[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6687-S6689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             VISIT TO IRAQ

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, 10 days ago I had the opportunity to travel 
to Iraq to visit our troops on the front line and the troups serving in 
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On that same trip to Baghdad, I had 
the opportunity to spend time with Ambassador Jerry Bremer as well as 
the new Prime Minister of the Iraqi interim government. He was 
appointed Prime Minister 3 or 4 days before our arrival. His name is 
Dr. Ayad Allawi. He happens to be a neurologist who spent part of his 
time and his training in England several years after I had the 
opportunity to do some of my training in England.
  Also during this trip, we had the opportunity to discuss with, listen 
to, and receive briefings from our Nation's senior military officers 
who are currently leading our efforts in Iraq. I was joined by my 
colleagues Senator Bob Bennett and Senator John Ensign. 
  I will take a few moments to share with my Senate colleagues some of 
what we saw and learned on this trip. We didn't say very much about it 
because of the tributes last week. But about 8 days ago we were in 
Baghdad in Iraq. Some of what I will say you have heard before, but a 
lot of it you have not heard in large part because the media--both the 
media in Iraq and here in the United States--tends to cover the 
terrorist events, and it is very appropriate, but tends not to see what 
is going on on the ground in terms of what our soldiers see and what 
the Iraqi people are seeing. Given what we read and what we see in the 
media every day, we had the same experience today of waking up and 
opening the newspaper with yet another terrorist act. We expected to 
see things getting worse and worse on a daily basis. We expected to 
find a mission that was struggling, demoralized troops, collapsed 
infrastructure, and distressed Iraqi people. However, we found the 
opposite. We found hope. We found optimism. We found progress. Yes, we 
were there when terrorist activities were occurring, but in balance to 
that, and juxtaposed, we saw tremendous success. We went, in part, to 
encourage others. We actually came back very encouraged and inspired.

  The transfer to sovereignty, I am absolutely convinced, having just 
been there, will be successful. The transfer of responsibility is well 
underway. Again, I did not realize fully until going over there 9 days 
ago that most of the responsibility has already been transferred to the 
interim Iraqi government. The 33 new ministers have all been appointed. 
Most, or a majority of them, are already running their cabinet position 
or their department. The new Iraqi government, the interim government, 
which will serve until the elections, appears to be very strong. People 
have tremendous respect for these leaders.
  We began our trip in Kuwait. On the outskirts of Kuwait City, we 
visited Camp Wolverine. We were briefed there by the Deputy Commander 
of U.S. Central Command, LTG Lance Smith. We learned how the command is 
fighting throughout the very large theater that begins in East Africa, 
the border being the Sudan area and extending across the globe to the 
``Stans.'' That entire theater is aggressively and with a great deal of 
success carrying out its responsibility, including fighting this war on 
terror. The 25 or 26 countries are all involved, both as a region and 
also as individual countries, in fighting this war on this global 
network of terror.
  In countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, we are actively engaged in 
combat operations. They were described in great detail to us. Alongside 
our coalition partners and others, we are fighting a preventive war 
with diplomacy and economic and other nonmilitary means. It is a global 
effort. It is a comprehensive war on terror that is being fought. Like 
weeds in a garden, our commanders realize if you do not take action 
promptly, aggressively, and broadly, terrorism will take root, it will 
grow deep, and it will spread uncontrollably.
  After our briefings, Senators Bennett and Ensign and I met with the 
service men and women, the soldiers who are out there literally on the 
front line day in and day out. In Kuwait City there is an entryway 
where everybody coming to that part of the world is channeled--our 
soldiers--as well as when they exit to go home on leave for a few 
weeks. It is remarkable how our soldiers are briefed and debriefed and 
that transition is made.
  Later that day we had the opportunity to dine with soldiers from our 
respective States. I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with many 
soldiers from Tennessee, including Tech SGT Kenneth Clark from 
Millington, MAJ Jon Hays from Chattanooga, MSG John Russell from Bluff 
City, and SGT Otis Fox from Memphis. I understate when I say that being 
able to have a meal with them, with the Tennessee flag up next to us, 
made me and Tennessee quite proud.
  The next day we spent in Iraq where, as I mentioned, we met with 
Ambassador Bremer and his staff. This is a view from the ground from 
where we were 8 to 9 days ago. He made very clear he is encouraged by 
the caliber of the new Iraqi interim government. It was in that meeting 
that I realized much of the responsibility for sovereignty has already 
taken place. The new ministers are actually up and running right now.

