[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 91 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H5132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        U.S. PEACE AND DIPLOMACY

  (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, nearly 4 years ago, this administration 
came before us and promoted their idea of peace and democracy in the 
Middle East. Their vehicle for accomplishing this? A unilateral first 
strike against Iraq and the subsequent occupation.
  Let us reflect on this policy this morning. In Iraq, over 2,500 
American soldiers have died, tens of thousands injured, over 100,000 
innocent Iraqi civilians killed, and countless injured. We are mired in 
a civil war there, and violence is growing every day.
  In Iran, international efforts at diplomacy have been undermined by 
our Iraq policy. This administration seems determined to repeat the 
disaster of Iraq in Iran, most recently by trying to link Iran to the 
attacks on Israel.
  As a broader regional war breaks out between Israel and Lebanon, 
spurred on by Hezbollah, instead of trying to find ways to end the 
conflict by rescuing negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, 
this administration, which has an unfortunate talent for war, is making 
statements which will contribute to escalation.
  Israel urgently needs diplomatic assistance. The only way the U.S. 
can reclaim its role as a mediator is to speak and act like a mediator. 
You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb the world to 
peace.

                          ____________________