[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 89 (Thursday, June 24, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H4953-H4961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ ON ITS FORTHCOMING
ASSUMPTION OF SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY IN IRAQ
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of the House,
and as the designee of the majority leader, I call up the resolution
(H. Res. 691) congratulating the Interim Government of Iraq on its
forthcoming assumption of sovereign authority in Iraq, and ask for its
immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of H. Res. 691 is as follows:
H. Res. 691
Whereas in April 2003, the United States Armed Forces and
other Coalition forces liberated the people of Iraq from the
dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483
(May 22, 2003) and the laws and usages of war authorized the
Coalition Provisional Authority to govern Iraq on a temporary
basis;
Whereas the Coalition Provisional Authority established an
Iraqi Governing Council, broadly representative of the major
geographic, ethnic, and religious groupings of Iraq, as well
as a Cabinet, to assist in the governing of Iraq, and the
Council was recognized by many members of the international
community as a legitimate voice of the Iraqi people;
Whereas the United States and other Coalition members, in
response to the desire of the Iraqi people for early self-
government, worked with the Iraqi Governing Council to
accelerate the transfer of power to the Iraqi people, with
sovereignty to be transferred no later than the end of June
2004;
Whereas the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi
Governing Council on March 8, 2004, agreed upon a Law of
Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional
Period that strongly protects the civil and political rights
of Iraqis;
Whereas that Law and its Annex provide for a transition of
power to an Iraqi Interim Government, for elections by the
end of January 2005, for a Transitional National Assembly,
which shall form an Iraqi Transitional Government and provide
for the drafting and adoption of a permanent constitution,
and, by the end of 2005, for a government chosen under the
new constitution;
Whereas the Iraqi people have begun electing local
officials in parts of Iraq under Coalition auspices and will
have the opportunity to express their will in free and
meaningful national elections for the first time in Iraq's
history;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary General appointed a
Special Adviser to conduct political consultations aimed at
putting in place an Interim Government to assume sovereignty
over Iraq;
Whereas the Iraqi Governing Council made recommendations
about the composition of the Interim Government, after which,
when the recommendations were accepted by the Coalition
Provisional Authority, the Council dissolved itself;
Whereas on June 8, 2004, the United Nations Security
Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1546, welcoming the
formation and forthcoming ``assumption of full responsibility
and authority by a fully sovereign and independent Interim
Government of Iraq'' and authorizing the multinational force
under unified command to continue its activities;
Whereas the Coalition Provisional Authority will dissolve
at the end of June 2004 and will not be replaced;
Whereas members of the United States Armed Forces, a total
force consisting of active, reserve, and National Guard
personnel, have performed their mission with great skill and
courage, in the process being awarded at least 18
Distinguished Service Crosses, 6 Distinguished Flying
Crosses, 133 Silver Stars, 16,551 Bronze Stars, and 4,161
Purple Hearts;
Whereas, as of June 23, 2004, 833 members of the United
States Armed Forces, approximately 100 members of the
Coalition forces, and many members of the Iraqi security
services, have given their lives to advance the cause of
liberty in Iraq, and thousands of members of the United
States Armed Forces and Coalition forces, and many members of
the Iraqi security services, have suffered wounds for that
cause;
Whereas the families of American soldiers, sailors, airmen,
Marines, and Coast Guardsmen have made and continue to make
enormous sacrifices for their country;
Whereas in addition, Coalition forces, civilians employed
by or assisting the Coalition Provisional Authority, the
Iraqi government and its employees, international
organizations, and American and other international
volunteers, as well as large numbers of Iraqis, have made and
continue to make enormous efforts to reconstruct the country
and improve the lives of the Iraqi people;
Whereas Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, III, Presidential Envoy
to Iraq and Administrator of the Coalition Provisional
Authority, has ably advanced the international coalition's
goals in Iraq of transforming Iraq into a safe, secure,
stable, sovereign, democratic state that serves the interests
of the Iraqi people;
Whereas the United States will be represented in Iraq by an
Embassy led by Ambassador John D. Negroponte, and the United
States will deal with the Government of Iraq on the basis of
the sovereign equality of states under international law,
including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to
which both the United States and Iraq are parties;
Whereas after June 30, 2004, the Interim Government of Iraq
and its successors, and United States Armed Forces and
Coalition forces, will cooperate to meet ongoing security
challenges and to extend security and stability to all
regions of Iraq; and
Whereas the United States has never desired to exercise
permanent sovereignty over Iraq and welcomes the formation of
the Iraqi Interim Government and its imminent assumption of
authority: Now, therefore, be it--
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the Interim Government of Iraq on its
forthcoming assumption of sovereign authority in Iraq;
(2) offers its continued support to the people and
government of Iraq as they deal with the consequences of
decades of misrule by the former regime of Saddam Hussein;
(3) expresses its gratitude to the United States Armed
Forces for their ongoing valiant service to their country and
commitment to the highest ideals and traditions of the
American people;
(4) expresses its gratitude to the families of United
States Armed Forces personnel, especially the families of
those who have lost loved ones in Operation Iraqi Freedom and
of those wounded in the service of their country, for their
sacrifices;
(5) expresses its condolences to the families of the
innocent Iraqis who have been killed or wounded during the
conflict, including those who were victimized by the illegal
and terrorist tactics of the enemy, and despite the concerted
efforts by the Coalition forces to minimize civilian
casualties;
(6) expresses its gratitude to the Coalition forces, the
Coalition Provisional Authority, the Iraqi Governing Council,
the current Iraqi cabinet and government officials, and the
many international bodies and voluntary organizations which
have come to the aid of the people of Iraq in an effort to
help them address the consequences of decades of misrule by
the former regime of Saddam Hussein, as well as to the
families of those mentioned in this paragraph, who have been
lost in Iraq;
(7) offers its continued support to the United States Armed
Forces, civilians associated with the United States
Government, Coalition forces, and Iraqi security forces who
continue to bear the burden of attacks from former regime
elements, foreign and Iraqi terrorists, and other criminals
who are attempting to undermine the interests of the Iraqi
people and thwart their evident desire to live in peace;
(8) calls on the entire international community to promote
the welfare of the Iraqi people by rendering, in addition to
the generous assistance provided by the American people and,
in varying degrees, by some nations, immediate, tangible, and
generous assistance to the Iraqi people in the reconstruction
of their nation, including, in response to requests from the
Iraqi government coordinated with the command of the
multinational forces, forces capable of assisting in the
provision of security to the Iraqi people;
(9) reaffirms--
(A) that the United States Armed Forces operating in Iraq
after June 30, 2004, will remain under the full authority,
direction, and control of their American commanders; and
(B) the need to ensure that such Armed Forces will possess
all necessary authority to fulfill their mission effectively
and to provide for their operational safety; and
(10) urges the people of the United States and of other
countries to celebrate the restoration of freedom to the
people of Iraq through the efforts of the peoples of the
United States, the Coalition, and Iraq.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of
Wednesday, June 24, 2004, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 30
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde).
