[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H9286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  PROTECT AMERICANS IN UNIFORM ABROAD

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, the top priority of our foreign policy must be 
to protect Americans in uniform abroad. Our troops need allies to help 
shoulder the burden in Iraq. More allies will show the Iraqi people 
that the world community is strengthening its support for a new Iraqi 
democracy.
  Yesterday, the National Assembly of Turkey voted to authorize the 
deployment of at least 6,000 peacekeepers to Iraq. Turkey has long been 
a NATO ally, even as she borders Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Her soldiers 
fought next to ours in far-off Korea in support of the United Nations.
  Despite temporary problems, I thank Prime Minister Erdogan and 
Foreign Minister Gul for adding Turkey's peacekeeping troops to our 
mission of building a free and democratic Iraq.

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