junior officers who are lead- Since the liberation of Afghanistan and Iraq, and Afghanistan, as was clearly described by ing at the tip of the spear. The casualty count we have captured or killed thousands of sus- the 9/11 commission, we must stand for a bet- among this group is rising—and that is hard to pected terrorists. Our servicemen and women ter future by working with the international grapple with—but it is for a purpose. have rooted terrorists out of hiding all over the community to give the citizens of these coun- A man who was responsible for so many of globe. They deserve our utmost support and tries a fighting chance to develop secure these casualties—Zarqawi—is now dead. He praise for keeping us safe and making the democratic institutions. These countries must was killed by a 500 pound bomb dropped from world a better place as they continue to fight never again be allowed to descend into the an F–16. This weapon and this method of em- the global war on terror. lawlessness that gives sanctuary to inter- ployment were thoroughly developed and test- Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to national criminals and terrorists. ed at Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa Coun- support our country’s effort in the global war Last week, coalition and Iraqi forces scored ty, Florida. The dedicated air force active duty, on terror. This war takes many forms and is a major victory over foreign terrorists working civilian personnel and contractors from the waged on many different fronts. It involves the to foment a civil war between the Sunni and Test and Evaluation Community and the Air vigilance of our citizens in their neighborhoods Shia peoples of Iraq. Our cooperative efforts Force Research Laboratory can be equally to the first responders who patrol our cities. It to eliminate Jordanian terrorist leader Abu- proud. courses through every state in the union. It Musab al-Zarqawi should stand as a landmark I would like to remind my colleagues and must stand vigilant along our southern border along the road to independent security in Iraq. the American people of the courage it must and face the difficult challenges along the It should also serve as an opportunity for this take to vote in a country that has never known even lengthier and more remote terrain of the Congress to publicly expand its oversight ac- democracy while under the threat of death northern border. And yes, the global war on tivities to include the Iraqi Governments ability simply for making one’s voice heard. This terror takes place across the vast oceans that to maintain security and expand reconstruction courage is commendable and is a cause worth no longer offer our homeland the protective activities absent the direct assistance of our fighting for. barriers they once did. forces on the ground. Mr. Speaker, America and her citizens are As Americans view on their television sets Over the last few months we have seen mo- strong. We will continue to lead the way in the hatred spewed by the likes of mentous changes in Iraq. Prime Minister showing the Iraqi people how to establish a Ahmadinejad of Iran and whoever is the face Maliki’s freely elected government has an- free and democratic nation and we and they of al Qaeda, we stand resolute in our beliefs nounced plans to expand reconstruction ef- will never forget the sacrifice of those who of freedom and democracy. We carry emo- forts, begin the national reconciliation process, made their democracy possible. tions with us that are equal to those who wish and put an end to independent military forces

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4111 in the country. Last month, Iraqi security commander in Iraq and military aide to Mr. Despite the danger of violent retaliation from forces played an active role in 90 percent of Paul Wolfowitz, noted that ‘‘Rumsfeld and his radical extremists, 59 percent of Iraqi citizens security operations and acted independent of team turned what should have been a delib- exercised their right to vote in January, and coalition support in nearly 40 percent of those erate victory in Iraq into a prolonged chal- approximately 70 percent in December. Iraq is missions. lenge.’’ 2,500 of our best and brightest young on its way to fully assuming responsibility for These successes have given us the oppor- people have paid the ultimate sacrifice to our its own security and governance. tunity to consider the eventual withdrawal of country. About 18,000 have been wounded. The challenges we face are undeniable and our forces and those of the 28 coalition allies All Americans are forever in their debt. In ad- difficult. President Bush was correct when he who continue to support the development of a dition to the heartbreaking human toll, there is said this war would come at great cost in free and stable Iraq. However, in doing so, we a financial one as well. We have now spent or blood and treasure. However, the cost would have a responsibility to do so based on condi- appropriated, according to the Congressional be much higher—intolerably high—had we not tions on the ground, and should not be bound Research Service, about $320 billion on the decisively acted to protect the security and in- by an arbitrary timeline for withdrawal that war in Iraq. terests of the United States. could only strengthen our enemies resolve. Enough is enough. Enough devastation for Who can forget the cheering of Iraqi citizens Doing so would do a grave injustice to the mothers and fathers who have lost children in in the streets as Baghdad was liberated and brave men and women of our armed services, Iraq; enough heartache for their loved ones the statue of Saddam Hussein toppled to the who have already sacrificed so much in the and friends; enough young lives cut short; ground? Who can forget the courage of the cause of freedom. enough being forced to shortchange domestic Iraqi’s who proudly displayed the purple ink on Ms. DEGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in oppo- priorities like health care and homeland secu- their index finger after exercising their right to sition to House Resolution 861. Calling this a rity because billions are being spent on Iraq. vote? Who can forget the sight of Saddam true debate on Iraq is a joke, and the Repub- We have given the Iraqis a chance. That is all Hussein cowering like a cornered rat when lican majority knows it. The Majority Leader they can ask of us and that is all we can ask U.S. soldiers forced him from hiding? Above has admitted the true motive—to use this of ourselves. As such, it is time to shift troops all, who can forget the sight of the North and issue in the fall elections against the Demo- to the periphery of the conflict and redirect South Towers of the World Trade Center col- crats. Shame on him and shame on the Re- some resources currently being used in Iraq lapsing, the burning embers of the attack on publican majority for callously restricting what back to America. the Pentagon, or the scorched field in Penn- should be a full debate about the most impor- Despite what the Republican majority sug- sylvania that will forever stand as a testament tant issue facing our country. Shame on them gests through this Resolution, saying it is now to heroism and self-sacrifice. Our successes in for trying to set a political trap and not allow- time to begin redeploying troops and that the Global War on Terror have prevented ad- ing amendments or a full debate. If we were President Bush needs to develop a plan to do ditional horrifying images from filling our TV allowed a fair process, the facts would be re- so is not arbitrary. It is, in fact, a reasonable screens, saving untold innocent American vealed. And the facts are not pretty. calculation that the cost of Iraq is no longer lives. We may never know what catastrophes After the tragedy and horror of September worth any benefit we may achieve by con- have been averted by the dedication and vigi- 11, 2001, everyone saw the threat posed by tinuing our armed presence there. The major- lance of U.S. servicemen and women. Nearly Al Qaeda. I voted for the authorization for ity of the American people have made it clear 2,500 Americans have nobly given their lives President George W. Bush to use force they feel it is simply not worth more blood to in exchange for the peace that we have en- against the Taliban in Afghanistan who were achieve perfection in Iraq. They are right. It is joyed here at home these past four and one- harboring Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. I time we in Congress listened. Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong half years. The very fact that we have not en- am a strong supporter of the war on terrorism. support of the resolution to affirm the United dured another terrorist attack on U.S. soil When President Bush came to Congress States of America will ultimately achieve vic- proves their lives were not given in vain. We and asked for authorization to invade Iraq, he tory in the Global War on Terror. have not seen additional attacks such as made no case that that country was an immi- On September 11, 2001, 3,000 of our fellow those in London and Madrid, or experienced nent threat to the United States, or, in fact, re- Americans were brutally killed by Islamic ter- the fear Israelis face on a daily basis. We owe lated to our international fight against ter- rorists under the leadership of Osama bin our safety and security to the soldiers who are rorism. So, I opposed the authorization for Laden. President Bush responded by declar- giving their all to protect our families, commu- President Bush to use military force against ing war against terrorism and its strongholds nities, lives and liberties. Iraq in 2002, and that vote was the proudest throughout the world. He said we would fight Al Qaeda remains a persistent danger to the vote I have taken in nearly 10 years in Con- the enemy on their ground to prevent terrorists United States. This terrorist network operates gress. from once again attacking our citizens on U.S. in over 60 countries around the world. It brain- Despite the paucity of evidence to invade a soil. washes men and women into becoming sui- sovereign nation, Congress authorized Presi- The stated: ‘‘Any nation that cide bombers; destroys religious sites; bombs dent Bush to go forward and we invaded Iraq. continues to harbor or support terrorism will be and beheads innocent civilians; and seeks the Instead of remaining focused on combating regarded by the United States as a hostile re- destruction and overthrow of America, our val- terrorists, the true imminent threat to our coun- gime.’’ U.S. and Coalition forces have verified ues, our people, our freedoms and our way of try, we got detoured into Iraq. Our courageous his words with irrefutable action. The state- life. men and women in uniform did a tremendous sponsored ‘‘safe harbor’’ Al Qaeda enjoyed in We cannot allow Al Qaeda the opportunity job in the effort to defeat Saddam Hussein. I Afghanistan ended when U.S. and Northern to establish a permanent base in Iraq from have supported them every step of the way Alliance forces routed the Taliban in a decisive which to attack the United States. The col- and continue to support them as I stand here military victory. lapse of Iraq’s new democratic government today. Afghanistan now has a newly elected par- would be a huge victory for Al Qaeda, drawing Having toppled its government, I felt we had liament, a market economy, equality for additional recruits for bin Laden’s brand of ter- an obligation to see Iraq transition to a new women, and millions of children attending rorism from the ranks of young Muslims. It is democracy. Like most Americans I was patient school for the first time. We still face chal- well-known that bin Laden seeks nuclear, as Iraq struggled to establish a new civil soci- lenges in this nation, but it is on its way to be- chemical, and biological weapons of mass de- ety and government after years of oppression. coming a stable and secure democracy, freed struction to inflict severe casualties on the In the three years since the invasion, Ameri- from the oppression of the Taliban extremists. United States and allied countries. cans have provided security and rebuilding as- Most importantly, Al Qaeda can no longer use Al Qaeda conducted poison gas experi- sistance. Despite the gross mistakes, mis- this nation as a launching ground from which ments on dogs in Afghanistan, and the gov- management, and misjudgments of our civilian to attack the United States. ernments of Britain, France, and Jordan have leadership, Iraq is now a sovereign, free coun- In Iraq, Saddam Hussein repeatedly refused each foiled plans by Al Qaeda to use chemical try, a country with a new constitution and a to comply with U.N. weapons inspection. Sov- weapons. U.S. intelligence sources have doc- new government. At this point in time, we ereignty was turned over to Iraqis a year and umented repeated attempts by Al Qaeda to have done what we can. We’ve given the Iraqi a half ago; a Constitution was drafted last purchase nuclear material, including weapons people an opportunity. It is now their oppor- summer and ratified in October; and a new grade uranium. Nations such as Iran and tunity to grab freedom. It is now their country government is being established. The seeds of North Korea are a potential risk for transferring to lose. democracy are beginning to take root, and a nuclear capabilities to terrorist insurgents. Unfortunately our efforts have come at a tre- major threat of state-sponsored terrorism We must not fall into a sense of compla- mendous cost. Major General John Batiste, a against the U.S. was removed. cency. The continued threat from Al Qaeda to

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4112 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 our citizens at home and abroad is real. spend their time running rather than plotting tempt of the Republican leadership for their Thankfully, U.S. and Coalition forces have additional ways to murder innocent citizens genuine concern about U.S. policy toward captured or killed more than three-fourths of Al and spread darkness and destruction. Iraq. For this reason, I will oppose the resolu- Qaeda’s known pre–9ll leaders. These include Voting ‘‘yes’’ for this resolution today will tion. senior field commanders, masterminds of the send the clear message to Al Qaeda that the Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I am very con- September 11th attacks, communications co- United States is truly united in defeating ter- cerned about the current state of affairs in this ordinators, and other key operational leaders. rorism and promoting a strong and stable Iraq. country and around the world. We are in the Just last week, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking midst of a global fight against terrorism, and was killed by U.S. forces. our U.S. soldiers, sailors and airmen for their cannot allow partisan politics to undermine our Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had repeatedly at- incredible sacrifices, and in supporting this efforts to root out this disease. tacked religious shrines and Iraqi political resolution to protect our citizens from terrorism I rise today in strong support of the brave, leaders to destabilize Iraq, provoke a civil war, at home and abroad. young men and women in our military for their and create a haven for terrorism. The Feb- Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposi- sacrifice, dedication and hard work on behalf ruary bombing of the Askariya shrine in tion to this resolution. U.S. policy toward Iraq of all Americans and people fighting for free- Samarra—one of Iraq’s holiest religious should be focused on bringing home U.S. dom worldwide. Our courageous soldiers have sites—ignited a firestorm of reprisals that led troops as soon as possible while minimizing removed a tyrannical dictator from power and to the deaths of over 130 Iraqis. Killing the chaos in Iraq and maximizing Middle Eastern are helping eliminate the ability of thousands man who incited this violence was a resound- stability. I believe that 2006 must be a year of of terrorists to harm innocent civilians. ing victory toward building a safe, secure, sta- significant transition toward full Iraqi sov- The war in Iraq has been difficult, but ble Iraq. ereignty both politically and militarily and with progress is being made. Last week, al- More than 4,000 suspected Al Qaeda mem- the responsible redeployment of U.S. forces. Zarqawi, the terrorist leader in Iraq, was killed. bers have been arrested worldwide since 9/11, Americans deserve a serious discussion in Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds are working and Al Qaeda cells have been identified and Congress about the future of U.S. involvement through their differences. Women are now al- dismantled in Europe, the Middle East, Asia in Iraq. Instead, the Republican resolution be- lowed to get an education. fore Congress today fails to address the road and Africa. Over $140 million in terrorist finan- Iraqi units are taking the