  We also had an update on the Iraqi economy and reconstruction 
efforts, which, again, are doing much better

[[Page S6688]]

than what our media or a sampling of our media in the United States 
would ever imply. The statistics speak for themselves: Unemployment is 
nearly half of what it was before the war; inflation has been cut in 
half; oil production is nearly nine times higher than it was a year ago 
at this time; bank deposits are up; microcredit loans are flowing.
  From a medical standpoint, 85 percent of the Iraqi children have been 
immunized, and 240 hospitals--all of the hospitals--have been opened. 
As we walked through hospitals, they are open and serving people. There 
is actually some very good equipment there that Saddam had purchased, 
but it was sitting in containers for years and years after he purchased 
it and left in the hallways. That equipment is now being brought 
online.
  Over 1,200 preventive medical clinics are operating. The CPA and the 
coalition forces have completed over 18,000 individual reconstruction 
projects. About $7 billion to $8 billion of the reconstruction money 
has been committed as of June 5.
  We also learned that the reconstruction money which is so important 
in terms of giving hope to the Iraqi people but also in rebuilding the 
infrastructure has begun to flow much more freely now that a lot of the 
contracting issues have been worked out on the ground. These projects 
are going a long way in terms of reinvigorating the Iraqi economy, 
getting the country back on its feet, and giving hope to that 
individual Iraqi person or that individual Iraqi family after decades 
of neglect of this infrastructure, with no hope for decades because of 
Saddam Hussein.
  Reducing unemployment is a critical need. That is why the 
reconstruction money, in part, is so important. Unemployment must be 
improved before we will have a truly secure situation on the ground. It 
is critical to move toward a full-blown democracy in Iraq.
  I mentioned I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Allawi, who I was 
very impressed with. He is a British trained neurologist, a 
longstanding opponent of Saddam Hussein's regime. He is the new Prime 
Minister. He will serve for the next 6 months. He is a man of great 
character. He shares our strategic goals and approach. He had talked to 
his country the day before and was covered extensively by the media in 
that part of the world. He talked about the sacrifice the United States 
has made, the fact that, yes, the security and elections are first and 
foremost, but it will be important to have the coalition forces and the 
United States present as we turn over to sovereignty but also help them 
rebuild their police forces and rebuild their military. We were the 
first delegation to have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Allawi, and, 
again, we were very impressed. I will say more about that meeting 
tomorrow.
  Regarding the cabinet itself and the 33 ministers, I asked the people 
on the ground about the 33 ministers who have been appointed. They are 
a broad, very educated group, very diverse group, geographically 
representative. There are six women. Two out of three have Ph.D.s. It 
seems to be both from a civilian--the Iraqi people--and a military 
viewpoint there is a tremendous amount of respect for the quality and 
the caliber of this cabinet.
  A highlight for me personally, which occurred later in the day, was 
to visit the U.S. military hospital in Baghdad. Again, as a physician, 
it was invigorating to be able to meet our doctors and our nurses, our 
thoracic surgeons, our vascular surgeons who are treating anywhere from 
70 to 100 patients in that facility every day.
  We were able to meet a number of our service members who were being 
treated in the hospital who had been injured in the last several days. 
Again, to see their real patriotism, their pride, their optimism, even 
though they had just been injured the day before, was really 
gratifying.
  I met with Greg Kidwell, a soldier from Clarksville, TN, who is 
serving in the military and serving his country by caring for patients 
in the hospital. It is a very impressive hospital facility. As a 
physician, as someone who spent 20 years in hospitals, this is top-
notch, high-quality care from some of the most competent and dedicated 
professionals our country can muster.
  Following the visit to the hospital, we visited with the 1st Armored 
Division near Baghdad. We had lunch with soldiers from the 1st Armored 
Division. Again, a number of Tennesseans who worked with the 1st 
Armored Division, such as SP Tim Griswold of Fayetteville, MSG Ron 
Miller of Clarksville, CAPT Mike Loveall of Gallatin, and SP Michael 
Johnson of Chattanooga were there. We were joined by several other 
soldiers from the 168th Military Police Battalion from Tennessee as 
well.
  Afterwards, we were briefed by senior officers from the division. 
They gave us an overview of the situation, which was interesting 
because it was their responsibility to address the soldier militias. We 
had the opportunity to talk to them. This was several days after they 
had a huge amount of success in terms of addressing and defeating many 
of Muqtada al Sadr's militias in a number of cities throughout the 
south, having been moved from Baghdad down south. It is clear to them, 
and everybody we talked to, that Sadr is not supported by most Iraqis, 
but only by the disenfranchised and a fringe element.
  Quite clearly, we owe the success of the 1st Armored Division to the 
competency, training, and motivation of our soldiers, and the overall 
success in all these activities to the success of our soldiers and our 
marines who risk their lives on a daily basis to bring freedom and 
democracy to Iraq.
  Later that afternoon, we journeyed to the headquarters of the 
Multinational Forces Iraq, which was formerly the CJTF-7. Again, we had 
a comprehensive overview of the situation in Iraq. We left there 
impressed with our troops, with their character, with their courage, 
and with their determination to so selflessly accomplish their assigned 
mission. They are answering the call to duty to bring freedom and 
security so others may live free of tyranny.
  I say all this saddened and well aware of the news that was presented 
last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; and that is, this increased level of 
terrorism and violence in Iraq, including the murder of the Deputy 
Foreign Minister, Bassam Salih Kubba, which is a terrible loss. But we 
must be aware of and I think it is important for the American people to 
understand both what we were told and what we saw. We were told by our 
military commanders, we were told by the Prime Minister, and we were 
told by the President of Iraq, who was here this past week, that there 
is going to be an increased level of terrorist activity. The terrorists 
want to defeat--they say the United States and they say the coalition, 
but they want to defeat any government, any governing authority. So 
that level of terrorism is likely. We should not be surprised if it 
increases between now and June 30, and indeed after sovereignty is 
passed off to the Iraqis in the weeks after the new government takes 
hold.