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed chairman for
yielding me time.
{time} 1445
I rise in strong support of this resolution.
On June 30, as all of us know, Iraq will assume control of its own
destiny. Iraq will enter the post-Saddam era with the hope of the world
resting upon them. No longer will the Iraqi people be subjected to a
climate of fear and desperation. Saddam's murderous,
[[Page H4954]]
thieving cronies have been removed. Uday and Qusay's henchmen likewise
will no longer be free to roam the streets, terrorizing people.
The challenge now for the Iraqi people and their new government is to
set their future on a course of open thought, popular choice for their
leaders, and freedom of action in which to conduct their lives.
The Iraqi people understand that with this new-found freedom comes
responsibility, a responsibility to remember the interests of all
Iraqis. Each and every Iraqi has a stake in that Nation's future, and
now, with our transfer of sovereignty to them, that stake can be fully
realized.
We are honored to have played a role in empowering the Iraqi people
and supporting them in their efforts to rebuild their country after
decades of corruption and oppression. They have the opportunity to make
their Nation a shining light for all to see, not only in the Middle
East, but around the world. A nation filled with talent beyond
imagination, Iraq can create a climate of freedom and opportunities for
others to emulate.
Yes, problems have arisen. Yet, we must acknowledge the positive
developments that could not have happened without the brave men and
women of the United States military and our allies. Through their
courage, commitment, and sacrifice, we have managed to free an enslaved
people. We have brought down a tyrant who has killed as many as 1
million of his own people. Thus, history will record that the United
States brought a beacon of light and hope to a people that had only
known misery, suffering, and brutality under Saddam Hussein.
The future will judge us to have done right by the Iraqi people, and
for our own Nation as well.
We are, however, not naive about the challenges that lie ahead.
Freedom and democracy take time and hard work. They take vigilance and
dedication, dedication to truth and commitment to justice. These are
things that come with patience.
The terrorists want to deprive the Iraqi people of their future, but
Iraq can and will prevail. Iraq's chance is now. Let us stand by the
Iraqi people as they struggle to enjoy these rights and liberties that
they were denied for so very long. Let us be motivated by the knowledge
that we have helped make the world a better place for the Iraqi people
and for all.
As our beloved former President Ronald Wilson Reagan would say, ``You
and I have a rendezvous with destiny. If we fail, at least let our
children and our children's children say of us, we justified our brief
moment here. We did all that could be done,'' and that we have done for
the Iraqi people.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 691.
On June 30, a momentous date in the history of Iraq, after 45 years
of dictatorship and one year of occupation, a sovereign government
representative of the Iraqi people is about to assume power in Baghdad.
We take justifiable pride in the U.S. role in achieving that milestone,
and we pay tribute to our soldiers who have achieved this incredible
feat.
But there is no fooling ourselves, Mr. Speaker. The Iraq that Prime
Minister Iyad al-Alawi and his colleagues will inherit is far from
stable and it is far from prosperous, nor is it ready to assume full
responsibility for its Nation's security. For the United States, the
challenges of ensuring security, promoting reconstruction, and
fostering liberal and decent governance will continue essentially
unchanged for now. Whether we and the Iraqis look back at June 30, 2004
as an historic turning point for the good will be determined by our
joint ability to meet those ongoing and gigantic challenges.
Mr. Speaker, developments on our home front encourage the hope that
we can meet those challenges, as the positions on Iraq taken by leaders
of both of our parties are fundamentally congruent. The administration
has shown signs that it is willing to alter the course when necessary
in order to get the job done. I am pleased that the President embraced
the wisdom of acknowledging a major role for the United Nations. As a
result of the United Nations unanimously-adopted resolution, the soon-
to-be sovereign Iraqi government will have far greater domestic and
international legitimacy than otherwise it would have.
I think it is important to underscore that the likely nominee of the
Democratic Party for president, Senator Kerry, shares the basic vision,
and I quote: ``While we may have differed on how we went to war,
Americans of all political persuasions are united in our determination
to succeed. The extremists attacking our forces should know that they
will not succeed in dividing America, or in sapping American resolve,
or in forcing the premature withdrawal of U.S. troops. Our country is
committed to help the Iraqis build a stable, peaceful, and pluralistic
society.''
The most important line in my quotation from Senator Kerry is as
follows: ``No matter who is elected President in November, we will
persevere in that mission.''
Mr. Speaker, success in Iraq is a bipartisan, national interest. Not
only is the credibility of the United States at stake in the region and
around the globe, but an Iraq collapsing into chaos would be a heart of
darkness in the Middle East.
Mr. Speaker, Senator Kerry and President Bush are also on the same
page in calling on our NATO allies to show solidarity by reinforcing
our efforts in Iraq. Even though NATO nations may not have many
deployable troops to spare, there is nevertheless much that they can do
to. And the opportunity for NATO to make these important decisions in
the highest-profile manner possible will present itself next week at
the NATO summit in Istanbul.
As the NATO Secretary General said, we have a Security Council
resolution, a fully legitimate interim government in Iraq; NATO has no
excuse to slam the door in Iraq's face.
NATO States can and must provide training for the new Iraqi Army, and
they should do so in Iraq itself without requiring Iraqi troops to go
to a third country as some are suggesting.
One of the most brilliant of our military leaders, General David
Petraeus, is leading the U.S. effort to train Iraqi forces, and his
presence in that role should give all of us confidence in our ultimate
success. But building a fighting force capable of defeating Iraq's
fundamentalists and Saddamist thugs is a mammoth undertaking. NATO
nations are ideally positioned to support the efforts of General
Petraeus.
NATO troops can provide election security to support the all-
important Iraqi elections in January. If Iraq is to hold its first free
and democratic elections in its history, security is paramount.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The European members of NATO, all of
them, should not contribute to Iraq's security as a favor to us, even
though the peace and prosperity that reigns in Europe today was won
with American blood and American treasure. They should do it as a favor
to themselves but, most importantly, to the Iraqi people. Europe's
stake in the stability of Iraq and the Middle East is greater than our
own. Europe borders the Middle East and is far more dependent on its
energy resources than are we here in the United States.
Europe's moral credibility is also at stake in Iraq. For years, the
States of the European Union, most of whom belong to NATO, have
trumpeted their commitment to democracy. Now it is time for them to
prove that this is more than rhetoric. When Iraqi President al-Yawar
was in town recently, he told a group of us that the presence of
European troops is crucial to Iraq. He emphasized that Iraq needs
security forces from law-abiding societies where human rights are
valuable to the people.