lead on missions to forward. A resolution to achieve a sovereign, cial assets have been confiscated or seized root out insurgents. And we have already free, and united Iraq is not a strategy. brought 30,000 troops home and turned bases from over 1,400 bank accounts worldwide. This resolution is a partisan attempt to avoid Mistakes have been made in the War on over to the Iraqis; but we cannot leave Iraq the debate that the American people are de- Terror, but the Bush Doctrine of dissuasion and allow it to be turned into a breeding manding. It blurs the line between the War on and deterrence is working. Pakistan broke its ground for international terrorism. We must not Terror and the war in Iraq in an effort to legiti- state-sponsored ties to Al Qaeda and the leave this problem to our children or grand- mize Bush Administration mistakes, and fails Taliban, and Libya surrendered its WMD and children. And we must always remember—we to deal with key issues such as the effect of are fighting the terrorists over there so we do disavowed terrorism. Until recently, Iran had our ‘stay-the-course-at-any-cost’ policy on not have to fight them here at home! The frozen its uranium enrichment program, but is other threats to our national security and mili- now threatening our country amid the per- tary recruitment and the lack of oversight and global terrorist network is constantly recruiting, ceived weakness that we will pull our forces accountability over the billions of dollars wast- training and planning its next attack. That is why we must continue to fight terror- out of Iraq before that nation is able to govern ed or stolen in the war and reconstruction ef- ists overseas to try and prevent them from and protect itself from terror. This dangerous fort. situation underscores the fact that we must I am a strong supporter of our troops, and reaching our doorstep. However, we must not finish the job we began to ensure the contin- I have voted consistently to give them the be foolish enough to believe that they are not ued safety and security of the American peo- funding and equipment they need to carry out already here. That is why I do not understand ple. We must not give in to terrorism by pulling their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our why people would have us leave Iraq—Why out of Iraq too early. courageous men and women in uniform have they would take a defensive stand against ter- Fortunately, the talents and capabilities of met their challenges with skill, bravery, and rorism. We had that mindset on September our U.S. servicemen and women are pro- selfless dedication. We mourn the loss of the 10, 2001, and it cost us thousands of lives on tecting our nation well. Air Force Chief of 2,500 who have died in Iraq, and offer our 9/11. Staff, General T. Michael Moseley, told report- support and prayers to the 8,501 who have We must not take the path that is easy. We ers in February that Air Force satellites can lo- been injured so gravely they cannot return to must take the path that is right. We must take cate activities and individuals on a global duty. the fight to the terrorists and continue to do so scale, and targets can be held at risk or struck While this resolution expresses our gratitude anywhere we are threatened. We must also down with the lethality of a weapon that deto- toward the troops, it fails to acknowledge the secure our borders. There is no doubt that our nates within several feet of the target. Al- missteps, misrepresentations, and porous borders are vulnerable to people who Zarqawi learned this lesson the hard way. misjudgments that have fatally flawed our in- want to do us harm. Since the deployment of General Moseley continued: ‘‘It must be a volvement in Iraq from the very beginning, the National Guard to the border, we have al- bit disturbing [to terrorists] to know that if you making the mission of our troops more per- ready seen improvements in border security. act against the United States or its Coalition ilous. The President rushed to war based on In the first ten days of June, there has been partners, the U. S. Air Force will find you and false and faulty intelligence against the pro- a 21 percent decline in illegal border crossings strike you. And there’s nothing you can do tests of the majority of our allies. Warnings compared to the same time period last year. about it. We may never know what has not from U.S. commanders about troop levels and Let us not forget—Terrorism is not an ide- happened because of this capability.’’ equipment went unheeded, and shortsighted ology; it is a tactic to make people fearful. General Ronald Keyes, head of the Air decisions were made which seriously dam- Throughout history, terrorism has failed and it Force’s Air Combat Command, rightly said: ‘‘If aged our efforts to establish peace and secu- will do so again. People in repressive societies you’re a terrorist and you’ve got static on your rity in Iraq. yearn for freedom because it is a natural right phone, that’s me . . . That shadow passing The Administration’s horrendous miscalcula- of humankind. The challenge facing our gen- over you, that’s me. That computer that will tions have damaged our ability to aggressively eration is to help those that seek to be free. not boot, that’s me. That noise you thought confront other emerging threats around the This goal is being realized in Iraq and the ef- you heard until it’s too late, that is me. And it world and have endangered the stability of the fects are being felt around the world. We will will continue to be me until our children and Middle East. To make matters worse, the Ad- win the War on Terror. grandchildren and those of freedom-loving na- ministration has consistently rejected calls for As we debate this war, let’s remember that tions everywhere emerge from this plight of accountability for some of its worst mistakes, we are fighting an enemy who wants us dead. terrorism.’’ including the squandering of billions of dollars This leaves no room for partisan politics. It re- We can and we must improve our intel- in reconstruction funds, torture at Abu Ghraib quires a united America. ligence and military capabilities to ultimately and the provision of inadequate equipment for Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to eradicate terrorism worldwide. This war has our troops. The sham resolution before us support our efforts to secure Iraq in the ongo- not been waged perfectly, but it has in argu- today is intended to avoid an honest discus- ing Global War on Terror and to honor the ably succeeded in preventing additional ter- sion of these issues. brave work our servicemen and women are rorist attacks on U.S. soil, protecting American The American people deserve better than doing to protect our freedoms at home and to lives and liberty, and forcing terrorists to today’s partisan grandstanding and the con- promote democracy abroad.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00102 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4113 Iraq is the central front in the Global War on Iraqi Freedom. An additional 367 are serving ghanistan. I know this not only from govern- Terror. Al-Qaeda views Iraq as the main bat- in Afghanistan and elsewhere. All our brave ment and media sources, but from two Penn- tleground to spread their ideology of hate and troops are in my daily prayers, along with their sylvanians. violence against the Iraqi people and the civ- families who are making great sacrifices at I want to quote from an email I received this ilized world. The simple fact is we are fighting home. We also pay tribute to our brave troops morning from a constituent, an Army officer in terrorists in Iraq so we don’t have to fight them who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense Northwest Iraq commanding a Military Transi- here on our homeland. of freedom. May these American heroes rest tion Team: I have visited Iraq and have seen firsthand in peace and may God comfort their grieving ‘‘There are many positive things going on the atrocities brought on the Iraqi people and families. over here that the American public never their infrastructure by Saddam Hussein’s re- Mr. Speaker, great moments and triumphs hears about . . . My little 10-man team con- gime. I stood in the spider hole that Saddam in American history require bravery, valor and tributed over 150 boxes of school supplies to Hussein was cowering in before his capture selfless service. The men and women of our the many schools in my area . . . Other units and was able to meet many of the brave men Armed Forces personify these values. More- took up a collection and purchased grain to and women in uniform who are serving there. over, our troops have the skills, dedication and give out to one very small, poor village. I am Now, the ‘‘Butcher of Baghdad’’ is behind bars full support of the American people to prevail very proud of the accomplishments of U.S. and is on trial for brutal crimes against his in the War on Terror. Today, the Congress and Iraqi forces and it truly is a shame that all own people, and democracy is slowly coming can demonstrate our continuing strong sup- the news tends to be negative toward the ac- to fruition in a Nation and a region of the world port, as well. tivities of the soldiers (American and Iraqi) that has never known it. Mr. MCINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in who are working very hard every day to make It has been an exciting week in Iraq, with support of the resolution before us and the this country safe.’’ the completion of Iraq’s National Unity Gov- courageous servicemen and women that are My summer intern was a soldier in the 82nd ernment and the death of Abu-Musab al- currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is Airborne Division. When he arrived in Afghani- Zarqawi, a terrorist and ally of Osama bin unfortunate that today’s debate was limited stan in July, 2002, the people had nothing— Laden. This week was capped off by Presi- since this is such a serious issue facing our no schools, no health care, no paved roads. dent Bush’s surprise trip to Baghdad Tuesday Nation. But in seven months, his unit helped build the to reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to secur- In addition to combating terrorism through- first school and health clinic. out these two countries, it is essential that two ing a peaceful Iraq. When his unit went back to Afghanistan in Only with our continued presence and coali- key components are met to achieve success late 2004, it was a different place—new facili- tion support will Iraq be able to make the tran- in Iraq—security and stability. The Iraqis must ties and factories, more electricity, and miles continue to move toward self-governance and sition to a peacful and prosperous democracy. of paved roads. When arriving in a village, his fulfilling their own destiny, which will increase It is imperative that we remain patient and unit was greeted by smiling youngsters mob- stability in this new democracy. And, as our vigilant as we continue our missions in Iraq bing them, throwing plastic flowers. American troops continue to train the Iraqi and in the Global War on Terror. These examples are among many that illus- Army and Special Police, the Iraqis can move Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless our trate real progress—laying a foundation for fu- toward taking control of their own security. brave men and women serving to protect our ture peace, shaping a world where the terrorist Lessening the American footprint in Iraq and homeland. message will fall on deaf ears. bringing our troops home is the goal, and it Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in My intern from the 82nd also told me this: will be met because of the success our troops strong support of H. Res. 861, which, above Afghani war veterans, the ‘‘old-timers,’’ asked, have already had in stabilizing Iraq provinces all, honors our brave men and women pros- ‘‘Why did you abandon us when the Soviets ecuting the Global War on Terror and declares (14 out of 18) and by training Iraqi forces. Having been to Iraq and having met with pulled out?’’ Today their biggest fear is that that the United States will prevail. I am both the military brass and our enlisted men we will leave before the mission is done, and pleased we are debating this resolution today, and women in the war zone, I am optimistic allow the Taliban or other tyrants to take over. because it is imperative that Congress confirm that we can continue moving toward a suc- Iraqi civilians remember 1991 and fear the to the world that Americans stand united in cessful conclusion of this mission. However, I same thing. support of our troops. It’s also imperative to have real concerns that setting an arbitrary We must complete the mission. leave no doubt that the U.S. has the unity and timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops would Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- resolve to defeat the terrorists and win the be a detriment to our national security and the port of this resolution and in strong support of War on Terror. security of our troops. It is essential that we our troops. They are far away, waging the war U.S. and coalition forces have made great not publicize our plan for withdrawal which on terror so that we can be safe here at strides in these efforts to date. We have liber- would make our servicemen and women vul- home. In particular, I want to congratulate not ated Afghanistan from the brutal Taliban and nerable to attacks. In doing so, we would de- only those who directly were involved in the continue to support the democratically elected feat our purpose and jeopardize their safety. demise of Al-Zarqawi, but all of those troops government of President Hamid Karzai. Terrorists are patient and calculating, with whose mission each and every day is heroic We have overthrown the world’s most de- some cells waiting years to be activated. We and brave and appreciated by us all. praved genocidal maniac in Saddam Hussein, must not back down on our right to defend Every building they secure, every Iraqi troop who now sits in a jail cell awaiting judgment ourselves. they train, every vehicle they service, potato before the people who not long ago suffered While I am clear on my record for not allow- they peel, or small mission they accomplish is greatly under his brutality. And we have sig- ing for a specific timetable for withdrawal, I a blow against terrorism and a boost for our nificantly disrupted al Qaeda’s terrorist net- have been supportive of denying funding to be freedom. work by systematically hunting down its lead- used for constructing permanent U.S. military Many of my colleagues on the other side of ers, its financiers and its footsoldiers. Our bases in Iraq. We should not have permanent the aisle voted for this war. But within months brave troops deserve great credit for killing the American bases there. In addition, I supported they started dissembling, claiming they’d been murderous head of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu the FY 2006 Defense Authorization bill which misled and clamoring for troop withdrawal. Musab al-Zarqawi. requires quarterly reports on conditions for President Bush always warned that the war Now we are engaged in the difficult task of withdrawing from Iraq and the progress being on terror would not be won easily or overnight. rebuilding Iraq and training Iraqi security made toward achieving such conditions. He asked for patience. forces and police officers. We need to expe- As a member of the House Armed Services We are an impatient people, always in a dite the training of Iraqi security forces so they Committee and a strong supporter of our men hurry, often seeking the quick success. But can secure their country, and our troops can and women in uniform, I am committed to our troops do not work on the 24-hour news come home with their mission completed. honoring those who have served and are cur- cycle or a two-year campaign cycle or any Mr. Speaker, I urge an overwhelming ‘‘yes’’ rently serving our country in the Armed Serv- timetable other than to execute each mission vote on this resolution to show our brave ices. So many men and women and their fam- as it builds toward the larger objective. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in ilies have made so many sacrifices, and some That patience is paying off. Already we have the War on Terror that they continue to have have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We must seen in the information seized at Al-Zarqawi’s strong, bipartisan support in Congress. Our make sure that their efforts have not been in hideout that the terrorists feared that time was prayers are with all our brave troops. More vain. working against them. I shudder to think if than 2,600 Minnesota National Guard troops Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I know that those on the other side of the aisle had their are serving in Iraq in support of Operation we are achieving real progress in Iraq and Af- way where Al-Zarqawi would be today.