[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 159 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE THAT DEPLOYMENT OF FORCES IN IRAQ BE 
                         TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2005

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I served in a war during 
which too many national leaders played too much politics.
  Tonight is a disgraceful period in the history of our great country 
and this House of Representatives.
  To wage a political war against one of the greatest military 
champions Congress has known is no less than unpatriotic.
  Representative John Murtha (D-PA), the leading Democrat in the House 
on military affairs, has proposed a plan of action for Iraq and I 
commend my colleague for his courageous leadership. The measure that 
has been brought to the floor tonight is not Representative Murtha's 
plan.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been this leadership and honesty with the 
American people that has been lacking in the Presidents position on the 
war in Iraq. ``Stay the course'' is not a strategy for success, It is 
little more than hollow rhetoric that offers no real vision.
  We can and should begin to redeploy our troops as soon as possible 
after the Iraqi people ratify their Constitution in July 2006. In the 
months leading up to the Iraqi election in July, we need to make it 
clear to the Iraqi people that we do not intend to occupy their country 
or maintain permanent military bases there. And it must be made clear 
to the world that the United States has no intention of controlling 
Iraq's oil production and oil wealth.
  We must find a rational and reasonable way out of this quagmire. We 
owe it to the men and women serving us in combat, to their families and 
to all the American people who are paying both the human and financial 
costs of this war.
  Advocates of the measure we will vote on tonight are cheapening the 
job our brave men and women serving in Iraq are doing; the men and 
women putting their lives on the line to serve our country.
  Mr. Speaker, those who dreamed up this strategy are derelict in their 
duties, absent without leave from their duty station; and people I 
would not want to share a foxhole with.

                          ____________________