[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 79 (Monday, June 19, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1198-E1199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  DECLARING THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL PREVAIL IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON 
                                 TERROR

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 16, 2006

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, instead of finding, capturing, or killing 
the man who viciously attacked our country almost 5 years ago, the 
administration misled our country and sent 150,000 troops to war with a 
country without any credible link to 9/11. Mr. Speaker, the resolution 
before us mentions Iraq 18 times, but it does not mention Osama bin 
Laden even once. Not only can we not find bin Laden in Afghanistan, but 
we can't find him in this resolution either.
  If the other side of the aisle is serious about a resolution on the 
Global War on Terror, they would be better served to get their target 
correct.
  Mr. Speaker, we all support the troops--our brave men and women who 
selflessly and bravely put themselves in harm's way. That point is not 
for debate. I carry the troops in my heart every day, and I hope that 
we work for their safe return home as soon as possible.
  This is a time of great anxiety in America, especially for the 
families of our men and women in uniform, who, as we speak, are serving 
our country thousands of miles from home, in unfamiliar and often 
hostile lands. Today's debate should have been centered around a 
bipartisan resolution that would have allowed all of us to be on the 
record in support of our troops and against those who would seek to do 
harm to Americans at home and abroad.
  Instead what the Republican Majority has brought before us today not 
only confuses the War in Iraq with the Global War on Terror, but it is 
also a transparent effort to divide this body by saying to those who 
want to start bringing the troops home that we do not support the 
national security interests of the United States. That is simply not 
true.
  After the terrorist attacks against this country on September 11, 
2001, we united behind the effort to remove the Taliban in Afghanistan. 
That country has made great strides by electing a government, 
establishing a constitution that grants equal rights to men and women, 
and opening schools for children who were denied an education by the 
Taliban. Our investment in the reconstruction and development of 
Afghanistan was both the right thing to do and critical to our 
security.
  Yet our job there is not finished. Much remains to be done to improve 
security. And most importantly, the hunt for Osama bin Laden continues.
  Critical resources that should have been focused on this mission have 
instead been used in Iraq, a war that was a conclusion in search of a 
reason, a war of choice rather than of necessity.
  Time and again, this Administration used false and misleading 
information to sell the war to Congress and the American people. The 
troops were sent into battle without basic equipment, like body armor, 
night vision goggles, and armored Humvees. We have been playing catch-
up ever since to ensure that U.S. soldiers are adequately protected as 
they serve in Iraq. Just today, the Pentagon announced that 2,500 
soldiers have been killed in Iraq. How high will this number go?

  Crucially, we invaded Iraq without a plan to win the peace and 
without enough soldiers to secure a country nearly the size of Texas. 
In fact, rather than listen to Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki, who 
suggested that as many as 300,000 troops were required to properly 
secure postwar Iraq, the Administration ignored him and fired him.
  This Administration has repeatedly underestimated the war's cost, 
which is being funded with emergency spending instead of

[[Page E1199]]

through the regular budget process. Rather than hold top advisers 
accountable for critical and fundamental lapses in judgment, the 
President praised, retained and even promoted them.
  And the Administration and Congress have both failed to conduct any 
sort of real oversight of this bungled war effort. Billions of dollars 
have been passed to companies like Halliburton through no-bid 
contracts, unnecessarily bilking the American taxpayers, but no one has 
been held accountable. The incompetence in the Administration 
surrounding the mismanagement of this war is simply jaw-dropping.
  All of us are relieved that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi can no longer lead 
and carry out attacks against American troops and innocent Iraqi 
citizens. Yet we cannot ignore the fact that Zarqawi gained support for 
his violent acts because of the instability in Iraq after Saddam 
Hussein was removed from power.
  We have repeatedly asked the President to tell the American people 
what, specifically, remains for our troops to accomplish in Iraq. How 
many Iraqi soldiers, as the President himself might say, need to 
``stand up before our military stands down?'' To what extent must the 
insurgency be defeated? How many attacks per day or per week will we 
tolerate? Most importantly, how many more young Americans are to give 
the ultimate sacrifice for a cause that has yet to be defined?
  I am a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, and a strong supporter of 
Representative Murtha's legislation; H.J. Res. 73, which calls for the 
redeployment of troops from Iraq. Representative Murtha is one of this 
body's greatest champions for our fighting men and women. As a veteran, 
he knows firsthand the dangers of war.
  I have the greatest admiration for the Nation's service men and 
women. We all thank them for their service.
  I only wish that we had the opportunity to vote for a resolution that 
honors the troops but leaves out the political tricks and traps that 
should not be a part of this debate.

                          ____________________