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4114 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 In closing, let me just say that when I visited with basic clinical and lab equipment. By pro- planning to use it against the Government of Iraq with my colleagues to thank our troops for viding training for 2,500 health care workers, Canada and the Canadian people. This is all they are doing, it was they who thanked us Iraqis will build a structure for living longer, more than three times the amount of ammo- for caring enough to visit them over there. We healthier lives far into the future. nium nitrate used in the Oklahoma City bomb- owe them such a debt of gratitude, and yet Iraq once boasted one of the most educated ing in 1995. their spirit of service and commitment to their female populations in the Middle East. Under This successful raid on behalf of the Cana- mission led them to thank us. Saddam Hussein’s iron fist, they fell to near dian law enforcement bodies, including the In- Mr. Speaker, no American troop should ever perfect illiteracy. Working together, we have tegrated National Security Enforcement Team have to thank a member of Congress. They helped the Iraqis provide for 2,800 rehabili- which coordinated the efforts of the Royal Ca- should know that we are with them, that we tated schools and 8.7 million math and nadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Security support them, and that our support and thanks science textbooks. And, young girls can look Intelligence Service, the Ontario Provincial Po- are there for them and with them always. forward to careers as engineers and scientists, lice, and other local police forces, illustrates Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. Speaker, instead of looking forward to legalized honor both the strength of local law enforcement as a free and prosperous Iraq is one which is no killings. well as the growing weaknesses of the longer a breeding ground for terrorism, no The preamble of the Iraqi constitution reads: Islamist militant network. longer a wealth of support for radical Islam, no ‘‘We the people of Iraq . . . are determined to Their achievement has made our hemi- longer a source of destabilization in the Middle respect the rule of law, reject the policy of ag- sphere safer and brings optimism that other East. The simple truth is that an Iraqi people gression, pay attention to women and their nations around the world will have similar tri- with hope for the future is an Iraqi people with rights, the elderly and their cares, the children umphs over terror. We all salute Canada for whom we can work for peace. and their affairs, spread the culture of diversity its unwavering commitment in the global war And, nobody knows this better than the ter- and defuse terrorism.’’ on terror. rorists themselves. This is a statement rarely seen in the history Their success only emphasizes that we They know they win only if they can main- of Middle Eastern nations. Iraqi legislators are must continue the fight against terror on all tain a strong, divisive, bloody insurgency in determined to create a free society on par with fronts: foreign and domestic. We must con- Iraq. They know they only win if they can keep our own. The future of Iraq is one in which tinue to promote peace, security, and the pro- the Iraqi people feeling despondent for their men and women are free to practice their reli- motion and protection of liberty, while being future. gion and speak their mind without fear of im- vigilant against those extremists who want to Let me be clear: The litmus test for whether prisonment or death. do harm to freedom-loving countries. We must or troops should stay or withdraw or on what Every one of us feels for the parents and continue to support our armed forces, first re- timetable is not about nation-building. The loved ones of the brave men and women who sponders, and our international allies in this U.S. should not be in the business of nation- are serving in Iraq. Every one of us wants to war and we must continue to work with our building, now or ever. There is nothing in the see those young heroes quickly and safely re- close friends, such as Canada, to promote the Constitution which grants this Congress the turn home. principles of a free and democratic society. I authority to engage in nation-building, nor I would like to read from a message I re- urge strong support for this resolution. does the American public wish that we do so. ceived from one of those brave young men Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I submit Instead, the nation which we must always re- who is serving in Iraq. He said: ‘‘There is a the following letter for the RECORD. main steadfast engaged in protecting and tough war going on here, but we can either MAY 31, 2006. building up is this nation—America. fight the enemy here or back at home. If we Representative JOHN P. MURTHA, The future of the Iraqi people is in their were to withdraw, there would be a bloodbath House of Representatives, hands and left to their imagination. of epic proportions that would only encourage Washington, DC. But, the truth of the matter is that life for the the enemies of civilization.’’ DEAR CONGRESSMAN MURTHA: I am a Flor- Iraqi people—despite the ongoing war on their Now is the time that the Iraqi people may ida Democrat who feels deeply in your debt soil, has been more hopeful than it was before for the campaign you are pursuing to get our build a bright future of freedom, opportunity, troops out of Iraq ASAP. When a new Demo- wasting away in the shackles of Saddam Hus- and peace upon their rich cultural heritage. cratic Congress convenes early next year I sein’s tyranny. And, it is only getting better. Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in hope its first order of business will be to For those Iraqis who survived Saddam’s strong support of our Nation’s continuing dedi- present you with a well-deserved Congres- policies of genocide, political imprisonment, cation to the War on Terror and this resolution sional Gold Medal. and near-constant state of war, they went we are debating today. When we think of the I share your heartfelt concern over the sit- without jobs, food, and medicine. All the while War on Terror, we immediately think of the uation in Iraq. It is a national disaster that Saddam and his cronies pocketed billions in il- frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan where our is robbing our nation of the best of our youth and billions of our national treasure. In this licit oil profits and grew fat from Oil-for-Food soldiers are bravely fighting for the hope and regard I stand squarely behind you and your program kickbacks. promise of freedom. But this debate today views of the war. In support of those views I The Iraqis have had increasingly broad and should not be limited to debating the fighting have prepared a piece called Iraq: We Need a successful elections. They have developed a in Afghanistan and Iraq. This resolution is Strategy, Not Empty Slogans. It is based on constitution and established a government. about freedom and our dedication to elimi- your irrefutable arguments. Its thrust is to Just last week, the Iraqis appointed key min- nating terror globally. This resolution puts in demolish the President’s position that we isters for defense, national security, and inte- writing that we, the Congress of the United must stay the course. (How I hate that rior. Now that the Iraqi people are free to di- States of America, will honor all Americans phrase!) I believe I have made a cohesive, persua- rect their own economy, their own policies, who have supported the war on terror as well sive argument. Please take a few minutes to and their own destiny, there is hope for a as our international partners in the struggle to read this paper and hopefully have it in- brighter future. defend freedom. serted in The Congressional Record. In my Just last year, in 2005, the Iraqi economy The War on Terror is not only being fought judgment, it warrants the attention of every grow by 3 percent. This year economists pre- overseas. This war is being fought, and fought Member of Congress. Accomplishing this is dict that the economy will grow by 10 percent, successfully, everyday on our own soil by our my main purpose in life at the moment. Ear- with a GDP that will have almost doubled own law enforcement agencies and the law lier I sent a copy of the enclosed piece to since the fall of Saddam Hussein. As freely enforcement agencies of our allies. We have Senator Bill Nelson, my home-state senator, but subsequently learned he does not favor elected economic officials begin to work for great partners working with us around the early departure. the benefit of all Iraqis, the future of the Iraqi globe to win this fight for freedom and, fortu- Here are my bonafides: I am an 85 year-old economy is bright. nately, one of these great allies is also one of retired Army lieutenant colonel with 22 The Iraqi people are rebuilding their capa- our closest neighbors. years of active service as an Infantry officer. bility to care for their own medical needs. Last On June 2nd and 3rd a series of counter- I saw combat in World War II as a rifle pla- year, 98 percent of children under the age of terrorism raids by Canadian law enforcement toon leader in the Pacific. I received the fol- three were vaccinated against measles, teams successfully thwarted possible attacks lowing decorations in the course of my mili- mumps, and rubella. Basic care has been pro- planned by seventeen Al Qaeda inspired ter- tary career: Distinguished Service Cross, Sil- ver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal vided for 1.5 million new mothers and their rorists, terrorists who have been found to have with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart with oak children, ensuring that a new generation of ties not only in Canada, but in many other leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Iraqis will grow up strong and healthy. countries as well. and the Combat Infantryman Badge. So you Over 110 medical facilities have been ren- These terrorists took actions to obtain three don’t have to accept these claims at face ovated and 600 centers have been equipped tons of ammonium nitrate and were allegedly value alone, I enclose a copy of my DD 214.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00104 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4115 I am confident that God will grant you the prepared to confront this awesome threat. ington politician.’’—President Bush. Who is strength to carry on your fight. But all Hopefully we are summoning aggressive dip- the decider anyway, the generals or the Americans should rise to your support. They lomatic activity and the active support of President? Besides, isn’t he the Number One need to cast aside complacency and lassi- the United Nations, the countries of Mr. Washington politician? This is a sorry ex- tude. They need to stand up to an Adminis- Rumsfeld’s Old Europe, and other peace-lov- pression of policy. tration hellbent on destroying the ing allies in readying our defenses. We can’t cut and run. This phrase is used underpinnings of our democracy. In short, we Let’s make one thing clear. Iraq is our na- carelessly. I recall a first-term Congress- must sound off. tional disaster. It is diluting the resources woman from Ohio having the gall to admon- With admiration and respect, we need to defend ourselves. It is a tragic ish Congressman Murtha, retired Marine SANFORD H. WINSTON, sideshow that is bleeding us of our finest colonel, decorated and wounded veteran of LTC, USARet. young men and women and costing billions Vietnam, with the reminder that Marines do of our national treasure which are des- not cut and run. I define cut and run as peo- IRAQ: WE NEED A STRATEGY, NOT EMPTY perately needed for domestic purposes. ple taking purposeful action to avoid haz- SLOGANS Bombarded with fear-inducing messages, ardous duty in time of war. It may sound in- much of the country appears docile and unin- God bless Representative John Murtha, the sensitive to say so, but to me the two most volved in Iraq. It’s business as usual. The Pennsylvania Democrat. He is the only Mem- prominent examples of cut and run are the only people with a real stake in the war are ber of Congress with the guts to tell the President and Vice President during the apparently our men and women in uniform American people the truth about the Iraq Vietnam War. Why don’t we just eliminate and their families. They represent about one war. He does not spin this story. He calls for cut and run from our lexicon? It is Holly- percent of a population nearing 300 million. the removal of our forces from Iraq ASAP on wood/John Wayne talk, not real world polit- There are few signs of spontaneous patriot- the basis that only the Iraqis themselves can ical talk. ism other than Support Our Troops bumper heal the divisions that thwart their progress The media does not report the positive stickers. While the long war continues, the toward a viable government. He describes things we do. Hogwash! The American press Army is being torn to shreds courtesy of Mr. bluntly the irreconcilable mess that is Iraq has done more to build and preserve our de- Rumsfeld. It is forced to pay incentives of up with its three obdurate and competing fac- mocracy than any other national institution to $40,000 to recruit soldiers and still can’t tions—Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis. He empha- including our armed forces. Blaming the meet its personnel quotas. It promotes un- sizes the failure of the U.S.-led efforts to pro- media is the last resort of knownothings. qualified officers to fill its ranks. The Ma- vide essential services to the Iraqi people Government must learn to tell the truth rine Corps is no better off. The National such as electricity and oil production that when dealing with the media. Guard has been worked beyond reason with are below the levels existing prior to our pre- There is a way out of the quagmire. To dis- its people being sent to Iraq on multiple emptive invasion. He makes it clear that the engage in Iraq we need a new Congress sworn tours. All this in the face of generals on the Iraqi people really don’t want us there. to this end—a Congress in the Murtha mold, ground in Iraq saying that our involvement Congressman Murtha asserts that most of a Congress with guts. It is up to the Amer- may last 10 years. our more than 2,450 dead and 17,500 wound- ican people to see that we get one come this Our people are being fed slogans in lieu of ed—many of them amputations, spinal cord November. The new Congress can vote to cut a strategy for the termination of our oper- and head injuries—have been caused by im- off funds that support our operations in Iraq ations in Iraq. Some examples: provised explosive devices. IED’s continue to as soon as it convenes. or it can send leaders Stay the course. No mention is made of the representing both parties to stand before the extract a great toll on our people even after price that must be paid to stay the course. three years of war and ceaseless effort to Iraq Parliament and announce that Iraq has The President does not say how many Amer- 90 days to assume responsibility for its own neutralize them. Still, we have had more ican lives he is willing to sacrifice in such a than enough time to devise a practical, fate. feckless pursuit. He visualizes a lengthy stay To paraphrase General of the Army Omar achievable strategy for extracting our in Iraq if one takes at face value his asser- Bradley’s warning on Vietnam, the war in troops. There is none. Joining Mr. Murtha in tion that he is prepared to hand off the war Iraq is the wrong war, at the wrong time, in the class of great American patriots are the to his successor if victory has not been at- the wrong place. seven retired Army and Marine generals who tained during his term in office. As Com- When the time comes, vote Americans, view the Administration’s conduct of the mander-in-Chief, the President must think vote! Only you can end this war. war as deplorable and had the guts to call for long and hard about our casualty rate now Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I am the removal of Secretary of Defense Donald and in the future. Early in the war, when Rumsfeld. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz glad we are having this debate today. Frankly, President Bush has stated our objective in was asked by a reporter how many of our I think it is shameful it has taken us three Iraq is establishing ‘‘a democracy which can troops had been killed in action, he had no years to have an ‘‘open’’ debate on the war defend itself, sustain itself—a country which idea of the actual number. This kind of lead- while our soldiers are dying, their family mem- is an ally in the war on terror and a country ership will not do. To me, stay the course is bers are praying for their safe return, and the which serves as a powerful example for oth- meaningless rhetoric, not a substitute for a American public is questioning what, exactly, ers who desire to be free.’’ Religion, culture real strategy. and customs combine to pose impenetrable is our policy over there. I just wish the debate General Tommy Franks, author of the war were actually open. The lack of debate is even barriers toward reaching this goal. Iraq is plan that propelled us into Baghdad, but who actually in a state of civil war now even left a big planning void beyond our conquest more shameful when you consider the fact we though the Administration won’t acknowl- of the capital city, declared in a recent have been fighting in Iraq longer than we edge that fact. American-trained Iraqi sol- speech to the National Rifle Association, fought in World War I, the European Theater diers and police have yet to prove that they that our KIAs in Iraq have made the U.S. a of World War II, and Korea. The American are capable, loyal and trustworthy. The Par- safer place by virtue of their sacrifice. Sadly, people deserve better, and you can bet your liament, to this point, has refused to agree there is no discernible truth to that claim. It on Ministers of Defense, Interior and Na- life the American soldier definitely deserves is this general’s way of telling us we must better than that. The American soldier de- tional Security. Without solid political stay the course. backing behind appointees to these three If you break it, you own it. This is General serves more than ten hours of debate on a ministries the prospects for success are re- Colin Powell’s unrealistic contribution, policy that affects their lives. mote. guaranteed to extend our stay in Iraq until Mr. Speaker, I want everyone in America to The President promotes support of his war the President’s objective becomes a reality. know the Leadership of this House of Rep- by spreading public fear. He refers to our Taken literally, it does not compute. When resentatives wants to stifle debate and control Iraq campaign as a part of a ‘‘global war on we broke Germany, did we own it? When we what you hear from your government. Every terror.’’ Is there really an ongoing global broke Japan, did we own it? When we broke single American citizen should ask themselves war? Are all the Muslims in the world pre- Italy, did we own it? Of course not. We gave this, ‘‘What are they trying to hide? What are paring to take on the United States? This them postwar guidance and assistance. thought by the President acts to promote Those former enemies repaired the breakage they afraid of? If a policy decision is so sound, public anxiety, but not enough for him to on their own and have since become valued you would think they would let it be debated call for a military draft and marshal the allies. There is no reason why the Iraqi peo- until everyone was blue in the face.’’ I think forces we need to prevail in a global war. If ple, with our non-military help, can’t do the the lack of confidence the Majority has in the he tried to do that the Congress would revolt same. ability of their policies to face challenges and and his approval numbers in the polls would When the Iraqis stand up, we’ll stand down. amendments should be eye opening to the sag to zero. Administration scare tactics are Empty rhetoric. With the intractable hos- American public. reinforced by the Vice President who warns tility marking relations among Kurds, Shi- Mr. Speaker, I am ashamed the Majority that the Muslims are working to establish ites and Sunnis, and the unchecked oper- caliphates that extend from the coast of ations of many hostile local militias, it will Leader of the House abandoned his earlier Spain to the tip of Indonesia. Does this vast be a long time before the Iraqis can stand up. talk of a ‘‘civil’’ debate on policy and instead conglomerate of caliphates in the offing in- ‘‘I’ll leave when the generals on the ground decided to turn something as serious as a war tend to attack us? If so, our country is not tell me it’s time to leave, not some Wash- into a rhetoric filled partisan political tool with

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00105 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4116 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 the goal to make Democrats look ‘‘sheepish.’’ following under Secretary Rumsfeld will Soon after a new indictment was issued In my opinion, war and the deaths of Amer- achieve lasting peace and democracy in Iraq. against bin Laden. ican soldiers is too serious to be used as a I can understand why the GOP would want to However, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda political tool. Don’t our soldiers deserve more divert attention from this critical question—it is were left virtually unchecked despite these respect from Congress than this? Additionally, precisely because of the Administration’s pol- and other terrorist attacks throughout the anyone who would accuse a Member of Con- icy that Iraq has become a terrorist haven 1990s and up until 9/11. gress of not supporting our troops has no where none existed before. Recently I visited Kenya, including the shame and those individuals should ask them- Since President Bush landed on an aircraft former site of the American Embassy in selves whether anything is sacred to them carrier and declared ‘‘mission accomplished’’, Nairobi. Today that site has been replaced by anymore. They should ask themselves wheth- the estimated number of insurgents in Iraq has a park with a fountain, a memorial wall that er or not there is any depth to which they quadrupled from 5,000 to 20,000. As a result, has all the victim’s names on it, and a memo- won’t sink in order to score political points? the average number of daily attacks by insur- rial building. During past wars memorials to Mr. Speaker, I was not a Member of Con- gents has climbed from 53 to 75, from May the victims of conflicts and those who served gress when the resolution passed giving the 2004 to May 2006. bravely to win them, have usually waited until President the authority to send our fighting This war is an expensive quagmire that’s the hostilities ended. In the name of all those men and women to war. However, since I’ve weakening the federal government’s ability to who died at the sites of all the terrorist at- been a Member of Congress I have continued meet our domestic needs. We have spent tacks, as well as those who have given the ul- my lifelong support for our troops. I have over $300 billion so far on the wars in Iraq timate sacrifice to fight terrorism, we must en- voted for every spending request, and I have and Afghanistan, which is costing us about $8 sure those memorials future by winning the been to Iraq to visit our soldiers four times. billion a month on average, according to the war on terror. Every Member of Congress should have gone Department of Defense. It’s no wonder that Every event from bin Laden’s first bomb in to Iraq by now, and if you haven’t, go. Wheth- this Congress was recently asked to vote on 1992 through today has been part of one long er or not you support this war you need to a budget that cuts education, freezes funding coordinating al-Qaeda war. The coordinated show your support for our soldiers, and they for health care research, and shortchanges attacks in 1998 should have been a clear deserve to talk to us face to face and let us medical care for our nation’s veterans. warning signal that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda were determined, willing and able to know what is really happening over there. The massive deployment of National Guard Mr. Speaker, how we got to Iraq should not and Reserve units overseas has undermined attack Americans. While Osama bin Laden had declared war be the point at this time. Historians, politicians, our capacity to confront terrorist attacks or on all Americans in 1998, the US didn’t de- and the American public will debate that for natural disasters here at home. We know that clare war on terror until September 12, 2001. years on end, and you can bet they will draw state officials in Louisiana and Mississippi The opportunity to stop bin Laden before 9/ conclusions and hold people responsible in struggled to overcome the absence of National 11 came and went. The lessons of history as- the history books and the public opinion of the Guard members from their states in the after- sure us that left unchecked the forces of evil future. However, right now we should focus on math of Hurricane Katrina. will grow stronger and will seek to harm us how we stabilize the country, allowing for a Despite these grim realities, politicians on again. Today’s discussion is about a simple new, free, democratic Iraq to rein, and how we the other side of the aisle are stubbornly re- choice; do we fight terrorism tomorrow or do get our troops home safe as soon as possible stating that—no matter what—we must ‘‘stay we stop it with our actions today? while ensuring our future is more stable and the course.’’ I strongly disagree. The President Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- secure. and his allies in Congress should heed the port of H. Res. 861 and believe many of my Mr. Speaker, I support our troops. The Con- words of military and diplomatic leaders who colleagues on the other side of the isle have gress and the American public support our have warned that a continuing presence in said that the war in Iraq has nothing to do with troops. And I think we should reaffirm our sup- Iraq will neither calm the violence nor lead to the Global War on Terrorism. I could not dis- port for the troops by giving them every tool stability. agree more with their assessment. Iraq is the they need, like additional armor and padding Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent on this body to central front in the overall Global War on Ter- in their helmets to protect them from IEDs, offer and debate real strategies for the rede- rorism. An immediate withdrawal would merely rather than forking over taxpayers’ dollars ployment of American forces. Instead, this res- embolden our terrorist enemies and lead to hand over fist to Halliburton and other defense olution allows only a phony debate on the open season on America and our allies. We contractors with little to no accountability. ‘‘war on terror’’ which will not allow amend- cannot allow this to happen. We must prevail That, I think, would be a stronger sign of sup- ments that would offer alternatives to the Bush in Iraq. The stakes are too high to fail. port for our troops, or the war, than any politi- administration’s policy in Iraq. Coalition forces are having a great deal of cally motivated resolution brought to the Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, the lessons of success in Iraq. The recent killing of terrorist House floor as the Majority has admitted in history demonstrate that threats, left un- leader Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, along with their inter-conference memo of talking points checked, become more dangerous over time. seven of his aides, is a serious blow to al- of how ‘‘We must conduct this debate as a In the long-term isolationism is not an effective Qaeda’s operation. The man Osama bin portrait of contrasts between Republicans and solution for peace-keeping nations. Laden called ‘‘the prince of al Qaeda in Iraq’’ Democrats’’ according to Majority Leader Osama bin Laden, and the al Qaeda ter- arguably had more innocent blood on his Boehner’s memo. I don’t know about you, but rorist network he founded, were at war with hands in the last few years than any other ter- I believe our country and our troops deserve the United States throughout the 1990s. rorist. Zarqawi led one of the most deadly in- better than these political tactics. 1993: The first attack on the World Trade surgent groups in Iraq in a bloody campaign of In closing, Mr. Speaker, it is time for both Center bombings, shootings, beheadings, and political parties to figure out that our base is 1996: Bin Laden calls on Muslims to harm kidnappings aimed at killing Iraqi Shi’as to in- America, and the American people, not the U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf. cite sectarian violence and derail democracy ideologues of the political fringe. 1998: Bin Laden claims: Muslims should kill in Iraq. Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, Americans any where—including civilians. Furthermore, after receiving confirmation of with the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq May 1998: Bin Laden foreshadows the fu- Zarqawi’s death, Coalition and Iraqi Security reaching 2,500, it’s disappointing that the best ture. He warns the battle will ‘‘move to Amer- Forces conducted 17 simultaneous raids in the the GOP leadership can do is demand more ican soil.’’ Baghdad area, yielding a treasure trove of in- of the same. That’s exactly what this resolu- June 1998, a grand jury investigation issued formation and intelligence that is being ana- tion does by calling for a vague open-ended an indictment against bin Laden lyzed for future use. military commitment in Iraq. This resolution re- On the 8th anniversary of the UN sanctions Iraq’s National Security Adviser Mouwafak affirms a policy that simply isn’t working. against Iraq, two simultaneous explosions oc- al-Rubaie said today that these documents Instead of acknowledging the difficulties our curred at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and and computer records would give the Iraqi troops face by offering clear alternatives to the Tanzania. The bomb in Kenya kills 213 peo- government the upper hand in its fight against President’s ‘‘business as usual’’ approach, this ple, including 12 American, injuring more than al-Qaeda in Iraq. resolution tries to cloud the debate by focusing 4,500. In Tanzania, 11 are dead—85 injured. ‘‘We believe that this is the beginning of the on the ‘‘war on terror.’’ Indeed, Iraq isn’t even August 20, 1998 President Clinton orders end of al-Qaeda in Iraq,’’ al-Rubaie said, add- mentioned until the eighth paragraph. cruise missile attacks at suspected terrorist ing that the documents showed al-Qaeda is in The real issue at hand is whether this par- training camps in Afghanistan and a pharma- ‘‘pretty bad shape,’’ politically and in terms of ticular U.S. military-led effort that we’ve been ceutical plant in the Sudan. training, weapons and media.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00106 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4117 ‘‘Now we have the upper hand,’’ he said. The War on Terror will be a long war. Yet able. And we must not waver in our commit- ‘‘We feel that we know their locations, the we have mobilized to win other long wars, and ment to win the Global War on Terror and pro- names of their leaders, their whereabouts, we can and will win this one. tect our homeland from brutal terrorists who their movements, through the documents we Last year, I traveled to Iraq and everybody wish to attack our homeland and our very way found during the last few days.’’ I met was enthusiastic about doing their job of life. He also said that he believed the security and helping the Iraqi people. We found our Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in situation in the country would improve enough troops have high morale and a commitment to strong support of our continued mission in Iraq to allow a large number of U.S.