[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 163 (Saturday, December 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       VICTORY IN IRAQ RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, December 17, 2005

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. 
Res. 612, ``Expressing the Commitment of the House of Representatives 
to Achieving Victory in Iraq''. Because of the severe importance of 
this issue, I feel it is crucial that I explain my position on this 
issue. As we are all aware, on Friday, December 2, 2005, 10 United 
States Marines were killed in a bomb attack on their foot patrol 
outside Fallujah. The following day, 11 Iraqi soldiers died after 
insurgents ambushed a joint patrol of American and Iraqi forces just 
north of Baghdad. In my District of Houston, TX, several Disabled 
Veterans, family members of current and fallen soldiers, and friends 
joined in a ``call to action'' to let this Administration know that 
enough deaths have amassed in the Iraq war to warrant an immediate plan 
to redeploy our troops back to the U.S. We see daily examples that 
define this situation as a crisis that continues to increase. Americans 
deserve a serious exit strategy--`staying the course' has clearly 
failed.
  I salute our brave women and men who are serving and who have served 
in our military, as they have been victorious. There is no separation 
among Americans on our belief that our troops deserve and should 
receive honor. However, as many defense specialists and other scholars 
have suggested, our troops continued presence in Iraq may constitute 
and be the basis for the increased violence. We must transfer authority 
and oversight to a sovereign Iraqi Government. They should then seek to 
gain the support of certain Arab nations. There is no success in the 
mounting bloodshed. The Washington Post reported on December 3, 2005 
that sources suggest media groups in the United States might have paid 
Iraqi press to publish favorable propaganda about U.S. military 
operations there. With this and numerous other possible incidents that 
raise suspicion as to the credibility of certain American government 
officials, the troops are in a very tenuous position in a land foreign 
to them amid daily attacks by insurgent groups. Let us be proactive in 
helping to save lives and honor our troops by bringing them home 
safely.
  Part of the plan that I suggest includes the following steps:
  (1) acts of American diplomacy in furtherance of the creation of an 
international coalition of support,
  (2) convening of a summit of Arab nations for the purpose of engaging 
leadership on the question of what steps can be taken to aid this 
region,
  (3) cessation of the redeployment of American troops to multiple 
tours of duty to the region,
  (4) allocation of resources and attention to the over 15,000 injured 
soldiers and the need for medical and educational services,
  (5) establishment of a special memorial to honor those who have 
fallen in the Iraq engagement, and
  (6) establishment and articulation of a comprehensive exit strategy 
that will result in the redeployment of the troops back to the U.S. and 
the restoration of sovereignty to the installed Iraqi government. 
Democrats should distinguish themselves by their alliance on this 
issue.
  Many of the Democratic resolutions, specifically that introduced by 
Mr. Murtha, deserve our support. They represent excellent vehicles to 
distinguish Democrats before the American people. We must do that!
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in furthering these 
initiatives, and I would like to thank our troops for their hard work 
and dedication in keeping us safe.

                          ____________________