Mr. Speaker, Iraq is undertaking history's boldest experiment in
trying to build a more free and open society. If Europe is not with us,
its message to the Iraqi people and to the world is that it just does
not care about democratic developments outside its borders.
I call on President Chirac and Chancellor Schroeder and other
reluctant NATO leaders to stand up at the Istanbul summit and be
counted on behalf of the Iraqi people and democratic values.
Mr. Speaker, we already have many fine allies, NATO and nonNATO
alike, in our coalition in Iraq. Tony Blair's United Kingdom has shown
extraordinary courage and leadership. South
[[Page H4955]]
Korea's determination was tested by tragedy just this week, and it
proved itself a model of resolve. These nations are doing work from
which all of Europe will benefit, and they too deserve Europe's, and
that means NATO's, backing and help.
As the loyal opposition, we Democrats will continue to call this
administration to account for its errors in Iraq. We will continue to
offer constructive advice, as our duty demands, particularly from our
position of oversight authority in the legislative branch. But all of
us, Democrats and Republicans alike, are united in our commitment to
achieving success in giving rise to a durable, pluralistic, more open
and free society in Iraq.
It is not merely a simple matter of restoring sovereignty. George
Bernard Shaw observed, ``Liberty means responsibility. That is why most
men dread it.'' The new stewards of the sovereign Iraq will prove that
they are up to the task. As they do, we want them to know that we will
stand by them.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all of my
colleagues to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we live indeed in a very historic moment in history, and
our world is engulfed in conflict of a very new and terrible kind. But
it is remarkably consoling to come together today in unity, and we are
certainly in bipartisan unity, on a resolution taking note of some very
important accomplishments in the quest for freedom in the near east.
This resolution is cosponsored by the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) as the ranking Democrat on the Committee on International
Relations; the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the chairman of
the Committee on Armed Services; the gentleman from Missouri (Mr.
Skelton), the ranking Democrat on that committee, as well as myself.
{time} 1500
And that sponsorship should indicate the fact that there is agreement
on the very important points made in this resolution. There is a new
sovereign interim Iraqi government that is assuming power. Provincial
governments are governing, courts are dispensing justice, political
parties are forming, civil society is emerging, and independent media
is operating, and preparations are being made for nationwide elections.
The interim Constitution states that Iraq's system of government will
be republican, federal, democratic, and pluralistic and that federalism
will be based on geography, history, and the separation of powers, not
on ethnicity or sect.
On July 1, a new day will dawn on Iraq's future. Iraq will no longer
be about the United States and its occupying role. Rather, it will be
about the new self-governing Iraq and the decisions Iraq's leaders will
be making in order to further the democratic ideals and principles.
This resolution, as I say, is bipartisan. It congratulates the
interim government of Iraq on its forthcoming assumption of sovereign
authority. It expresses its gratitude to the United States Armed Forces
on their valiant service to their country, expresses its gratitude to
the families of United States Armed Forces personnel, especially
families of those who have lost loved ones. It expresses its
condolences to the families of the innocent Iraqis who have been killed
or wounded. It expresses gratitude to the coalition forces, the
Coalition Provisional Authority, the Iraqi Governing Council, the
current Iraqi cabinet government officials, and the many international
bodies and voluntary organizations which have come to the aid of the
people of Iraq.
It offers continued support to the U.S. Armed Forces, civilians
associated with the U.S. Government, coalition forces, Iraqi security
forces, and all of the people who are collaborating and making Iraq a
new and democratic state.
So this is something that I cannot imagine anybody not being proud to
vote for. And I look forward to an affirmative vote.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, before recognizing our next speaker, I want
to pay tribute to the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for his
leadership on this resolution and on this entire issue.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank our chairman, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and our ranking member, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos), for their leadership on the Committee on
International Relations, a committee on which I am proud to serve, and
for their consistent efforts to ensure that there is bipartisanship in
this body and our committee.
Let me just say to them today that I respectfully rise to disagree
with them on this issue. This resolution does, however, express
condolences to the families of the dead soldiers and innocent Iraqis
who have been killed in Iraq. Today, unfortunately, many more lives
were lost. My thoughts and my prayers go out to these families and the
families of all of those who have been wounded in this unnecessary war.
As a daughter of a career military officer, I know what it means to
support our troops, and I do. However, this resolution paints a totally
false picture of the situation in Iraq, the fact that it ignores the
blamelessness of the President's claims that led us into this unjust
war, and that it endorses a failed Bush policy in Iraq.
As an example of what I mean, let me just draw my colleagues'
attention to page 4, the third paragraph down which says, ``Paul
Bremer, the administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, has
ably advanced the international coalition's goals in Iraq of
transforming Iraq into a safe, secure, stable, sovereign, democratic
state that serves the interests of the Iraqi people.''
This resolution also commits our troops to an indefinite period of
time in Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, this undue praise flies in the face of reality on the
ground. Again, as I said earlier, just today it is reported that 92
people have lost their lives including three United States soldiers and
more than 320 people wounded.
Moreover, this resolution completely ignores the false basis for the
war and its cost. It also leaves out the fact that we were misled
regarding the weapons of mass destruction and the alleged cooperation
between al Qaeda and Iraq as it relates to 9/11. It makes it sound as
if the occupation and the aftermath of this unjust war is a success.
Again, that ignores reality. We had choices; we had options. I
offered an amendment that would authorize the United Nations to
continue with this inspection process. Unfortunately, that failed. Now
we have a resolution that celebrates the war. I respectfully disagree,
and I must vote against it.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Hunter), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on
Armed Services, the cosponsor of the bill.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for
their wonderful bipartisan effort in putting this together and also my
great colleague from the Committee on Armed Services, my partner, the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), for his work and contribution.
I will be very brief, but there are two messages in this resolution.
I think it is appropriate that this resolution follows the funding of
our Defense bills and our Intelligence bills because those are the
bills that give our forces the tools to get the job done.
I think we have done an excellent job in putting together bills that
give the force protection, the surveillance capability, the extra
troops that are going to be needed over the next several years, and the
funding for those troops, and particularly that $25 billion bolt-on
that we did on the Defense authorization bill and the Defense
appropriations bill.
So it is appropriate that this resolution, this message to the people
of Iraq and the people of the United States, follow those funding bills
because this is a very important message that the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and many others are sending.
[[Page H4956]]
The message to the American people can be found in this resolution
that the command of American forces will remain with American
commanders. That is very important to moms and dads and people who care
about our uniformed people, that that chain of command will remain
firmly in place, that we will continue to pursue our mission against
terrorists, and that operation will be overseen and supervised by U.S.
leaders. That is a very important message.
But to the Iraqi people there is also a message, and the message is
that we are giving them a running start. We are handing over a country
divested now of the leadership of Saddam Hussein. We are handing over
to them a chance to maintain freedom in a very, very difficult part of
the world. We are going to provide for them this military shield just
as we have in other countries around the world as they stand up this
free government.