-led forces to their mission. The troops told us that we are as part of the Global War on Terror. leave Iraq by the end of this year, and a ma- winning the war. I am proud to say that throughout the Global jority to depart by the end of next year. ‘‘And Because of our intervention, a murderous War on Terror, thousands of Idahoans have maybe the last soldier will leave Iraq by mid– dictator and a totalitarian regime have been fought valiantly side-by-side with their fellow 2008,’’ he said. overthrown, free elections have been held, a countrymen and newly freed citizens of Iraq Throughout American history, we have been new constitution has been drafted and ratified, and Afghanistan. During a visit to Iraq in May tested in times of war. But virtually every time, and a new national unity government has 2005, I had the opportunity to visit with the we stayed the course and prevailed. been completed. brave men and women of the 116th Cavalry We did not experience quick victory in the Mr. Speaker, Iraq is only one theater in the Brigade. I was amazed at their level of profes- American Revolution. In fact, it took our overall Global War on Terror and success in sionalism and their enthusiasm for the mis- Founding Fathers years to win our hard-fought Iraq is vital to victory. Much has been accom- sion. They took great pride in their contribu- independence. We were defeated at the Bat- plished but much is left to be done. The ques- tions and were fully committed to finishing the tles of Long Island, Harlem Heights, White tion for all of us here is do we have the will job. I have been similarly impressed by our Plains and others, and we will never forget the to stay the course and leave with honor I be- nation’s military as a whole. dark days at Valley Forge, yet we did not give lieve we do. We must finish the job. The When I consider what action should be up our desire for freedom. stakes are too high to fail. taken in Iraq I look to the advice of the ex- Mr. NUSSLE. Mr. Speaker, thank you for perts, those who are on the ground fighting And let’s not forget in World War II, where the opportunity to have this debate. I first of all the war. The message I continually hear from we suffered rapid and repeated defeats at want to say how proud I am of our brave sol- our soldiers and generals is: Finish the job, Guam, Wake Island, the Philippines and Kas- diers deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other complete the mission. serine Pass. regions of the world. Throughout our history, I know there have been many calls in the We must also remember that the terrorists our freedom and our way of life have been United States lately to withdraw our troops were at war with us long before we were at preserved by the grave sacrifices made by the from Iraq or set some kind of artificial deadline war with them. In April 1983, 63 people, in- men and women of our military. We cannot for withdrawal. Mr. Speaker, I strongly dis- cluding the CIA’s Middle East director, were thank them enough for their service. agree with this defeatist attitude. In fact, a pre- killed in a suicide truck-bomb attack on the I want to specifically thank the many Re- mature withdrawal from Iraq would be disas- U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Later on that year, si- serve and National Guard units from my home trous for America. multaneous suicide truck-bomb attacks on the state of Iowa serving overseas. Throughout In an interview with Osama bin Laden just American and French compounds in Beirut the War on Terror, Iowa has had one of the prior to the 1998 terrorist attacks on the U.S. killed 242 Americans and 58 French. In 1988, highest overseas deployment rates of any embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, bin Laden all 259 people on board Pan Am Flight 103 state. referred to the United States as a ‘‘paper were killed when a bomb believed to have Recently, I had the opportunity to welcome tiger’’ because of our withdrawal from Somalia been placed on the aircraft by Libyan terrorists back a battalion of Marine reservists from Wa- after the tragic loss of 18 U.S. soldiers. Al- exploded. These are just a few examples. Un- terloo, Iowa, in my district. I was very im- Qaeda learned from this, and similar events, fortunately, Mr. Speaker there are others. pressed by the brave soldiers of Charlie Com- that the United States would retreat rather Noted Islamic scholar Bernard Lewis has pany, 1st Battalion, 14th Marines who risked than fight. During the War on Terror, Al-Qaeda written that the sources of Islamic antagonism their lives conducting vital security operations has counted on Americans to similarly become toward the West stems from the belief that the throughout the Al Anbar province of Iraq in the demoralized and once again withdraw from American way of life is a direct threat to Is- dangerous areas of Ramadi, Al Asad and the fight. It is the cornerstone of their strategy. lamic values. But it is basic Western democ- Falluja. They left their families and loved ones If we lose heart and withdraw from Iraq be- racy that especially threatens Islamic extremist behind to serve a cause greater than them- fore the mission is complete, Iraq will become because within its own community more and selves—the cause of freedom. a permanent breeding ground of hate and ter- more Muslims are coming to value the free- Mr. Speaker, our mission in Iraq is a vital ror instead of the stable mid-east democracy dom that political democracy allows. Lewis part of the Global War on Terror. Removing it is becoming. Our enemies will become fur- has also written that attitudes toward the West Saddam Hussein from power was a difficult ther emboldened by their perceived victory. A have evolved through contacts with first the but necessary step to eliminate the threat that premature withdrawal from Iraq would only Eastern Empire in Constantinople, then Spain, his regime had posed for so long to the United strengthen their resolve to use cowardly and Portugal and France, and through years of di- States and the international community. barbarous terrorist attacks to achieve their rect conflict in the Crusades and the colonial We should take this opportunity to reflect on ends. An artificial timeline for a withdrawal wars of the 19th and 20th centuries. As we our many accomplishments in Iraq over the would only have similar results. The enemy can see, the War on Terrorism did not begin past three years. need only sit back, wait, and then step forward on September 11, 2001 Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror is over, to declare victory once U.S. forces have left. The Global War on Terrorism will not be his sons have been killed, and just last week As a consequence, Americans and democratic won next week, next year, or even in the next we learned the good news that the leader of societies throughout the world will be in great- 10 years. Like the Cold War, this struggle is the Iraqi insurgency, the brutal terrorist Abu er danger than ever before. a generational conflict, potentially spanning Musab Al-Zarqawi, has been eliminated. We simply cannot afford to back down, re- decades. The Cold War stretched from Asia to The Iraqi people have taken historic strides turn home, and hope this threat will dissipate Africa to the very heart of Europe, just as our towards establishing a free and stable democ- on its own. The terrorists must be confronted struggle today reaches from the Philippines to racy. They have participated in free elections and must be defeated. We cannot pass this the mountains of Afghanistan to, as we re- for the first time, drafted a new constitution, mission on to another generation. This is our cently saw, our neighbor Canada. Terrorism and newly elected Prime Minister Nuri Kamal job and the time is now. By stepping up and knows no bounds and will strike wherever al-Miliki just announced the formation of his completing this mission we will give the gift of freedom reigns, from London to Madrid, to a cabinet. In addition, the Iraqi security forces greater peace and stability to future genera- quiet field in Pennsylvania. continue to increase in number and have tions. Victory cannot be found on a single battle- taken a larger role in the defense their coun- I can understand why so many want to cut field or a single treaty signing. Our enemy try. and run, it would be the easy thing to do. I do does wear a uniform and is not governed by Mr. Speaker, at this time it is necessary to not hesitate to say that the mission in Iraq is international rules of war. They have one goal: stay the course and follow the path to a last- a difficult one and it has been costly. The kill as many Americans as possible and estab- ing peace in Iraq. We will continue to provide price for freedom is all too often painfully high. lish tyrannical regimes that rule according to a for our troops and ensure that they have the I, for one, do not ever want to receive another violent and intolerant distortion of Islam. best training, equipment, and technology avail- notice that a fellow Idahoan, or any American,

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00107 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4118 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 has fallen or been wounded in this war. How- ongoing global war on terror is really the case was Andy Nowacki. And there are thou- ever, quitting now would only prolong blood- ‘‘Why.’’ We all know how Andy died. Unfortu- sands of them out there affecting those Iraqi shed in the long run, not end it. nately, he was struck by an improvised explo- kids every day. Once again Mr. Speaker, I support Amer- sive device while on an ASR in our zone. I’d The second story I want to tell you about is ica’s efforts to complete the mission in Iraq, like to spend just a few minutes talking about the election—the very first Iraqi election that and I call on my colleagues on both sides of why Andy died. occurred in our zone. In order to truly under- the aisle to commit to its completion. At such Andy died because he was out engaging stand it, you have to back up to December of a perilous time in our nation’s history let us the enemy. The single most misunderstood 2004. The election was scheduled for 31 Jan- stand united. aspect of this war is the enemy. And a profes- uary of 2005. Exactly two weeks before the Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I very sional war-fighter focuses on one thing and election was to be held, the Iraqi government much appreciate the leadership allowing this one thing only—the enemy. He doesn’t focus said there was no way an election would be important discussion on the war in Iraq and on time-lines, he doesn’t focus on how fast he held in our zone because in that point in time the ongoing global war on terror. can stand up Iraqi battalions. He focuses on there were two triangles that were famous in We can all regret the faulty intelligence that the enemy, and there’s a particular reason Iraq. One was the Sunni Triangle and one was overestimated the presence of WMDs. We can why we need to focus on this enemy. Because the Triangle of Death. The Triangle of Death focus on the need to press the new Iraqi gov- this enemy is real, this enemy is vile, this was our zone and it was so named because ernment to meet speedy and attainable goals enemy is evil. And this enemy has a 100-year for four months at that time, on a daily basis, for the responsibility for their own security. plan to destroy the United States of America— we had gone forward, we had seized terrain, But, we should never underestimate what’s at a one hundred year plan. We think in terms of we had lived the misery of the Iraqi people. stake in Iraq for their people or ours. the next football season and they’re thinking in We had become their neighbors and, in so Nor should we ever permit the use of propa- terms of 100 years from now and how they’re doing, we had slung steel and harsh language ganda or terrorist barbarism to signal to the going to destroy this Nation. with this enemy on a daily basis, and they did brave men and women serving this Nation in Can this enemy win this war against us? not like that. They did not like the fact that uniform that the resolve of our country is wa- Unfortunately, I’m here to tell you absolutely these Marines were forward—living and earn- vering. he can. He can if he continues to focus on two ing the respect of the Iraqi people. But we There are many thoughts that I could lay things which he focuses on every day. The were able to convince the Iraqi government upon the record of this body about the war on first thing this enemy focuses on is breaking that as a result of the efforts of Marines like terrorism, but sometimes it’s better to shut up the will of the American people. He does that Andy, the Iraqi people would come out and and listen to the voices of those who know through videos, he does that through propa- vote. We couldn’t guarantee them that it much more than you or I. One of the casual- ganda, and he does that through information. wouldn’t be violent, but we guaranteed them ties of war in my district was a great Marine— The second way he can win this war is to con- they would come out and vote. Lance Cpl. Andy ‘‘Ace’’ Nowacki. Andy, 24, tinue to recruit future generations of jihadists. Now I ask you to picture, in two weeks, hav- was a member of the Grand River Police De- It’s for these reasons, and because of this ing to put together eight polling places. That partment and was killed by an lED in Iraq on enemy, that Andy was in Iraq. And while so meant that we had to tactically go out 48 February 26, 2005. His family, though filled many still fail to get it, the enemy doesn’t. The hours prior and we had to seize the locations. with grief, determined that Andy’s spirit would enemy understands Iraq is the focus of effort, We had to set up all the force protection that live on in many ways. One way will come because he understands that as long as Ma- would allow the Marines to protect the Iraqis through the establishment of a scholarship rines and warriors like Andy are in Iraq that from what we knew would be constant and fund at Lakeland Community College. the will of the American people is foremost sure attacks on election day. And then most On March 31st of this year, friends, com- and in his face. He also understands that that importantly, we had to transport 500 workers rades and family gathered to honor Andy’s is a will that can and does, at every oppor- from the city of Baghdad to down to our Bat- memory and raise funds for the scholarship. tunity of battle, destroy this enemy. And then talion FOB, house them for two days, and One of the people to speak that evening was the second thing is what us being there does then move them safely to those eight polling Lt. Col. Mark A. Smith, the former battalion to this enemy. Contrary to some popular opin- sites. You can rest assured that was one big, commander of Andy’s unit—the 2nd Battalion, ion, is it does not create jihadists by us being juicy target that the terrorist wanted to hit. We 24th Marines. Lt. Col. Smith’s remarks, which there. Quite frankly, we deprive them of the were able to accomplish all that, but the most I ask through unanimous consent to appear in next generation of jihadists because no one is telling time in all of that is where we housed the Record immediately following my own, more helped and/or more impressed with the these 500 election workers was in our bat- centered on the question of ‘‘Why.’’ He stated Gentle Giants of America than the kids of the talion chow hall. My battalion major . . . had in part: ‘‘. . . think the part that’s most lost in Arab world. If you’ll just let me tell you two a section of our chow hall that was dedicated public discourse in the ongoing global war on very quick stories, I’ll explain why that is. to our fallen Marines. At that time, there were terror is really the ‘‘Why.’’ We all know how One day we were going out to conduct a 12 of them. He had their pictures, and we had Andy died . . . I’d like to spend a few minutes raid to arrest the Sgt. Major and the oper- an American and a Marine Corps flag. Now for talking about why Andy died.’’ ations officer of the Iraqi Army battalion that those of you who’ve never been to Iraq, Mr. Speaker, Lt. Col. Mark A. Smith, with we were training. Upon moving into our who’ve never spent time with the Iraqi people, the eloquence of a soldier, said it better than cordoned positions in the raid force—hitting when you get two of them together, the noise I could ever hope to, and I commend his the objective and seizing the Sgt. Major of the level, the amount of smoking and the amount words to the House: Iraqi Army battalion—his very children, the of drinking that goes on is pretty mind-numb- I got a call last Saturday when I was on children of the Sgt. Major that we had in flex ing. When you put 500 of them in a facility, it duty from Sheila Nowacki, Andy’s mom. And cuffs and blindfolded, were running around borders on chaos. Now we accepted that that she told me a part of the ceremony was going their front yard acting as if they were holding was going to have to be the cost—that our to be a pretty moving video, and she had a weapons and shooting at the Marines. One of chow hall was probably going to get pretty slight task for me. She asked me if I’d speak the Marines went up to them, and he took the torn up. And it did, except for one spot. for a few minutes after the video, and to be interpreter with him, and he said, ‘‘Ask these Any time any of those Iraqi election workers positive. kids what they’re doing.’’ And the interpreter got anywhere near the Sgt. Major’s memorial, Now, as the commanding officer of 2/24th, asked them, and the kids said, in English, absolute, utter respectful, solemn silence. I don’t get the option of saying no to the fami- ‘‘Mistah, we play U.S. Marines, Mistah. We They respected the Marines and what they lies of my KIAs for whom I was responsible, U.S. Marines.’’ were doing for them, and that was a sight that but in Sheila’s and Dennis’s case, I was hon- I don’t think those kids are going to grow up I will take with me to my grave, and that ored that they even asked me to, so I imme- to be jihadists. I think those kids are going to makes me challenge those who say we’re cre- diately rogered up to the mission. So, here we grow up to be the honorable people that they ating jihadists. I argue we are doing just the go. saw the U.S. Marines in their zone to be. Fur- opposite. On that very election day, the mor- The only way I know to be positive in talking ther proof of that was mentioned by your tars flew, the mortars flew intently. All eight of about Andy is to talk about—from my perspec- emcee tonight when she showed you that pic- our sites started getting mortared and rock- tive and from the Marines’ perspective in this ture of Andy and those two Iraqi kids. They eted about 30 minutes before the polls were room who shared time with him in combat— say a picture tells a thousand stories . . . supposed to open. I was sitting in my COC why Andy died. Because I think that the thing that’s not a staged picture. That is honest re- thinking, ‘‘Well, there’s the end of my career. that’s most lost in public discourse about the spect for an American Marine, who in this I just convinced the whole world that we could

