[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 163 (Saturday, December 17, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H12055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 GREAT AND HEARTWARMING NEWS FROM IRAQ

  (Mr. HAYES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, great and heartwarming news from Iraq.
  Early this morning, I received an e-mail from a soldier serving in 
Iraq which provides one small example of how democracy is progressing 
in Iraq and how our troops along with the Iraqi security forces are 
making a difference.
  He wrote: ``The highlight of my day, Election Day, was in south 
Baghdad, where there were no polling stations in January 2005 and where 
many Sunnis did not vote in October 2005. I watched as two affluent 
local sheiks walked into the polling station together holding hands, 
which is a huge sign of respect here. What was moving about this was 
one sheik was Shia, the other Sunni. They told me how much they 
appreciated what the United States had done for them and that they 
could never repay us. The Sunni said, `We are tired of violence and the 
fighting that destroys our people and our country; that they would work 
to make the U.S. proud and that the sacrifices of American soldiers is 
respected and appreciated.' ''
  God bless our troops.

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