But I think it is important for the Iraqi people to understand that
too, and I think they do understand it, that this enduring, the
endurance of this government in a very difficult neighborhood is going
to require some real grit on the part of the Iraqi people and that no
country, not our country, not any country, is guaranteed perpetual
freedom.
We are giving them a running start. We have given them the sacrifice
of many brave Americans and the continued sacrifice right through this
day in terms of Americans KIA, killed in action, and wounded in action,
as well as coalition partners, as well as many Iraqis. But they are
going to have to take hold, and they are going to have to be able to
lift that weight.
I hope that under the good leadership that is now forming, that is
taking over on the 30th of this month, they are going to be able to
make that transition. This is only when the Americans were in Iraq, one
thing that can be said from the dawn of time until the end of time,
only when the American came to Iraq did they have a chance to have a
free and fair government. We are giving them this chance.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the distinguished ranking member
of the Committee on Armed Services.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to follow my
friend from California (Mr. Hunter) in supporting this resolution. And
I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman
from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for cosponsoring this, and I am a
cosponsor along with you.
June 30 should be a proud day for the Iraqi people, but one for which
they are continuing to pay a heavy price. Today's coordinated bloody
attacks demonstrate how much of a challenge they still face.
We congratulate the interim Iraqi government on the upcoming
assumption of sovereignty. This is a great step, a real step toward a
permanent government elected by the Iraqi people. I sincerely hope it
works. Lasting peace and political progress will only come when Iraq is
secure. This will remain an ongoing partnership between American forces
and Iraqis for a long time.
I commend our troops; I commend their families. They have given so
much and are feeling the real meaning of sacrifice every day. Deputy
Secretary Paul Wolfowitz confirmed to our Committee on Armed Services
this week that our troops could be in Iraq for years.
We need a plan for our partnership with the Iraqis, to move the
security of their country to them as soon as they are ready. Until
then, I commend this resolution for its reiteration of the full
authority of the U.S. commanders in Iraq over American forces. That is
so important. I feel strongly that we should have a status of forces
agreement. Without it, we need at least a clear statement that our
commanders can do what they must do to protect our troops and
accomplish their mission.
I join my colleagues in congratulating the Iraqi people. I urge
strong support for this resolution.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our distinguished
colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), my good
friend.
Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I know that this is being
carried on C-SPAN, but I think we should broaden our broadcast efforts.
When we did the tax bill last week, I thought eBay should have been
transmitting it. Today I think it really belongs on the Cartoon
Network.
There is much in this resolution I agree with, but what is most
important is what is left out. The gentleman from California, a very
distinguished and thoughtful legislator, although, unfortunately, in
the minority and not in a position to write resolutions, said that it
is our democratic responsibility to express legitimate criticisms of
the administration. I agree. Sadly, because the majority is in control,
there are none of them in this resolution.
This resolution is a cartoon. It describes an Iraq that resembles
nothing as much as Brigadoon. I expect maybe it will appear once every
hundred years. I agree with many of the aspirations of this resolution.
I agree that our troops deserve credit for the terrible situation in
which they have been put. But if one read this resolution and had not
read the newspapers or watched television about Iraq, one would not
know what country was being discussed.
The gentlewoman from California alluded to our congratulating Mr.
Bremer for ably advancing the goals of making Iraq safe, secure,
stable, sovereign, and democratic. The Iraq that is safe, secure,
stable, sovereign, and democratic, are there two countries named Iraq?
Is this Iraq anywhere near the Iraq that we have been worried about? I
wish Iraq could become that. But to congratulate ourselves as if it
already had is simply not accurate.
I am troubled by the procedures we are seeing. The majority obviously
feels concerned that the public no longer shares its view so they have
decided to legislate opinion. They have a pattern now of coming forward
with resolutions which include some things Members agree with, like
support for our troops and aspirations, and then they wrap into that a
lot of misrepresentative, inaccurate descriptions of reality and then
demand that people vote it. We are told if we do not vote for a
resolution that talks about Iraq as a safe, secure, stable, sovereign,
democratic state, that somehow we are not in favor of the troops. It is
a misrepresentation of the situation of Iraq, and a grievous misuse of
the legislative process.
{time} 1515
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. McCotter).
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, we are daily inundated with the rhetoric
of terrorists selling their singular savagery to the world as
revolution. Yet, when did we cease to be a revolutionary country?
Never.
One look about this weary, wanting world sufficiently reminds us it
is we, the Americans, who were, are and continued throughout our
democracy always must be the embodiment of the revolutionary ideals,
powering the emancipation of populations throughout the globe.
Thus, today is this resolution offered and its adoption urged in
order that we might hearten our Iraqi allies in this dark hour before
the dawn of their democracy, in order that we might unmask the archaic
barbarians of evil and find, not revolutionaries, but lying
reactionaries; and, finally, hopefully, in order that we might recall
our own indispensable, indisputable revolutionary role in the
advancement of man.
Let us, then, pass this resolution and duly honor our revolutionary
brethren, the Iraqi people, upon the occasion of the assumption of
their sovereignty and the advancement toward their democracy, which
like ourselves since our inception, they must win and keep.
I urge support of the resolution.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Kucinich), my friend and a distinguished colleague.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Frank) has pointed out that this resolution is being covered by C-SPAN.
I would suggest it ought to be covered by the Science Fiction Network.
Let us not be fooled by this bill, which endorses an illegal war which
this Nation entered into based on lies and misrepresentation. Lest we
forget, Iraq
[[Page H4957]]
had nothing to do with 9/11, with al Qaeda's role in 9/11. Iraq had no
weapons of mass destruction. It was wrong to go in, and it is wrong to
stay in. The June 30 sovereignty this resolution discusses is a hoax.
What kind of sovereignty will Iraq have with 130,000 U.S. troops
present? What kind of sovereignty does Iraq have when the U.S. is now
selling Iraqi oil and spending the money as it sees fit?
This bill states that we are handing Iraq a safe, secure and stable
state. In effect, it declares a desert an oasis, a swamp a garden, a
lie the truth.
The continued U.S. occupation of Iraq will not end on June 30, and it
is counterproductive. Make no mistake about it, when July 1 comes, the
violence will continue, the attacks will not stop, and our troops will
still be in harm's way. It is time for us to recognize the Nation went
down the wrong path in Iraq. The policy is unsustainable and it is a
failure. We cannot continue with it. It is time for a peace plan with
an exit strategy. It is time for us to get the U.N. community involved
and to bring our troops home. U.N. in, U.S. out.
We should not be fooled. We should vote against this resolution, and
we should be looking towards bringing this Congress together with a new
direction to truly have a peace plan with an exit strategy. This
resolution does not do this. This resolution is a farce and should be
defeated.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res.