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00108 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4119 have an election and they’re blowing us up misgivings about, was the right thing for our with emotion and I ended my speech that before they’ve even started.’’ But an amazing nation to do. night by saying, ‘‘I cannot agree with the thing happened. In spite of all the mortars, in The image of our President standing on the course that our great nation is embarking on, spite of all those rockets, in spite of the Ma- aircraft carrier and proclaiming ‘‘mission ac- one that brings the threat of war closer and rines providing security, telling the Iraqi people complished’’ is one that I continue to associate the goal of peace further away.’’ to seek cover, they refused, and in broken with this failed effort. Since that fabricated So now once again we in Congress are de- English constantly reminded the Marines, public relations moment, both our nation and bating this war. However, now we have the ‘‘You will protect us. You have brought us de- the nation of Iraq have suffered great personal perspective of time and we can look at all that mocracy. And we will vote.’’ loss. happened in Iraq, the suffering and the fail- To conclude, one story from south of our The American public no longer supports our ures, as an unfortunate part of our nation’s zone where one young man pushed his 70- involvement in Iraq, and we as their represent- history. As I once again struggle to find the year-old father four miles under enemy fire in atives, must respect their wishes and bring our words that can bring this conflict to an end— a shopping cart. When asked by the Marines, troops home. I am again filled with emotion. Let us bring our ‘‘What on God’s green earth did he think he I am saddened and heartbroken when I brave American soldiers home now and let us was doing?’’ He said: ‘‘My father has but one think about how many brave young men and once again embrace the goal of peace. wish before he dies, to show you the respect women have died in this conflict that was Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, we are fighting a war of voting as a free man.’’ never in our nation’s interest. Many of these on terror, a war we did not start or choose. One hundred years. That’s the enemy’s courageous young soldiers who have lost’’ But to use that war as either justification for a plan. He is prepared. Are we? As long as we their lives came from the Bronx, from my own war in Iraq, or a reason for staying, is wrong. have warriors, gentle warriors like Andy, the community, and so it is partly on their behalf A lesson I’ve learned in life is you finish unbelievable support of parents like Dennis that I believe I am now speaking. Too many what you start. This Administration took us off- and Sheila who do things like this despite hav- American soldiers have died, too many inno- track from the war on terror and chose the war ing sacrificed what they have sacrificed, and cent Iraqi civilians have suffered and lost their in Iraq. The torch of the war on terror should, the support of Americans like you, we cannot lives, and too many reporters have been and shall be, passed to future generations, but lose. Sheila asked me to be positive. I don’t killed—all as a result of this failed policy. the war in Iraq was started by this Administra- know how I can be anything but. If it weren’t As I thought about what I wanted to say on tion and should be finished by this Administra- for warriors like Andy and the other ones you the floor today, I went back to the remarks tion. see in this room here tonight, we would not be that I spoke on this floor on October 9, 2002, This Administration decided to launch the able to gather tonight to laugh, to cry and to when this House was voting on the authoriza- Iraq war based on, at best, shaky intelligence. celebrate. tion for the use of military force against Iraq. Until that time, this country had historically set Sheila asked me to be positive, I don’t know At that time I certainly couldn’t anticipate what a high threshold in its decisions to go to war. how to be anything else. I know now some- the conditions would be now in June of 2006. We have done so because outcomes are thing I didn’t know a few years ago: Being However, I said at the time, ‘‘When we en- sometimes uncertain, and the cost in human positive does not make the world the way you gage as a nation in a unilateral military action lives is frequently high. wish it would be, it’s accepting the world the against an Arab Nation, an action that our al- We who question this Administration’s deci- way it is and going out and doing what you lies are cautioning against, how will the United sions have faced the charge that to be candid can do to change it. I used to tell my young States be viewed in the Arab world? Perhaps about this war would upset military morale or daughters when they’d see something on TV the result will be an increase in Al Qaeda ’s even be unpatriotic. Now is the time for this or read a fairy tale, I used to tell them there’s membership and a renewed hatred toward President to be honest and forthright with the no such thing as dragons. I don’t tell them that Americans.’’ I think that this has come true American people about its ill-conceived war. In anymore. There are dragons. There are fire- and that our image as a nation has certainly candor, the Administration should say to the breathing, evil dragons that inhabit this world. been tarnished as a result of this conflict. I re- American people that no matter what course But I tell them don’t be afraid, because for gret that—because I know that we live in a na- we choose now, the future in Iraq will be every dragon that is out there, there are 10 tion that does not want to be seen as an bloody and costly. knights in shining armor that will go forth and enemy by those who live in Arab nations. That is why democracies enter war as a last suffer great hardship to protect you. And I’ve What has also come true is that Al Qaeda resort, with solid evidence and a united nation. seen them, and I’ve worked with them and continues to flourish and to find new recruits I have listened to our generals about their they’re called United States Marines. So be as a direct result of our nation’s actions in view of the future. General Casey has person- positive. I will be positive, Sheila, and I will be Iraq. Although Al Qaeda had at most a neg- ally said to me that he needs until the summer thankful and humbled that you asked me to ligible presence in Iraq before this conflict, it is of 2007 to fully train Iraqi forces. I am willing speak tonight. And I will forever thank God Al- now a well established force there. For every to allow General Casey the time to complete mighty for Andy and all the warriors like Andy, terrorist that our nation works so hard to cap- this task, but we should begin an immediate and your amazing family, and this blessed ture, another one is motivated to join out of redeployment of troops. land. hate for our nation’s involvement in Iraq. General Casey’s projection might place Iraq Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to This conflict has resulted in worldwide im- on a course to embrace a self-governing de- talk about Iraq, a failure built on the lies of this ages that I doubt our nation can ever over- mocracy. However, the single most important Administration. come. The pictures associated with the Abu action the newly elected Iraqi government can I am opposed to H. Res. 861, because con- Ghraib prison scandal are firmly etched on the take to give that government legitimacy, is to trary to what it states in this resolution, I be- minds of our next generation of youth around ask Americans to leave and have Iraqis fight lieve that it is in the best interest of the United the world. Although soldiers of low rank were for Iraqis rather than have Americans fight for States to bring our troops home now. prosecuted for these atrocities, our leaders at Iraqis. I voted against our involvement in Iraq, and the top never took responsibility. Seldom mentioned these days is our original I have opposed funding the conflict. For years, Now an investigation is being conducted mission in Afghanistan, the frontline of the real I have been calling for the return of our sol- into our activities at Haditha, where it seems war on terror. We still have time for a com- diers. This war has been a mistake, and our as though innocent civilians died. These ac- plete success, but unfortunately we now do continued participation will not change this tions are all a direct result of a failed policy not have adequate resources in Afghanistan. basic fact. and have come at great cost to our image in In order to win, the immediate redeployment of I have the utmost respect for our former the world. No longer do nations look at us as troops from Iraq must include sending some Secretary of State Colin Powell. He was a the ultimate protector of human rights. troops to Afghanistan as well as bringing truly outstanding Secretary of State: However, As everyone here knows, I am a part of the some directly home from Iraq. It is time to re- I will never forget how this great American city that was a target on September 11th. turn our attention and resources to hunting was sent to the United Nations to sell a fab- When this Congress was debating the resolu- down Osama Bin Laden and ensuring Afghan- rication and to convince the world that this tion on the use of force against Iraq, I did not istan does not again become a breeding was a just endeavor with what we all now believe at the time that in attacking Iraq our ground for terrorism. know was deliberately falsified evidence. This country was taking the right course, and I A little over sixty years ago, we fought a was just one part of a continuous effort to de- didn’t know what words to use that would great war after Pearl Harbor. By this Thanks- ceive the American public into believing that a change the step towards war that our nation giving, the Iraq war will have lasted longer conflict, that even many in our military had seemed so determined to take. I was filled than World War II. 4 long years ago many in

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00109 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4120 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 this Chamber voted to go to war in Iraq. How ment to live up to its commitments, transfer re- tenant and spiritual advisor Sheik Abd aI- many would do so today, knowing they are sponsibility for Iraq to Iraqis, and that will bring Rahman. Zarqawi was the operational com- committing us to a war longer than World War our troops home as soon as possible. mander of the terrorist movement in Iraq and II? Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to was personally responsible for the deaths of Let us commit to a final push for an end to recognize the brave men and women of our many American forces and thousands of inno- the bloodshed and violence in Iraq. Let us re- Armed Forces for their service and dedication cent Iraqis. The killing of Zarqawi is a testa- turn to our original mission to fight the global to winning the Global War on Terror. ment to the notion that we must stay the war on terror that this Administration sidelined On September 11, 2001 a group of 19 hi- course and remain committed to the mission in Iraq. jackers commandeered 4 commercial aircraft and the Iraqi people. I support our troops in Iraq. I support them and crashed them into the World Trade Center Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and heart- all the way home—soon. in New York City and the Pentagon in Wash- felt gratitude that I salute the men and women Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, while the war in ington, D.C., with the intent on destroying our of our Armed Forces and thank them for their Iraq has been grossly mismanaged, the United economy and way of life. Over 3,052 innocent service and dedication to our great nation. States has a moral obligation to the 2,500 men, women, and children lost their lives in Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the American military men and women who have this unprecedented attack. Sadly, the events out of Iraq Caucus I rise in opposition to this given their lives in the fight for freedom to that transpired on September 11th were the resolution. We would not even be debating allow the newly established government to de- result of years of training and preparation by this bill if the American people were not disillu- velop, stabilize, and to provide for that nation’s an enemy that does not value human life, lib- sioned by this war and did not want to bring people. erty, equality, or religious freedom. our troops home. Perhaps the current Administration does not Our great Nation lost 473 American lives I was among those who opposed the tragic want to openly discuss Iraq policy because both civilian and military to the hands of ter- decision to launch this war. I warned that the they feel it is a black and white issue, either rorist from 1983 to 2001 for a total of 3,525 invasion and occupation of Iraq would plunge we stay the course or we withdraw our troops. victims. With each passing decade our en- us into a bloody quagmire of violence that I disagree; I believe that the war in Iraq is any- emies have become more sophisticated and would only intensify the instability in the Mid- thing but black and white. Immediate troop desperate to accomplish their aims of a global dle East and leave this nation less secure and withdrawal would result in an Iraq so desta- jihad. Individuals such as, Osama bin Laden, less able to protect our own national interests. bilized that our homeland security would be the founder of al Qaeda, have declared war The sad truth is that all the grimmest pre- more threatened than before the war even on the Untied States and created worldwide dictions have now come true and today— began. Staying the course would be equally networks of hate to accomplish their aims. The Taliban are mounting a major come- senseless, as the course we are currently on On several occasions, bin Laden has ex- back in Afghanistan; has done nothing to stabilize Iraq, nor has it plained, that it should be every jihadists mis- Iran is on the verge of producing a nuclear quelled the raging insurgency. sion to obtain nuclear weapons and use them weapon; We recently passed the third anniversary of against the United States and its allies. The Somalia is dominated by an al Queda-in- the date when President Bush declared ‘‘mis- last 26 years have taught us that we must re- spired militia; sion accomplished’’ regarding Iraq. What we main diligent and take every opportunity pos- And, here at home, our Nation is at risk. have really accomplished in Iraq is yet to be sible to find and destroy these ruthless killers The fundamental recommendations of the 911 seen, what is clear is that we need to change wherever they reside. In order to accomplish Commission are still waiting. our course. We must set a new path towards this mission, the brave men and women of Those who still support the Iraq war often a unified Iraq with a realistic exit strategy for America’s Armed Forces have answered the claim it has made this Nation a safer place. our troops. We must disarm militias. We must call with honor and an intense dedication to That it has kept away the terrorists and help the new government provide electric the mission of preserving our way of life. stopped another 911 tragedy. Unfortunately, power and economic and social services. We One of our most important responsibilities such wishful thinking is only a way to justify must convey to the Iraqis how important it is as members of Congress is to make sure our the horrendous human suffering that we have to the United States that they come together troops have every resource they need while caused by our misguided mission, an effort to politically and make necessary amendments to advancing democracy overseas. By visiting justify a war that was never properly planned their Constitution to achieve functional unity, these heroes where they serve, we’re able to and executed and that has wounded thou- we must make them see that whether or not get a much better understanding of what we sands and cost the lives of two thousand five a peaceful, democratic Iraq can succeed is ul- can do to make their jobs as safe as possible. hundred American soldiers. timately in their hands. If we allow the Iraqis With this in mind, I decided to lead a Congres- The toll of this war is still climbing and to think that we will be in Iraq indefinitely, sional delegation to the