[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7325-H7328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY OF LEBANON AND THE
LEBANESE PEOPLE
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1017) affirming support for the sovereignty and
security of Lebanon and the Lebanese people, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 1017
Whereas Lebanon's remarkable Cedar Revolution led to the
withdrawal of Syrian occupation troops in April 2005, the
most significant step toward true Lebanese independence and
sovereignty since the outbreak of civil war in 1975;
Whereas the Cedar Revolution reached a dramatic crescendo
on March 14, 2005, when one million Lebanese demonstrated in
Beirut's Martyrs Square demanding freedom and independence
and an end to the Syrian occupation;
Whereas true Lebanese independence and sovereignty was not
fully achieved even after the Syrian troop withdrawal for
many reasons, including especially the apparent ongoing
presence of Syrian security personnel in Lebanon, an ongoing
assassination campaign against Lebanese public figures who
oppose appeasement of Syria, and Hizballah's control and
militarization of southern Lebanon;
Whereas, on August 12, 2006, during the fighting between
Israel and Hizballah, the Government of Lebanon for the first
time in decades called for the deployment of the Lebanese
armed forces throughout Lebanese territory ``such that there
will be no weapons or authority other than that of the
Lebanese state'';
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,
which ended the fighting, authorizes an enhanced United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to ``accompany and
support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout
the (Lebanese) South'', a process which is currently
underway;
Whereas UNSCR 1701 also calls for the enhanced UNIFIL
force, at the ``request'' of the Government of Lebanon, to
assist the Government of Lebanon ``to secure its borders and
other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without
its consent of arms or related materiel'';
Whereas the Lebanese armed forces are inadequate to the
task of interdicting arms-smuggling along the Syrian border
without the assistance of an international force;
Whereas the Government of Lebanon has not yet requested the
assistance of the enhanced UNIFIL force on the Syrian border;
Whereas Syria is trying to intimidate Lebanon from
requesting UNIFIL assistance on the border, with threatening
statements such as the Syrian leader's warning that such
deployment would be deemed ``hostile''; and
Whereas it is manifestly in the interests of the
international community, which seeks peace and stability in
the Middle East, to support the full sovereignty and security
of Lebanon: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends the many Lebanese who continue to adhere
steadfastly to the principles of the Cedar Revolution;
(2) commends the democratically-elected Government of
Lebanon for its critical and courageous decision to deploy
the Lebanese armed forces, for the first time in decades, to
Lebanon's border with Israel;
(3) affirms that the clear intention of the international
community, as expressed in United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1701, is that the flow of weapons to Hizballah
should cease and that Hizballah should be disarmed;
(4) calls on all countries, and particularly countries
through which Iranian-supplied materiel passes en route from
Iran to Hizballah, to take every possible measure to prevent
the transfer of arms to Hizballah, so as to contribute to the
stability of Lebanon and of the region and to the enforcement
of the sovereignty of the Government of Lebanon over its own
territory, as required by UNSCR 1701;
(5) calls on the international community to monitor the
compliance of Iran and Syria with the arms embargo on
Hizballah, as these two countries are the principal suppliers
of weaponry to Hizballah;
(6) calls on Iran and Syria to cease supporting Hizballah
with funds and arms;
(7) condemns Syria's ongoing overt and covert campaign of
intimidation against Lebanon;
(8) condemns the Syrian leader's outrageous claim that the
deployment of international peace-keeping forces on the
Lebanese-Syrian border would be ``hostile'' against Syria;
(9) urges the Government of Lebanon to request without
delay international assistance including, but not limited to,
military forces, as needed, on the Lebanese border with Syria
so as to prevent the re-supply of weapons to Hizballah and to
ensure the full
[[Page H7326]]
implementation of all aspects of UNSCR 1701 in spirit and
intent, as well as in letter;
(10) urges that such international assistance not impede
commercial, non-military trade between civilians on both
sides of the border;
(11) believes that without such international assistance on
the Lebanese border with Syria another Hizballah-provoked war
will break out with horrendous consequences for the people of
Lebanon, Israel and the entire region;
(12) pledges support for the democratically-elected
Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese people against Syria's
campaign of intimidation; and
(13) re-affirms its strong support for Lebanon's
independence and for the full sovereignty of the Government
of Lebanon over Lebanese territory, through the instrument of
the Lebanese armed forces.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the amended version of
House Resolution 1017, introduced by my colleague and friend, Mr.