691, and I would like to congratulate the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Hyde) for the leadership that he has provided and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) for the leadership that he has provided in not
only this piece of legislation but in guiding our country through a
very delicate moment of history.
Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen, and my colleagues, we are
Americans. We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. We are
Americans today. Our country is at war with a force, a hostile force
that hates everything that we stand for. That the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) of
both parties are united in supporting this historic effort to defeat an
enemy which would slaughter our people before our eyes and cut the
heads off of American citizens and try to intimidate our entire Nation
in order to make us cowards, the fact that we stand together is the one
thing that gives us strength.
H. Res. 691 reaffirms that we Americans are standing together behind
the central purpose of the operation in Iraq, which is nothing more or
nothing less than providing the Iraqi people the means to determine
their own destiny through the ballot box; and by taking this stand, we
take a stand for democracy that will be available to those in the
Islamic world. It is a strategic move on our part but, yet, something
totally consistent with our values as a people, as the American people.
Thus, it is fitting today that we stand, as I say, not as Republicans
and Democrats, but we stand behind our President and this noble effort
in Iraq to get rid of a tyrant who slaughtered hundreds of thousands of
his people and help those people in Iraq establish a democratic
government so that all our children will live at peace and this evil
force of radical Islam that threatens us will be defeated.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Nadler), our distinguished colleague.
Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, these feel-good resolutions that we passed
last night and are considering today do not change the facts. The facts
are that this country is not united. It is very divided over this war.
The facts are we did not invade Iraq for the purpose of instituting a
democracy. We invaded Iraq because we were told that Iraq threatened us
with weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq was responsible, to some
extent, for collaborating with al Qaeda and producing the catastrophe
of 9/11.
We were misled into Iraq by the administration that either lied to
the American people or led us into war by use of falsehoods stated out
of ignorance. We are told by this resolution that we are creating a
sovereign Iraq now; and, yet, on page 7 of the resolution the American
troops there remain under American command. That is a slight
contradiction. How can Iraq be sovereign when we control the military
over there?
We are told that we are creating a democratic Iraq. Anybody who knows
anything knows we are not going to have a democratic Iraq for many
years, maybe decades. We will be happy to figure out a way to get out
of this quagmire without leaving behind mass chaos, civil war, communal
slaughter and betraying the Kurds a third time. We also know that this
war in Iraq is a diversion from the real war against the Islamic
terrorists who thrust war upon us, a war we must fight but that we are
being diverted from. We know that it is harder to take the necessary
action, if it may be necessary, if a real nuclear threat of nuclear
proliferation arises perhaps in Iran because we cried wolf in Iraq.
How will we persuade Congress or the American people that we have to
do something real if a real threat arises, not a phantom threat that we
reacted to?
Our actions in Abu Ghraib and perhaps elsewhere still to be properly
investigated have shamed this Nation and engendered further hatred of
the United States across the world. So let us not celebrate this
catastrophe. Let us not pass resolutions that do not bear any relation
to the world. Let us figure out how to get out of this catastrophe as
best we can.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to our
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey).
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, let me first say that I have a great deal
of respect for both the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and for the work that they do
here, and there is much in this resolution with which I agree. However,
there is a lot in here that is misleading. In fact, I think that much
of this resolution is an exercise in self-deception as well as an
attempt to deceive others.
Let me just give my colleagues an example. We have here on page 4,
the House of Representatives offers its continued support to the people
and government of Iraq as they deal with the consequences of decades of
misrule by the former regime of Saddam Hussein.
Well, that is interesting and right, but it does not say that we
supported that regime of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein took office in
1980. It was not more than 3 years later that the government of
President Reagan sent Donald Rumsfeld to Iraq to begin a relationship
with that country, and the relationship resulted in the transfer of
billions of dollars of American material and money to the government of
Saddam Hussein right on up to the advent of the first Gulf War.
Why are we not talking about that in this resolution, how we supplied
the government of Saddam Hussein with money, how we supplied the
government of Saddam Hussein with both conventional, biological and
chemical weapons from the United States, from France, from Germany and
from Chile, all orchestrated by the government under the administration
of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush? Why are we not talking about
that in this resolution?
We are giving our sympathy and our condolences to the innocent people
who were killed in Iraq. What about the innocent people who were killed
unnecessarily as a result of this unjust, unnecessary war?
This is a war that will be a rock around the neck of this country for
decades. It will be a long time before we get over the results of this.
That is particularly true with regard to the treatment of prisoners in
Abu Ghraib and Camp Cropper and others. Why are we not discussing that
in this resolution?
There is much to be embarrassed about. This is not something that we
should congratulate ourselves about. Try not to deceive ourselves
either.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. DeLay), the majority leader.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding.
I am just a little overwhelmed by the previous two speakers. What we
are here for is a resolution that celebrates
[[Page H4958]]
successes in the war on terror. Yet, to make their arguments, they
might as well go back to World War II and all kinds of things that have
nothing to do with the war on terror, with the national security of
this Nation, with trying to protect the American people, and while we
are doing that, spreading freedom and democracy around the world,
because, Mr. Speaker, next Wednesday, the whole world is going to stop
what it is doing and it is going to look toward the Tigres and the
Euphrates Rivers, the cradle of civilization, and witness the miracle
of democracy taking hold in Iraq.
For a generation, the proud and resilient people of that great nation
were brutalized by a dictator. Today, they are free, and next Wednesday
they will take up their God-given, human right to self-determination.
The resolution before us acknowledges all that has been won in
Operation Iraqi Freedom and all that has been sacrificed in that
victory. Words, of course, cannot replace the years lost to millions of
Iraqi families during Saddam Hussein's reign of terror nor can they
bring back the brave American heroes lost in battle since the war began
last March.
Despite the finest planning, equipment and training in military
history, servicemen and women of the American armed forces are still at
war, and no matter how just and how necessary wars may be, they still
rob us of the bravest and truest of the young.
Just as the miracle of June 30 will be a celebration of the Iraqi
people, it will also be a celebration of the men and women who
liberated them from evil and especially a celebration of the legacy of
service left by those who will not make it home. That legacy, Mr.
Speaker, is not one of grief and regret but of service, duty, love and
courage. It is a legacy of honor which cannot be undone by the
unyielding winds of history or the frantic storms of politics. It
cannot be undone because we will not let it. Those young men and women
will not have died in vain.
Therefore, this resolution affirms Congress' absolute support for
democracy and freedom in Iraq and for the forthcoming Iraqi interim
government sworn to provide both. It also reaffirms our commitment to
see the job of stabilizing and securing Iraq to the end.
Terrorists remain in Iraq targeting Iraqi government officials and
American and coalition troops.
{time} 1530
Terrorists remain in Iraq, targeting Iraqi government officials and
American and coalition troops. Those terrorists, like all terrorists in
this war on terror, must be killed or captured before democracy can
truly be secured in Iraq or anywhere else in the world.
