[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 165 (Monday, December 19, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2621-E2622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       VICTORY IN IRAQ RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2005

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I must oppose H. Res. 612 
because of my great respect and admiration for our men and women 
serving in Iraq. Resolution 612 endorses an open-ended commitment of 
U.S. troops in Iraq and embodies President Bush's latest attempt to 
justify the U.S. involvement in Iraq. The President and his 
Congressional allies claim that the Iraqi parliamentary elections were 
a ``crucial victory'' in establishing a democracy in Iraq. Thus, 
through this election, is ``victory'' in Iraq inevitable?
  America has heard this type of reasoning before from President 
Johnson during the Vietnam War. In 1967, as the South Vietnamese freely 
elected their government, President Johnson then declared the 
Vietnamese election had established a democracy supported by the 
Vietnamese people. After this Vietnamese election, 38,000 more 
Americans died in Southeast Asia. Since May 1, 2003 when President Bush 
declared our ``Mission Accomplished'' in Iraq, approximately 2000 more 
U.S. troops have died in Iraq.
  Under this resolution, the call to bring our troops home hinges on a 
``victory''. What is the victory that the President and his 
Congressional supporters envision for the U.S. in Iraq? This is not a 
war like our grandparents fought. There is no country to hoist the 
white flag of surrender. There is no recognized political entity which 
the U.S. can sign a peace agreement with. Our brave military men and 
women are trying to build a democracy in a country that views our U.S. 
troops as occupiers and almost one half of the Iraqi people believe it 
is justifiable to kill U.S. troops! The U.S. military has been used to 
prop up a government being threatened by a guerrilla insurgency. With 
this Iraqi insurgency, I cannot envision an event, a goal or a date 
where the resolution's ``victory'' in Iraq can indisputably be 
achieved.
  Every Member of the United States House of Representatives would have 
supported this

[[Page E2622]]

resolution if it did not contain paragraph six. Paragraph six of this 
resolution is a political attack to embarrass Congressman John Murtha 
who has called for a strategic redeployment of our troops from Iraq.
  The Democratic House leadership offered an identical resolution 
without paragraph six but the Republican majority party rejected it. 
While the United States is attempting to establish a democracy in Iraq, 
but the majority party in the United States House of Representatives 
uses its power to stifle, embarrass, and silence voices of dissent to 
the War in Iraq.
  The Republicans have no interest in presenting a unified show of 
support for our troops and in congratulating the Iraqis on their 
parliamentary elections. The Republicans are more interested in using 
our troops in Iraq and their families as a political issue than 
expressing the U.S. House of Representatives' sincere admiration and 
gratitude.
  In closing, I would like to provide my statement on yesterday's 
parliamentary elections in Iraq:

       I applaud the government of Iraq for this milestone 
     election today. The people of Iraq are able to participate in 
     a democracy by electing the leaders who will help shape their 
     young government and institute laws to protect them. This is 
     a giant step toward full accountability.
       Election day in Iraq serves as much more than an 
     opportunity to cast a vote to elect leaders; it serves as an 
     opportunity for the people of Iraq to accept responsibility 
     for governing Iraq. This responsibility extends beyond 
     voting. Yesterday's vote marks the time for Iraqis to be 
     accountable for themselves and their developing country.
       The hopes and dreams of the Iraqi people will not be 
     realized if the insurgency continues to disrupt Iraq's 
     national unity. The overwhelming majority of the Iraqis are 
     in tacit support of this insurgency as they view our U.S. 
     troops as ``occupiers'' of their country. Nearly one half of 
     the Iraqi citizens believe it is justifiable to kill U.S. 
     troops. Since May of 2004, when President Bush declared 
     ``Mission Accomplished'' in Iraq, approximately 2,000 more 
     U.S. troops have died and more than $150 billion in tax 
     dollars have been spent to counter act this Iraqi insurgency.
       I believe that in order for the principles of democracy to 
     take hold in Iraq, the target of the insurgency, our U.S. 
     troops, must be removed.
       I believe the President must develop a plan to bring our 
     troops home. I believe America should demand from the Bush 
     Administration an Iraqi Accountability Plan that will set 
     clear and measurable goals to entrust the country of Iraq to 
     her people. The United States has provided the Iraqis with an 
     opportunity for freedom, democracy and self-governance but, 
     only the Iraqi people can set forth these principles in their 
     land. Iraq's parliamentary election, which marks the birth of 
     a promising democracy and the implementation of an Iraqi 
     Accountability Plan, will enable its people to embrace and 
     nurture its own government.
  May God bless our troops and this great country.

                          ____________________