Middle East that trav- throughout the world terrorism is on the rise. there is no incentive for them to make the eled to Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan The administration talks a lot about National compromises necessary to unite their country and Germany. security but those in Congress knows the war under one stable government. The leaders of these nations understood the in Iraq has not made America a safer nation. The outcome in Iraq will have a major im- importance of ensuring that we remain vigilant We are appropriating millions and millions of pact both in the region and on our security in fighting the Global War on Terror and ex- dollars, at a time of skyrocketing Federal defi- here at home for decades to come. We cannot pressed confidence in the abilities of the coali- cits, to fortify security in the U.S. Capitol Com- move forward in Iraq without a full debate tion forces. In Iraq, Kuwait, and Germany I plex and at all other Federal facilities across about the war here at home, without an end had the special privilege of visiting with mem- this Nation. If Members of Congress believed to the level of secrecy that the administration bers of our Armed Forces and I found their this Nation is safer than it was before we cap- and the Department of Defense have built up moral to be high and their dedication to the tured Saddam Hussein, then why would we regarding the war, without an end to the cor- cause unyielding. Soldiers like Sgt. Mark allow a single lost airplane to trigger the evac- ruption in contracting and profiteering, and Gregory, Thomas W.. Rigaey, 1st Lt. uation of the U.S. Capitol? Why does a single without a real plan from the President that Marathana Loddy, Lt. Mike Schilling and Staff suspicious noise cause the lock down of the sets specific goals, achieves them, and then Sgt. Leonard Campbe1.Vall from my home house office buildings? And just yesterday, provides our troops a way out, an exit strat- state of Nevada expressed their determination why did the leadership of Congress upgrade egy. to see the mission through and understood our supplies of escape hoods? I intend to support the resolution on the that it will take time to achieve. No one in the leadership of Congress is be- House floor today because I agree that we Since toppling Saddam Hussein’s ruthless having like we have diminished the terrorist cannot simply pull out and leave Iraq; to do so government, the people of Iraq have created a threat. We know the war has made U.S. more would make that region less stable, less 275 member parliament, confirmed the selec- vulnerable to terrorism. peaceful, and more of a threat to U.S. secu- tion of the top seven posts for a national unity Our National security is still in danger. De- rity. We must prevail in the War on Terror; but government, and laid a foundation for democ- mocracy is not flourishing in the Middle East. let me be clear, I do not support staying the racy. Now more than ever we must stay the It is time to bring our troops home and to de- course in Iraq. course and support our Iraqi friends as they vote our resources to our own national secu- I will continue to push the Administration continue to strengthen the infrastructure of rity. and the military to develop a clear plan for their government. I commend my courageous colleague, Mr. Iraq, based on the creation of a national unity Last week on June 7, 2006 Coalition forces MURTHA who has displayed tremendous patri- government, that will require the new govern- killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his top lieu- otism on the battlefield, and in this chamber.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00110 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4121 I support his call to implement a strategic re- allow our troops to become targets of resent- of stories from that article about soldiers from deployment from Iraq and implore the Mem- ment and terrorism while the administration Fort Campbell who are completely committed bers of this body to have the good sense to tries to figure out a plan. to their mission in the Global War on Terror: listen to the people of this Nation and to sup- American forces in Iraq have gone above [From the Louisville Courier-Journal] S0634 port the call to redeploy our U.S. troops in and beyond the call of duty. Their heroism and Specialist Steven Clark from Fitzgerald, Iraq. compassion in the most trying of cir- Georgia is a soldier in the 502nd Infantry Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to ex- cumstances require us to act in their best in- Regiment of the 101st Airborne. He is a 25 press my concerns over the Bush administra- terest. Despite inadequate equipment, despite year old young man with more courage than tion’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq. shifting priorities, despite sweltering heat, our people twice his age. In his time in Iraq, he First and foremost, I am disappointed that military has delivered time and again. The re- has been shot three times and has been the President still refuses to put forward a cent success in removing the threat posed by wounded by shrapnel from a grenade that tore into his legs and back. He has been strategy for a successful transition in Iraq and terrorist al-Zarqawi is a testament to their te- awarded three Purple Hearts, with another a timetable for the withdrawal of American nacity and grit in the field. on the way, as well as a Bronze Star with troops. But the President must not take their com- Valor. His Army buddies have nicknamed Almost 2,500 of America’s military personnel mitment for granted and cannot expect them him ‘‘Bullet Magnet.’’ You may ask why he have lost their lives in this conflict, and thou- to serve indefinitely. Military forces in Iraq al- is still in Iraq and the answer is because he sands more of our troops have been injured ready are serving longer and longer deploy- wants to be. He says that his wounds are not and disabled. Among the most recent casual- ments and a high percentage of returning as important as the mission and he insists on staying. ties was a young man from my district and troops are falling prey to mental health dis- Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Kunk is a hometown of Rialto, California. U.S. Army orders and financial difficulty. We need a real commander in the 502nd Infantry Regiment. Spc. Luis Daniel Santos was just 20 years old solution, Mr. Speaker. One of his duties as an officer is to decide and due to come home to his loving family— I stand with my Democratic colleagues in which of his wounded soldiers can return to his parents Irma and Carlos and siblings Car- asking the President to provide a real solution duty and which soldiers get to go home. He los Jr., Amy and Eric—next week. Luis was for peace and security in Iraq and ask my col- says this task is tougher than it should be engaged to his sweetheart from Fontana High leagues in Congress to recommit themselves because his soldiers research Army Regula- tions and argue endlessly in an effort to School and was looking forward to a family to providing adequate funding for our Armed stay. Colonel Kunk’s story doesn’t end there, barbeque his mother was preparing for him. Forces, both at home and abroad, and our he was caught in the effects of a roadside Tragically, he was killed one week ago in a veterans. bomb that damaged the nerves and muscles roadside bombing while maneuvering his Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- in his legs causing his legs to swell and throb Humvee in combat. port of House Resolution 861. Today’s debate from pain by the end of every day. But Colo- I offer my condolences to the Santos family is about more than just the nations of Iraq and nel Kunk wouldn’t think of leaving, he says and join in mourning the death of this patriotic Afghanistan, this debate is about freedom and he’s a father and a grandfather and he wants democracy worldwide and the fight against ter- to do right by them. So Colonel Kunk stays young man. and he fights because he knows it’s the right Military families especially, and Americans ror and injustice. Our great nation is doing thing to do. generally, understand the sacrifice that service what we have always done—fighting for the Specialist Clark and Lieutenant Colonel entails and the dangers involved. And we are values we hold dear and helping to spread Kunk’s commitment is without compromise united in supporting our troops and honoring those values to other nations. We also have a and their dedication to duty should be com- their sacrifice. choice to make; do we want to fight the terror- mended. Their stories are unique, but their ac- However, the American public has lost con- ists in the streets of America or in Iraq and Af- tions are not. fidence in President Bush’s leadership. The ghanistan where al-Qaida has claimed as its There are many soldiers that refuse to leave President has chosen to risk the lives of our battle ground to kill Americans? when they have incurred wounds that would Armed Forces without providing a coherent The Global War on Terror hits home for me allow them to come home. These service exit strategy, a realistic timetable, or the because I have the distinct privilege of rep- members understand what they are fighting for equipment required to complete the mission. resenting the brave men and women stationed and they stay to see the mission through to The American people want—and our military at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. These coura- the end. forces deserve—a clear plan for completing geous Americans have been leading the way Mr. Speaker, this Congress should follow the Iraq transition and bringing our troops in the Global War on Terror since September the example of our men and women in uni- home! 11, 2001. In Afghanistan, these soldiers liber- form and stay committed to completing our As if the loss of life weren’t overwhelming ated the country from the oppressive Taliban mission and winning the Global War on Terror. enough, the war in Iraq has cost American regime. They helped stabilize the country and If our soldiers, like Specialist Clark and Lieu- taxpayers more than 300 billion dollars. Ameri- their efforts as well as those of other units laid tenant Colonel Kunk, can make the commit- cans have other needs and priorities, and 300 the foundation for the democratic elections of ment to stay then we owe it to them to provide billion dollars could help solve some of the Afghanistan’s president, parliament, and pro- our support to stay and get the mission done, challenges we have here at home. That same vincial councils. to do otherwise would undermine our soldiers’ money could have paid for 5 million additional In Iraq, the 101st was deployed before the efforts. teachers in our schools, or 14 million four-year war began in 2003 and were instrumental in Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in op- college scholarships, or 2.5 million new afford- the success of dismantling the regime of the position to this simple-minded resolution. able housing units across the country. Think criminal dictator Saddam Hussein. They were President Bush and Republicans in Congress about how much money that is and how much also responsible for the location and death of would have you believe that the War on Terror of a difference it could have made for working Saddam’s two sons. They liberated and rebuilt and the War in Iraq are one and the same. families like those I represent in San the town of Mosel, including the reconstruction But terrorism is not exclusive to a geographic Bernardino County, California. of the city’s infrastructure. The 101st is now or political entity. So I reiterate my call for the Bush adminis- on its second deployment to Iraq and is in- Terrorism is the result of an accidental or in- tration to plan for an orderly withdrawal of volved in the securing of the city of Ramadi tentional trauma inflicted on humanity. Numer- American forces in Iraq. We must begin to where some of the most violent fighting in Iraq ous examples exist within our own borders. transfer security responsibilities to the Iraqi still exists. I have personally met with many of My son is terrorized by the threat of destruc- people and allow the international community the soldiers that have been involved in this tion posed by the ignorance, of President to step in and help. fight and they have my utmost admiration and Bush in his steadfast opposition to addressing Our brave men and women in the Armed respect. After meeting with the soldiers of Fort the very real threat of global warming. Forces have sacrificed enough. They have Campbell, I am convinced that they under- Parents are terrorized by the lack of treat- completed their mission and accomplished stand what they are fighting for in Iraq and are ment for children born with diabetes, leukemia, what was needed. Their families have waited committed to the very end in order to preserve and multiple sclerosis. Yet right-wing evan- for them long enough. Now it is time to bring the democracy we have helped create and to gelical Pharisees dictate prohibitions on stem our troops home. ensure the safety of the Iraqi people. cell research that could cure these and other Mr. Speaker, American forces are at great One of the largest newspapers in my state, diseases, saving lives. risk as they remain in Iraq without a clear ob- the Louisville Courier-Journal recently pub- Middle-class Americans are terrorized by jective. Their mission was to be a liberating lished an article entitled ‘‘Wounded soldiers the outsourcing of jobs. elimination of pen- force, not an occupation force. We cannot refuse to leave Iraq.’’ I’d like to share a couple sions and health benefits, and expansion of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00111 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H4122 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2006 predatory lending. The U.S. Chamber of Com- by experts before the war. One former com- to the Middle East, the London bombings oc- merce promotes these terrifying practices, mander of U.S. Central command, General curred. This was yet another stark reminder driving working families to fear for their finan- Anthony Zinni, said that ‘‘ten years worth of that if we don’t fight terrorists abroad, they just cial future. planning were thrown away; troop levels dis- get closer to our home. All Americans are terrorized by more than missed out of hand . . . these were not tac- Mr. Speaker, the War on Terror is a global 30,000 handgun deaths each year. This trau- tical mistakes, these were strategic mistakes, effort; it reaches beyond a small concentration ma is condoned and promoted by the National mistakes of policy made back here.’’ of countries in the Middle East. I’d like to Rifle Association, a bipartisan terrorist organi- There are better ways to support our troops share the story of Marine Staff Sergeant Na- zation. than to send more of them to their death in a than Fletcher. Sergeant Fletcher’s wife, Mindy, Our brave servicemen and women in uni- poorly planned war. It’s time to shift our ap- lived in Dallas and also worked for another form are terrorized by the Iraqi insurgency and proach from the ineffectual policies of a Presi- war hero, my fellow Texas Congressman SAM civil war. Though 2,500 American soldiers and dent who only listens to advisors with pre-de- JOHNSON, on Capitol Hill. He is currently expe- countless Iraqi citizens have died, the right termined hawkish mindsets. As a member of riencing his third extended separation from wing noise machine encourages additional the Out of Iraq Caucus, I stand with my col- Mindy since they married a few years ago and deaths by coloring as pro-terrorist those of us leagues in urging Congress to urgently re- the start of the war on terrorism. who dare to acknowledge the futility of the evaluate the failed policies of the President. Sergeant Fletcher is serving in a very re- President’s War in Iraq. Representative JACK MURTHA has drafted a mote region in the Horn of Africa. He is part Terrorism is a very real threat, but it comes resolution that encourages the Iraqi people to of a Combined Joint Task Force focused on in many forms other than those found in Iraq take charge of their own security and lays the defeating transnational terrorist groups oper- and, as I’ve outlined here today, we are doing groundwork for bringing our troops home. ating in the region. Sergeant Fletcher and his precious little to combat it in America. These are the sort of options we should be fellow troops in Africa lack amenities like run- I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolu- debating today if we truly want to demonstrate ning water, reliable power, and air condi- tion and to join me in a call to redirect our at- our support for our troops. Instead, the Repub- tioning. There is no internet, television, or tention, our federal dollars, and our lives to lican Leadership has put forth this political even paved roads. Because they are so far our needs here at home. ploy. Congress should fulfill their Constitutional away from the main camp they eat off the Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, we are on the responsibility to exercise oversight instead of local economy. There are no fruits or vegeta- floor today debating a most serious issue. continuing to place blind faith in the President bles where he is based, and so far he has However, rather than truly addressing solu- as he pursues the war in Iraq. eaten camel, goat, lamb, beef, and a couple tions, the resolution before us is filled with Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I do not support things he could not identify. They cook their platitudes which seek to vindicate the ill ad- this shameful attempt to provide an illusion of meals over an open fire and sleep outside vised policies of the President’s war on Iraq. oversight. every night. Rather than allowing a meaningful and con- Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, America and Sergeant Fletcher’s wife writes, ‘‘His team is structive debate on Iraq, the Republican Lead- its allies are engaged in a war against a ter- doing well and I know they are working very ership decided not to allow any amendments rorist movement that spans all comers of the long hours. I can’t imagine going 40 days with- to their resolution. It is a travesty that the globe. It is sparked by radical ideologues that out running water in temperatures over 100 elected representatives of the American peo- breed hatred, oppression, and violence degrees without air conditioning, but I know ple are prevented today from offering policy al- against all of their declared enemies. Since Nathan and other servicemen and women do ternatives that might actually affect the shape September 11, 2001, the powerful coalition of it every day.’’ She continues, ‘‘Iraq and Af- of U.S. policy in Iraq. nations, led by the United States, has seen ghanistan get most of the focus, but our This debate had the potential to mark a many successes against al-Qaeda and other troops are fighting the global war on terror turning point to the current vacuum of con- terrorist groups. It is imperative that we remain throughout the world. I am really proud that he is part of making sure al-Qaeda and other ter- gressional oversight over the Bush Administra- united and steadfast in the quest to defeat ter- rorists aren’t able to expand into another part tion as it pursues its misguided and incom- rorism around the world. petently planned war in Iraq. Rather than of- Last year I traveled to the Middle East to of the world.’’ Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Fletcher and the mil- fering real solutions, the Republican Majority visit with troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghani- lions of other troops fighting the War on Terror in Congress has decided to rubber stamp the stan. I came away with several observations: around the world believe in what they’re doing. President’s campaign in Iraq. First, morale of the troops is HIGH. They They don’t want to stop. They know their mis- The American people know what has hap- are confident of the progress they have made sion is right. We owe it to them to see this pened, and demand more than just a rubber in the mission to spread freedom and democ- campaign for democracy through until we are stamp from their representatives in Congress. racy in the Middle East. Not ONE serviceman completely victorious. Just as in the case of Vietnam, they see a or woman I encountered had any doubts Mindy no doubt wishes that Nathan was at White House which misled our country into about the purpose and importance of his or home with her. Nathan no doubt wishes he war. Using shoddy evidence and insinuations her presence there. The troops are positive was at home sitting in the air conditioning and about the connections between Iraq and al and appreciative of all of the support they re- eating a t-bone steak rather than camel steak. Qaeda, the Bush Administration took our ceived from back home. Yet they both know the reasons and the im- country to war to face the ‘‘imminent threat’’ of Their confidence in their mission is well-jus- portance of the mission. an Iraq with nuclear weapons. tified. Since my visit, the Iraqis have ratified a Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Fletcher is enduring Despite claims by the Republicans and the new constitution and installed a new, strong these harsh conditions for our freedom. Make Bush Administration, there was no significant Prime Minister, Nuri AI-Maliki. And now the no mistake—this mission is not only justified, relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. Iraq latest milestone: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al it is essential. Let us never forget the Pearl had no weapons of mass destruction, a fact Qaeda’s leader in Iraq, was killed in an air raid Harbors, the attacks of 9/11. Let us never for- which Hans Blix, the head of the UN weapons last week. get the freedom we have. Let us never forget inspection team, recently stated would have Mr. Speaker, as I sat in a tent in Kuwait eat- the Sergeant Fletchers and the sacrifices they become clear had President Bush not ignored ing dinner with troops from Texas, I was make for us. our allies’ requests that we give the inspectors struck by how young most of them were. Mr. Speaker, we must not lay down our a few more months before invading. After its Those soldiers with me were 18–20 years old. arms now. We must press on, for freedom, for claims about the weapons of mass destruction Their experiences and their stories humbled peace. were proven to be incorrect, the Administration me. Never in my life have I felt such emotion Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I salute Congress- has continually shifted its rationale for the in- and love for our service men and women than man MURTHA and I salute the servicemen and vasion. when I sat and looked at these brave young women in the field, at Walter Reed Army Med- As though it were not bad enough that we soldiers. Barely out of high school, yet each ical Center, and those waiting to serve. went into a war in an incompetent and decep- day these heroes awaken knowing of the per- I rise today to oppose the resolution before tive manner, it is unforgivable that our troops ils that lie ahead. Danger awaits them, but us today because it does nothing to ensure a were sent into this war without adequate plan- they continue to make a great sacrifice each more stable and secure Iraq nor does it do ning and equipment. Our troops are out there day so that you and I can be free. anything to bring our troops home from Iraq. putting their lives on the line, yet the President I sometimes feel that we Americans take My constituents have asked me when Con- decided to follow the advice of misguided our freedoms and our lives for granted. We gress will get serious and have an open dis- ideologues in overruling the plans developed forget the images of 9/11. Yet while on my trip cussion about our future plans and polices in

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:41 Nov 16, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00112 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H15JN6.REC H15JN6 CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 15, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H4123 Iraq. Today, we begin to answer their calls. Congress were willing to place our attention The Resolution before this House today en- But we cannot stop today. We should debate and resources in Iraq, at great cost to our abil- gages in a rhetorical fiction. The Republican the war in Iraq everyday on the House floor. ity to help our own citizens here at home. This Leadership has grafted into this Resolution Yet rather than seriously and substantially includes the short-changing of homeland secu- language which confuses the War in Iraq with debating the issues at hand, the Majority has rity measures for our ports, railroads, and the War Against Terror. Iraq did not have any- presented self-congratulatory resolutions that chemical plants. Repeatedly, Democrats have thing to do with the September 11th attacks. intentionally seek to divide the House. Today tried to get the Congress to invest in these We did not invade Iraq because of 9–11. We is no exception. areas, and repeatedly we’ve been told there is invaded Iraq because the Bush Administration Earlier today, I meet with a group of 7th and not enough money. And yet, we pay for the convinced Congress and the American people 8th graders from my Central New Jersey dis- war in Iraq—to the tune of $11 million per that Saddam Hussein had acquired nuclear trict. I asked them what I should say to put the hour. weapons and other weapons of mass destruc- Iraq War in perspective. The students offered History will remember this war in Iraq as a tion and might use them. a number of observations. One said that too colossal blunder. When we leave Iraq—as I The terrorism now taking place in Iraq is the many lives have been lost already. Another hope we will, starting immediately—no one will direct result of the war, not its cause. To sug- said that the reasons for going to war were wish that we’d stayed a little longer. No one gest otherwise is to ignore the facts. wrong, maybe even deceptive. A third said will look back and think the current course The fact is, this war was a very bad mis- that the Iraqi people are worse-off today. could have ever been successful. take. The Administration launched an invasion They are right. Ther longer U.S. troops re- To their credit, our troops have done every- into Iraq in March of 2003 even though the main in Iraq the worse the conditions on the thing we have asked them. They are heroes. Administration knew from the reports it was ground get for the Iraqi people. But we have placed them in the middle of a getting back from the IAEA and the UN in- I spoke with Senator BYRD (D–WV) the budding civil war. The President’s failed strat- spectors that there where no nuclear or other other day, who was here for the deceptive egy has made their jobs impossible, and his WMDs at the sites identified by the CIA, by Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. He says that is one refusal to change course has continued to British Intelligence, and by other sources. vote he would like to take back. I am not say- make them targets on the ground. Now we are bogged down in a quagmire ing that Iraq is another Vietnam, because the It is time for a more sensible course of ac- with no end in sight. two are different. But we should ask ourselves tion in Iraq. Only a negotiated settlement with In February of this year, the President was how will posterity regard Congress for giving broad international help will prevent civil war asked when we could expect all American President Bush everything he asked for with- between the Sunnis and Shiites. We need to troops to be out of Iraq, and he replied that out any oversight or accountability. ensure that we work together with the commu- this was a decision for a future President and The shifting rationales for the war in Iraq nity of nations and the United Nations to have a future Iraqi government to make. In other have led to the lack of a clear understanding any hope for peace, security, and prosperity in words, if we continue to pursue the Bush Ad- of why we are there, or how we achieve vic- Iraq. We have tried to do this almost single ministration’s policies, we will likely have tory. Our mission cannot be accomplished be- handedly for too long and it is time to work troops deployed in Iraq until at least January cause there is no clear mission. There have with the international community to reconstruct of 2009—that’s nearly three years from now! been a number of rotating rationales offered Iraq. What has been the cost of this war in terms for the war. One was Weapons of Mass De- I have said for almost a year now that the of blood? struction and the threat of a terrorist attack on United States must redeploy our troops from 2,500 U.S. troops killed. one of our cities. Then it was Saddam’s Iraq. I am a cosponsor of Congressman Mur- More than 18,400 American troops wound- human rights abuses. Another was the argu- tha’s legislation, H.J Res. 73, which would re- ed. ment that the United Nation’s disarmament deploy the current forces in Iraq at the earliest An estimated 38,000 Iraqi civilians killed. practicable date. That is because the pres- and containment efforts were not working and What has been the cost of this war in terms ence of our troops, who are serving valiantly that UN resolutions were being violated. Then of treasure? and ably, is improving neither our security nor it was to stand up a democracy to be emu- Nearly $320 billion so far . . . that of the Iraqis. In fact, our presence itself is Just think of all the good we could have lated across the Middle East. Another was to unifying Saddam Hussein loyalists, al Qaeda done in this world or in this country if we had protect America’s strategic oil interest in the sympathizers, and many civilians against us. devoted $320 billion for health care, for edu- region. And as we have heard over and over Our presence is fueling the insurgency. cation, for fighting poverty or creating jobs. today, it was to fight terrorism and a response Redeploying our forces does not mean What has been the cost in terms of Amer- to the terrible attacks on September 11th. walking away from Iraq. Iraq’s security forces ica’s influence around the world? No it is not about Khobar Towers, or the and government will need our continued It has been severely compromised. USS Cole or even the terrible attacks on the moral, political, intelligence and in some We ‘‘cried wolf’ over non-existent Iraqi World Trade Center. Today’s debate is about cases, financial support. But the hard work of WMDs, over alleged connections between Iraq, and this is a resolution that says ‘‘stay securing the country and building a new soci- Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda; the course.’’ ety is one that only the Iraqis can do. Reduc- We failed to deploy enough troops to sup- This is all classic misdirection. We need to ing and refining our military and political pres- press the insurgency; remember that there were no terrorists in Iraq ence in Iraq is the necessary first step in that We put inadequately trained troops in involved in the September 11th attacks. In process. charge of Abu Ghraib prison; fact, there were no terrorists threatening us If we are to defend America and our allies It’s time to pursue a new direction. from Iraq before we invaded. The War in Iraq from the global jihadist threat, our continued The Iraqis are standing up, but we are is not about terrorism, except to the extent presence in Iraq defeats that purpose. It has standing still, staying the course. It is time to that Iraq has become a haven and a training been and remains a deadly and unnecessary redeploy an increasing percentage of our ground for terrorists. misadventure that has compromised our ability forces to an over-the-horizon presence, as the We must also recognize that our country to advance our interests around the world and gentleman from Pennsylvania (MR. MURTHA) was propelled into the conflict under false pre- at home to defeat the larger threat we face. has suggested in the legislation he introduced tenses. That has implications not only for how To get back on course in the global war last year. we got into Iraq, but for why we need to get against al Qaeda, we must change course in We should not be planning on maintaining out, and how we should view future claims of Iraq, and now. any military bases in Iraq or any long-term threats to America based on questionable in- This war is simply not making us or the Iraqi troop presence in that country. telligence and even more questionable as- people safer. The generals understand that. A It is time for us to bring this war to an end, sumptions. majority of Iraqis understand that. The majority and to bring our troops home. The war in Iraq has warped American prior- of the American people understand that. Sev- Vote NO on this resolution because it is as ities, and cost us dearly in terms of lives, enth graders from New Jersey understand it, much a fraud as the reasons the Bush Admin- money, and lost opportunities for progress at as well. Let’s begin our redeployment imme- istration gave for invading Iraq in the first home and abroad. It has hurt our international diately so that we can refocus our efforts place. standing and our ability to counter terrorism where they belong: on rallying the world to the I urge defeat of the Resolution. abroad. Numerous powder kegs around the cause of defeating Osama bin Laden and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- world, have been ignored. Here at home, Hur- those who follow him. ant to House Resolution 868, further ricane Katrina crystallized for the American Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposi- proceedings on the resolution will be people the fact that the President and this tion to this Resolution. postponed.

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