In order for America's war on terror to succeed, Iraq's interim
government, and ultimately the democratic government elected next year,
must also succeed. Its success depends on the continued military,
economic, and diplomatic support of the United States and the
international community, which President Bush has pledged and garnered
since before Operation Iraqi Freedom began. That support will remain in
place as long as it is necessary, and I know all Americans hope for a
strong and enduring alliance between the United States and a sovereign
democratic Iraq.
Before I close, Mr. Speaker, there is one man who deserves special
thanks in this debate, a man who stared down enemies and appeasers
alike and marshaled the civilized world to victory in Iraq. Were it not
for the courage and vision of George W. Bush, June 30 would be just
another Wednesday in Iraq. Instead, it is a day to be remembered,
fraught with danger, to be sure, a day, too, of unfinished business,
but a day of pride in this country.
For June 30 is not the end of the road, but it is just another step
along mankind's unending journey toward freedom. We will not be divided
by our enemies or deterred from our goals in the war on terror in Iraq,
Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world, and that is due to the
steadfast leadership of our Commander in Chief. Thank you, Mr.
President.
So I urge all Members to support this resolution and send a signal of
solidarity from the American people to the people of Iraq and to the
nations around the world that all people who seek to be free are now
and will always be our friends.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to
the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a soldier in the service of
his nation never dies in vain. But that soldier's sacrifice should
affirm the fact that criticism, diverse opinion, and the right to
challenge government is precious and privileged and protected by the
Constitution.
Might I add my appreciation to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos), the ranking member, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde)
for the collegiality and the respect given to Members in this debate
and the language of this legislation.
I oppose this war with every fiber in my body, but I believe today is
a time to be able to emphasize elements of unity that will say to the
world that we do want success. I believe there is failure; and so for
that reason, for the record, I will indicate that I will not support
pages 1 to 5, at the top; but I am going to support this resolution on
the basis of the resolution, how we resolve.
What are we resolving? We recognize the people of Iraq, the most
innocent. We are offering our support to them that they might survive
and experience democracy. We are expressing gratitude to the Armed
Forces and to the families, families who I had to sit with as they
buried their young. And, as well, we are giving condolences to them for
the soldiers who died on the frontline. No matter whether we have won
or lost, their sacrifice will never be in vain.
I offer to the families in Houston my appreciation. But as I do that,
Mr. Speaker, let me emphasize that our job is not yet done. I can
assure my colleagues that I do not speak from the well of the House. I
have been to Afghanistan. I have been to Iraq. I have sat with
soldiers, and in so doing I have heard them say this is a frustrating
job, but we are here in order to have the opportunity to press American
principles.
But, Mr. Speaker, we did not press American principles by having an
unconstitutional war, a unilateral and preemptive strike. We did not
observe constitutional principles by allowing the U.N. inspections or
not fulfilling our responsibility in Abu Ghraib, or have an exit
strategy, or the intelligence failure when we went into the war on the
basis of weapons of mass destruction.
So, Mr. Speaker, I stand in the well of the House so that everyone
will know I do not step away from my opposition to this war, but I
stand alongside families, those who lost their young loved ones, those
who still fight, and, yes, the Iraqi people, who, I hope, with a new
strategy and a new opportunity, will face democracy in the 21st
century.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important
statement of the people's House, congratulating the interim government
of Iraq for its forthcoming assumption of sovereign authority and
congratulating the United States Armed Forces and coalition forces for
their sacrifice. I commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
and our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), for their
usual and extraordinary and timely leadership on this issue.
When I sat in Baghdad in the coalition provisional headquarters on
March 1, we sat with Ambassador Bremer across from the hall where was
debated the interim Constitution of Iraq. Within 24 hours, these words
would enter into the history forever of a free Iraqi people in the
preamble of Iraq's transitional administrative law: ``The people of
Iraq, striving to reclaim their freedom, which was usurped by the
previous tyrannical regime, rejecting violence and coercion in all its
forms, and particularly when used as instruments of governance, have
determined that they shall hereafter remain a free people governed
under the rule of law.''
[[Page H4959]]
The preamble of a new Constitution for a free and democratic Iraq.
When just 2 years ago we think of the Iraq that existed on the world
scene, Saddam Hussein was still imprisoning, torturing, and killing
tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis; financially supporting and
encouraging terrorism; illegally profiting from the U.N.'s Oil-For-Food
program, denying millions of Iraqis needed medicines and food; and
flouting and ignoring 16 different U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Thanks to the leadership of President George W. Bush and the
sacrifice of U.S. and coalition forces, those days are over. And on
this June 30 that we commemorate in this resolution, the United States
will disengage and those words of that preamble will begin to become
the reality of a new free and democratic Iraq.
And know this, Mr. Speaker. The people of Iraq are grateful. As we
stood in the midst of 30 or 40 men and women in Basra the day before we
were in Baghdad, I will never forget as people approached me one after
the other, tears in their eyes, taking me by the hand and saying,
please, when you go home to America, tell the people you serve that we
will never forget what the United States has done for our people in
Iraq.
The people I met in Iraq have an undying gratitude that will begin to
express itself most eloquently in the advance of freedom and democracy
for themselves and their posterity. I support this resolution. I
embrace all that it celebrates, and I thank the chairman and the
ranking member for their leadership in bringing it forward at this
time.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and it is a privilege to speak on the resolution of two people
for whom I have the utmost respect, the chairman and ranking member of
the Committee on International Relations. I thank them for this
resolution.
I have been in Iraq five times, and four of those times I have been
outside the umbrella of the military as well as being under the
umbrella of the military. I have talked to everyday Iraqis, attended a
wedding, visited schools, hospitals, businesses, met with community and
religious leaders, as well as visited the very poorest of the poor in
their own homes, and slept in Iraqi villages. I cannot tell you how
important June 30 is. There is not an Iraqi I spoke to who did not tell
me they want this to be an Iraqi revolution, not an American
revolution. They are eager to run their own country.
Now, we have made some mistakes. It is clear that we should have
prevented the looting. It is also clear to me we should not have
disbanded the government, the army or the police. Certainly the bad
folks within should have been taken out. So we have made some mistakes.
When you speak to Iraqis, they will tell you they are suspicious of
the United States because to them we are strangers. As good a Nation as
we are, and as important as removing Saddam is, they never had a
government they could trust. So why would they trust a foreign
government to lead them for a year? They blame the United States for
the sanctions, not Saddam, ironically. And they also told me of the
loved ones they lost when we told them to rebel against Saddam, but we
left the Republican Guard in place to kill their loved ones. They ae
angry about this.
They would tell me all those things, and they mean them. But in spite
of their suspiction and anger they are so grateful to be free from
Saddam. The most important decision the President made was to say,
against the opposition of some, on June 30 sovereignty will be passed
to the Iraqi people in an interim government. It is their country, and
they should run their own country and they are eager to do it.