  After June 30, the relationship between the United States and Iraq is 
going to be one of a strategic partnership, as we move from an 
occupying force to that of a mission and a very large embassy there. 
Our focus is going to be twofold. No. 1 is going to be security and No. 
2 is to make sure, in terms of a strategic partnership, that these 
elections occur and that they occur in a free and fair way. So it is 
security and elections. That is what the focus will be over the next 6 
months.
  We, of course, will continue with the reconstruction progress that 
has been made, improving the Iraqi economy. At the same time, we will 
continue to fight terrorism now in partnership with the interim Iraqi 
government. The terrorists want, and the terrorists have as their 
objective, to derail the sovereignty to the Iraqi people. They are 
targeting the growing middle class in Iraq. They want to keep Iraqis 
out of voting booths. They want to keep them out of hospitals. They 
want to keep them out of schools. They want to keep them out of 
markets. And they want to accomplish that through fear.
  But it is clear, in talking to the Iraqi people and the civilians and 
our military, that they simply are not going to succeed. That is what 
we left with: They simply are not going to succeed. Most Iraqis do not 
support these groups. They understand the terrorists are attacking the 
people of Iraq. It is going to be very helpful that when the Prime 
Minister, who had not met anybody from our legislative branch--the 
first words he said to me and to the Iraqi people were, using the Iraqi 
voice:

[[Page S6689]]

The terrorists are not after you, the United States, and not even after 
the coalition. The terrorists are after the Iraqi people. Every 
action--blowing up an oil line, blowing up a water line--hurts the 
Iraqi people, not the United States and not the coalition itself. That 
voice coming from the Iraqi leadership I think will be hugely helpful.
  Iraqis do not like the U.S. occupation in and of itself. They are a 
proud people and they want that sovereignty. Yes, we are going from 
occupation to mission. Iraqis do want freedom. They do want democracy. 
But the President this week, with whom many of us had the opportunity 
to meet, and the Prime Minister said the goal is democracy.
  Last week--and I will close shortly--the U.N. Security Council 
unanimously approved a new U.S. resolution. The resolution outlines 
that transfer of sovereignty to the new interim Iraqi government and 
the role of the coalition forces after June 30. The world community is 
now united behind the Iraqi people, and with every passing day the 
Iraqi people, with the coalition's help, are building the capacity to 
govern themselves.
  As in the past, we must stay the course. We will stay the course. We 
will keep true to the principles. We will have continued faith in our 
superb Armed Forces. We know that history in the end will be on our 
side.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

                          ____________________