Lantos, which affirms support for the sovereignty and security of
Lebanon and the Lebanese people.
Madam Speaker, what this resolution now does is urge the government
of Lebanon to request assistance from the international community for
military and other forms of support in securing their border with Syria
in order to end the flow of weapons to Hezbollah.
I want to thank Chairman Hyde for playing an instrumental role in
negotiating language that addresses these concerns and enables the
government of Lebanon to engage with and work closely with the
international community so as to prevent another crisis in the region.
The resolution recognizes the courageous efforts made by many
Lebanese in their independent uprising on March 14, 2005, and commends
the democratically elected government of Lebanon for their ongoing
efforts to restore sovereignty and security throughout its territory.
Despite the remarkable achievements of the Cedar Revolution, the
government of Lebanon continues to experience challenges to its rule
and sovereignty. Targeted killings of public figures and the recent
conflict between Hezbollah and Israel illustrate the dangers of
Lebanon's inability to control its borders and to provide sovereign
support for all of its people. The war between Israel and Hezbollah was
not a war between Lebanon and Israel, but it was a war all the same
that Lebanon felt.
Tonight, with this resolution, we are providing the encouragement and
support to ensure that Lebanon is able to assert its sovereignty and,
as such, assert its ability to live in peace with its neighbors.
Madam Speaker, there is no greater role this Congress can play than
to send a message, as we are here tonight on a bipartisan basis, to the
people of Lebanon that their democracy, founded in 1943 and
reestablished less than a year and a half ago, is a priority of this
Congress and that we will stand in support of the Lebanese people and a
democracy.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, this legislation would not be before the House today
without the strong support of the chairman of the International
Relations Committee, my good friend Henry Hyde. I also appreciate the
support of our colleagues, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Gary Ackerman, the
Chair and ranking member of the Middle East Subcommittee; and I want to
express special appreciation to my friend Congressman Darrell Issa,
whose work on this resolution has been so important and so valuable.
Madam Speaker, just a few short weeks ago, upon the announcement of
the cease-fire, I stepped off an American military helicopter that took
me directly from the island of Cyprus onto the grounds of the U.S.
embassy in Beirut. Coincidentally, this was the 50th anniversary of my
first visit to Lebanon, during which I had the pleasure of attending a
Shakespeare festival at the ruins of Baalbak. Our ambassador took me to
see the top leaders of Lebanon to discuss the path forward on
reconstructing that war-torn land and freeing it from the stranglehold
in which Hezbollah has held it for far too many years.
Madam Speaker, I was shaken by what I discovered. In my view, the
Lebanese government fully understands that the flow of weapons from
Syria and Iran to Hezbollah must end or they will once again find their
nation at war not of their own making. But at the same time, without a
word being said, I was left with the distinct impression that the
Lebanese leaders are petrified of what may happen if they finally
confront Syria's dictator in Damascus. A bold decision to ask for
international troops to put a full stop to the deadly arms flow to
Hezbollah could launch yet another round of Syrian-sponsored political
assassinations and other bloody attempts to destabilize Lebanon.
Madam Speaker, with the passage of this singularly important
resolution, Congress is asking Lebanon's leaders to make a brave and
courageous decision to ask the international community to deploy a
robust international force to the Lebanon-Syria border to stop the flow
of weapons to Hezbollah. We are being equally as clear that the United
States is ready to pledge its wholehearted support for the Lebanese
people against Syria's campaign of appalling intimidation.
It is not in Lebanon's interest nor that of civilization as a whole
to accept a world in which terrorist bands can trigger cross-border
conflicts in violation of international law, and there will never be
real democracy or sovereignty in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah is armed.
Let's review for a minute how this whole conflict got started.
Hezbollah terrorists, probably acting at Iranian behest, killed three
Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others. As we meet here tonight, the
hostages remain in captivity. No representatives of the Red Cross have
been allowed to visit them. And nobody even knows where they are,
except the thugs who snatched them from their country's sovereign soil.
The U.N. Security Council resolution ending the conflict is intended
to prevent such aggression in the future, and the full deployment of
the Lebanese armed forces to their country's southern border for the
first time in decades is a long overdue and welcome development. A
15,000 troop international force to assist in patrolling that border is
a positive step forward.