I am so proud to be in the presence of those Iraqis who have taken
the mantle of leadership. If you asked me are their lives in danger and
how likely is it they will be there a year from now, I cannot tell you
with any confidence they will survive. But they are willing to take on
this task in spite of the dangers they face.
So I salute our troops for the 840 men and women we have lost and for
the thousands that have been injured, I salute the Iraqi people, who
have done everything they can to be free people and now have the chance
to run their own country. I particularly appreciate that we have an
opportunity to speak on a resolution that says, uncategorically, on
June 30, the Iraqi people reign. They will run their own country.
Ambassador Negroponte will not be a Mr. Bremer. He is our ambassador
who is there at the invitation of the Iraqi people.
May God bless Iraq, may God bless the United States of America. I put
my hand to my heart in appreciation for what we are doing and with
appreciation and gratitude for the friends I have made with so many
good and brave Iraqis.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the distinguished whip.
Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time and for his work in bringing this resolution to the floor.
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to have a discussion with the
new President of Iraq, President Yawar, about his vision of a stable,
sovereign, and democratic Iraq. All of us who joined with him in this
building that day were impressed by his resolve and, frankly, impressed
by his courage, the courage of Prime Minister Illawi, and the courage
of hundreds of others who have demonstrated great bravery and resolve
by taking the reins of the Iraqi Governing Council in the aftermath of
Izzedeen Salim's assassination in mid-May, in the face of daily
attacks, and this desperate attempt of tyrants and tyranny to prevail
in a part of the world that has experienced tyranny for far too long.
{time} 1545
Why, in the prime of their lives, are Iraq's new leaders risking
everything, including their very lives, for such a cause? It is
because, Mr. Speaker, they desire liberty. It is because they desire
freedom. The men and women who will officially become Iraq's interim
leaders June 30 all share a vision of their native land free at last of
Saddam Hussein's brutal oppression. This vision respects the rule of
law and will listen to the voice of the people. This government, of
course, is one step toward elections and an elected government that we
hope to see in Iraq in just a few months.
We should not forget that our Nation was built on the backs and the
minds and the hearts and the hands of the same kind of brave and heroic
figures. Two hundred twenty-eight years ago, 56 Americans challenged
the British crown by signing the Declaration of Independence, risking
their families, their fortunes and their lives for the cause, again
just like Iraqis today, the cause of liberty.
Today, Mr. Speaker, in supporting the brave Iraqi leaders and the
millions of Iraqi citizens who are standing up to the terrorists and
insurgents for the cause of freedom for the Iraqi people, we recall the
sacrifices made by brave Americans throughout history for our own
freedom. We express our pride in the men and women of our Armed Forces
who are making this day possible for the Iraqi people. Even after next
week's handover, the cause of freedom in Iraq will continue to require
sacrifices by the American people and by our brave soldiers. The
American people must be prepared to help the fledgling government
financially as it generates the type of infrastructure necessary to
support a stable democracy. We must be prepared to encourage this
government as it moves to free and fair elections.
Iraq is still a dangerous place. Terrorists continue to target our
troops as well as innocent men, women and children in an effort to ruin
Iraq's attempt at democracy. But democratic institutions are forming
and our soldiers and civilian advisers continue to train Iraqi police
and other security forces. During today's deadly terrorist attacks, the
reports of Iraqi soldiers fighting side by side with their American
counterparts demonstrate just how determined Iraqis are to destroy this
insurgency and live in peace for the first time in 30 years.
Mr. Speaker, with today's resolution, the House reaffirms that the
United States' motives in Iraq are founded on virtue. We do not desire
any territory.
[[Page H4960]]
We do not desire an empire. We seek stability both at home and in the
Middle East. The President's decision to intervene in Iraq was made in
the best interests of Americans and Iraqis. Saddam Hussein is in a jail
cell, no longer able to pursue weapons of mass destruction or encourage
global terrorism that threatens the lives of freedom-loving people.
Most importantly in the context of today's debate, Iraqis at last have
the chance to demonstrate to the world that democracy can spring forth
in the cradle of civilization.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and even beyond
that, I urge all of us and all Americans to support this great effort,
this great experiment in freedom that we encourage today and in the
days ahead.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Robust debate is the hallmark of this body and this afternoon we had
a sampling of it for which we are all pleased. The difficulty in
dealing with the issues that we face in this world is that we do not
confront elegant alternatives but exasperating realities. It is in that
context that I wish to quote from the person who will be the nominee of
the Democratic Party at the upcoming convention on his views of this
resolution and of this undertaking. I am quoting from Senator Kerry:
``While we may have differed on how we went to war, Americans of all
political persuasions are united in our determination to succeed. The
extremists attacking our forces should know that they will not succeed
in dividing America, or in sapping American resolve, or in forcing the
premature withdrawal of U.S. troops. Our country is committed to help
the Iraqis build a stable, peaceful and pluralistic society. No matter
who is elected President in November, we will persevere in that
mission.''
Mr. Speaker, these are difficult days for our country, but we stand
united in our commitment to our troops and in our commitment to our
values. I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I want to thank the gentleman from California and everyone who has
participated in this debate. As the gentleman from California said,
robust debate is a hallmark of democracy and we have had that here. I
have strenuously tried to keep politics out of this because I am so
pleased this is a bipartisan resolution and truly it is one that is
appropriate because it is a magnificent achievement to have a country
such as Iraq under a dictator, a tyrant, turn into a working democracy
where they are going to have free elections and have all of the
additional assets that go with a democracy. I think it is a joyous
occasion and one that no matter our differences we ought to be able to
join in congratulating them.
Mr. Speaker, we did not start this war. On September 11, 2001, some
people declared war on us and committed an act of war. Does anyone
doubt if they had access to nuclear materials they would have used
them? And then we would mourn the deaths of 3 million people, not 3,000
people. Does anybody doubt for one minute that chemical and biological
warfare agents, if available to these people, they would not use them?
They could poison an awful lot of water systems in this country and
paralyze this country. War is different today. It is not declared. They
do not put uniforms on and march in formation. They sneak up on you in
the dark and stab you in the back. And so if you wait for the smoking
gun, you might find one of your major cities is the smoking gun.
The fact that Libya threw its cards on the table and said we will not
pursue weapons of mass destruction is glossed over as though that was
not a substantial achievement. The fact that weapons of mass
destruction have not been found in Iraq does not mean that they were
not ever there or that there were not programs to develop these things.
And the history of Saddam Hussein is one that indicates he would use
them in a minute given the opportunity.
We are in a terrible war. We cannot win a war like this unless we are
unified. I would ask all of us, Republicans and Democrats, when we
start to argue this issue, think. Is what we are saying going to help
us or not help us in this struggle that may last for generations? It is
very important, because we all have children and grandchildren whose
future ought to be a prime concern. Everything in this resolution is
nonpartisan. It is praiseworthy. It recognizes one of the great
accomplishments, the transformation of a country like Iraq into a
functioning democracy and setting the example in that region of the
world. And so let us join hands and acknowledge this accomplishment and
join the Iraqi people in celebrating their new democracy.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, once again this House has passed a
resolution celebrating the manner in which the war in Iraq has been
fought, and the burgeoning democracy it has ostensibly established. In
reality, H. Res. 691 speaks to the profound failure of the Bush
Administration's Iraq policies and the lack of an appropriate rationale
for invading another country: The war was fought because President
Bush's desire to take down Saddam Hussein, not out of a desire to fight
global terror; it was about a highly ideological plan to extend
America's reach in the Middle East, not about ridding the world of
nuclear weapons. In short, the war was about the Bush Administration's
priorities--not Iraq's.
This resolution also expresses unequivocal support for our Armed
Forces. We must be sure to honor the brave men and women who put
themselves in harm's way; already 833 American soldiers who have died
during the course of this conflict. Accordingly, I hope we will honor
future veterans when they return home, as thousands of them will
require prosthetic arms and legs, physical therapy, and years of health
care for injuries incurred during the war.
H. Res. 691 is not without its merits. This resolution contains
important language expressing condolences to the families of the
innocent Iraqis who have been killed or wounded during the conflict. In
fact, an estimated 12,000-14,000 unarmed, innocent Iraqi civilians have
died since the United States invaded the country last year.
However, while I support many parts of this resolution, I am
disappointed that the House Republican leadership has once again pushed
for passage of a resolution the contents of which are either inaccurate
or downright wrong.
An entire clause of this resolution is devoted to the claim that Iraq
has been transformed ``into a safe secure, stable, sovereign,
democratic state that serves the interests of the Iraqi people.''
Secure? Stable? Sovereign? Iraq is none of these things, and it still
won't be any of these things when the United States transfers authority
back to the Iraqi people on June 30th. The Bush Administration needs to
realize and admit to the American people that Iraq is neither secure
nor stable, and will not be either of these things for a great many
years. The Administration's policies in Iraq have been a colossal
failure.
The fact is, President Bush and his Administration want to have it
both ways. They want to appear to have finished up work in Iraq in time
for the November elections, while at the same time maintaining over
100,000 soldiers there to ensure they maintain a high degree of control
over the country's fate. Not to mention the new American Embassy
overseen by the controversial John Negroponte will be the largest in
the world.
Instead of continuing to pass resolutions of inaction, Congress
should be pressing the administration to truly engage the international
community to stabilize an insecure Iraq--particularly in light of the
recent resolution endorsing the turnover of power back to the Iraqi
people that was passed unanimously by the U.N. Security Council. We've
already entered into a fight that has diverted resources from the real
fight against terrorism and from important domestic programs. Now is
the time for taking measures so that we do not repeat our mistakes. Now
is the time we must invest in an international coalition before the
international will to endorse our efforts in Iraq runs dry.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution
for the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people on June 30. June 30
will be the start of a new Iraq. Life for the people of Iraq will be a
world away from the cruelty and tyranny of the regime that once ruled
them for decades. A new sovereign, interim Iraqi government--
representing the diversity of Iraq--will assume power, provincial
governments will be put in place, courts will be overseen by Iraqi
justices, political parties will be formed and preparations for
national elections will be made.
After June 30, the U.S., under the leadership of Ambassador John
Negroponte, will provide support to the new Iraqi Interim Government as
it assumes control of managing day-to-day operations, preparations for
new elections, and rebuilding the country's infrastructure and economy.
Leading up to June 30, infrastructure improvements--led by coalition
forces--and the shift to self-government have already completely
transformed the face of Iraq. Schools,
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medical clinics and hospitals have been reopened. An army and more
effective police force have been rebuilt. A fair judicial system has
been constituted. And an interim constitution has been signed--laying
the foundation for democratic elections.
The ability to transfer authority to a new sovereign Iraq only 14
months after liberation efforts began is a major step forward for
freedom. We should be proud of our young servicemen and women and
civilian contractors in Iraq for their work in liberating 25 million
Iraqis from the grip of Saddam Hussein's regime and rebuilding a
country that was in disrepair for nearly two decades. America
appreciates their sacrifice and commitment to the security of our
Nation. Those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our
freedom and defend America will never be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, July 1, 2004 will be the dawn of a new day for the men,
women and children of Iraq. This day will not mean an end to terrorist
violence, but it will be a radical departure from the decades of
governmental and personal abuse that existed under Saddam's ruthless
regime.
Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose H. Res. 691. My
position is consistent with my opposition to our invasion of Iraq and
my belief that any congratulations we extend to the interim government
are muted by the reality of ongoing death and mayhem that occur daily
in Iraq.
Additionally, I want to express my condolences to all of the victims
of our invasion into Iraq. My heart is heavy for the Iraqi families
that have suffered permanent losses as a result of the war and
continuing insurgency efforts. Furthermore, I mourn for the families of
U.S. and foreign military personnel; valiant soldiers, men and women,
who have sacrificed their lives to promote the reality of freedom for
Iraqis.
However, Mr. Speaker, I disagree with many of the notions put forward
in the resolution because I believe some of them are simplistic, naive
and wrong. While it is true that Iraqis have participated in elections,
widespread antagonisms persist and violent behavior continues to be
directed at our forces. Our soldiers are imperiled because of how and
why they entered Iraq, in addition to their continued presence in Iraq.
Second, the notion that Iraq is more secure now than before is also
wrong. While it is true that the government of Saddam Hussein was
toppled, Iraq continues to be a besieged nation. Violence is prevalent,
and the victims of the bombings and assassinations are largely innocent
Iraqis.
I appreciate the spirit in which the Resolution was drafted, but I
strongly disagree with the underlying premise that we are celebrating
the Iraqi freedom. Iraqis will not be free until they are capable of
installing a representative government devoid of foreign intervention.
Iraqis will not be free until they overcome the challenges of
enfranchising diverse segments of its diverse population of Kurds,
Sunnis and Shiites into a form of democracy that suits their needs and
not the designs of the United States.
Finally, while June 30, 2004 is a monumental date for the people of
Iraq. We should not delude ourselves, nor mislead the people of Iraq
that in the near term, democracy will bear the fruit of liberty and
peace that they have been promised. As a mother and grandmother who
worries about the future of our Nation and the world, I am ruled by my
conscience, and my conscience dictates that I cast a ``no'' vote on H.
Res. 691.
Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). All time for debate has
expired.
Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, June 23, 2004, the
resolution is considered read for amendment and the previous question
is ordered.
The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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