But the new security regime is far from perfect. It leaves far too
much to the discretion of a weak Lebanese government and the too easily
intimidated Lebanese military. For example, the international force
will take no action against Hezbollah unless it is requested to do so
by the Lebanese military. It is self-evident, Madam Speaker, that these
rules of engagement will have to be reexamined and strengthened.
But the most obvious flaw in the U.N. mandate is that it doesn't
require an international force on Lebanon's border with Syria. It is
left up to the Lebanese government to request such a force, something
that causes Beirut to quake in its boots because of Syrian threats.
Madam Speaker, Hezbollah's missiles and other major weapons come from
Syria and Iran; and virtually all of them are smuggled in via Syria. To
keep those weapons out of its house and out of Hezbollah's hands,
Lebanon must hermetically seal its border to military trade. Until that
time, we will face the resupply of weapons to Hezbollah and the near
certain renewal of hostilities. Let me be clear, Madam Speaker. Unless
international troops are on the Syrian border, the conflict between
Hezbollah and Israel will flare again.
Iran, Syria and their Hezbollah surrogates don't miss a minute of
sleep caring about peace in the region or
[[Page H7327]]
Lebanese sovereignty. They care only about increasing their own power,
creating instability and destroying the State of Israel. Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, whose primary instrument of diplomacy toward
Lebanon is assassination, has said that he would consider an
international force deployment on the Lebanese-Syrian border a
``hostile'' act.
To buck up the Lebanese government against Syria's threats, our
resolution pledges U.S. support for Lebanon against Syria's campaign of
intimidation. Our resolution also commends the Lebanese government for
its courageous decision to deploy Lebanese armed forces, along with
UNIFIL, on its border with Israel, the first such Lebanese deployment
in decades.
Madam Speaker, this can be a watershed moment for the Middle East.
The Lebanese and their government can achieve true independence and
sovereignty. If they bring in an international force that can help seal
the Syrian border, they will not only achieve those goals, they will
usher in a new era of stability with their neighbors, and all of us
then will have taken a giant stride toward Middle East peace.
{time} 2100
It is up to the leaders in Beirut to display the necessary courage,
and it is up to us to support them when they do so. I urge all of my
colleagues to endorse both of these critical forces of action by
supporting this resolution.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. I will close by noting that this is a very special evening
tonight in this resolution. There are only four Arab American Members
of Congress, Charles Boustany, Ray LaHood, Nick Rahall, and myself. It
is uncommon for the kind of bipartisan support between all of us to
come together on something. But the importance of Lebanese sovereignty
and of a stable Lebanese democracy bring us together, and they are all
cosponsors of the bill along with the gentleman, Mr. Lantos.
In listening to Mr. Lantos, I have to say that never before have the
two of us agreed so much on what must be done. The only thing that I
noted when he was talking about the borders between Lebanon and Syria
was that even today there are borders between Lebanon and Syria that
have never been identified under an international law, and that is
something, too, that a sovereign, stable, and able to enforce its own
borders Lebanon would quickly be able to go to the United Nations and
assert its fair international border; and I look forward to that.
Last, in closing, I share with the gentleman from California and all
the Members of Congress the call that he made for the return of the
hostages taken from Israeli sovereign territory that in fact began the
conflict that we are today trying to end forever by establishing a
sovereign Lebanon, and part of that sovereignty will be to ensure that
those Israeli soldiers are returned from Lebanon back to Israel, to
their parents, to their families.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I recently traveled over the Labor Day
Weekend to Lebanon and Israel. I traveled with two other Members of
Congress. Our purpose was to assess the political and economic
situation in both countries.
We spent a full day on Saturday in Beirut. We were immediately struck
by how few people were in the shops and cafes and very little traffic
on the streets of Beirut. We visited the Jounie area which is north of
Beirut to inspect a bridge that was destroyed. The neighborhood that we
visited was a very peaceful residential area where there seemed to be
no presence of Hezbollah. The bombing of the bridge completely cut off
transportation for people from the north to travel to Beirut. It was
estimated to take one year and $20 million to repair. This seemed to be
an example of the extreme and uncalled bombing by Israel in a peaceful
residential area. The outbreak of military hostilities between Israel
and Hezbollah has had a profound negative impact on tourism and the
overall economy of Lebanon. The internal Lebanese situation was
problematic even before the current military crisis began. Prime
Minister Siniora's government, elected last year, has been struggling
to establish a new stable political order following the assassination
of former Prime Minister Rafic al Hariri. The majority of Lebanon's
Shia population is still pro Syrian. By contrast the Druze and Sunni,
as well as much of the Christian communities are likely to maintain a
broadly anti-Syrian stance. The President of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud is
tied closely to Syria and unable to offer any strong leadership. The
Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri is also close to the Hezbollah
Leader Hassan Nasrallah. This leaves Prime Minister Siniora on his own
in efforts to develop relationships with the world community to assist
with funding. President Bush's $230 million commitment to Lebanon to
assist with rebuilding plus Secretary Rice's visit to Lebanon has
enabled Prime Minister Siniora to raise over $900 million for
humanitarian and rebuilding funds. It is absolutely imperative that
15,000 Lebanese troops be deployed to Southern Lebanon. Also, the
deployment of United Nations troops along the Syrian border is critical
to prevent Iran and Syria from rearming Hezbollah.
Our visit to Israel was highlighted with meetings with the American
Ambassador, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tzipi Livni, plus meetings with the Israeli government equivalent of
our CIA and FBI. A new government under the Kadima party (forward) and
headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was elected following the grave
illness of Ariel Sharon. Prime Minister Olmert has been weakened and is
falling in the polls for his handling of the attack on Hezbollah. Prime
Minister Olmert is dealing with several internal issues including
problems along the Gaza Strip and West Bank; a very weak Palestinian
Authority; and fiscal and budget issues that affect the economy. In our
meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Livni she made it very clear that
Israel will continue to do all it can to assist with the implementation
of U.N. Resolution 1701. Minister Livni said that she believes that
Lebanon is the one Arab country in the region that Israel had
confidence could become partners in the war against terror and had the
potential along with Israel to stabilize the region. She also stressed
that much work had to be accomplished by Lebanon to reach this goal.
My own view of the situation having been in the region for four days
is that Prime Minister Siniora is doing all he can to stabilize
Lebanon. He is a man of great confidence and integrity. I believe he
will be successful in meeting many of his goals. I also believe Israel
is committed to implementing U.N. Resolution 1701 and developing
opportunities to work with Lebanon to secure the Lebanese and southern
border. The lifting of the blockade against ships entering the Lebanese
ports which was announced upon our return to Washington is an example
of this commitment and will go a long way to solving some of the
serious economic problems in Lebanon. These ships off the Lebanese
shore will now be inspected by officials of the German, Italian, and
French governments. These inspectors will prevent Iran from shipping
arms through the Lebanese ports. Obviously Iran is creating much of the
backdrop, encouragement and arms for what has taken place between
Lebanon and Israel. However, between the shared goals of Lebanon and
Israel to stop Iran's progress I feel this can be accomplished. It is a
long road ahead but I sense an air of optimism from both sides.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.
Res. 1017, affirming the sovereignty and security of Lebanon and urging
the government of Lebanon to request a robust international force
deployment on its border with Syria to prevent the re-supply of weapons
to Hezbollah.
I have long been an advocate for a secure and sovereign Lebanon. I
believe that the democratic government of Lebanon is one of the most
important democracies in the region, which warrants our recognition and
protection.
The remarkable Cedar Revolution led to the withdrawal and end of the
Syrian military's occupation of Lebanon, which had lasted three
decades. This was a significant step toward Lebanese independence and
sovereignty since the outbreak of civil war in 1975. However, the
presence of Syrian security personnel in Lebanon continues as does
Syrian economic and military support to Hezbollah.
During the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, the government of
Lebanon called for the deployment of Lebanese armed forces throughout
Lebanese territory. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended
this conflict, authorized an enhanced U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) to accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they
deploy throughout the south of Lebanon.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 also calls for the enhanced
UNIFIL force to, at the request of the Lebanese government, assist
Lebanon in securing its borders and other entry points to prevent the
entry of arms or related materials without Lebanon's consent. I agree
with this Resolution's urging the Lebanese government to request from
UNIFIL a robust international force deployment on Lebanon's border with
Syria so as to prevent the re-supply of weapons to Hezbollah and to
ensure the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution
1701.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Lebanese armed forces need the
assistance of an international force in order to adequately interdict
arms-smuggling along the Syrian border. Although the government of
Lebanon has not
[[Page H7328]]
yet requested this assistance on the Syrian border from UNIFIL, they
may have been discouraged by statements from Syria's President claim
that he would consider the deployment of international force deployment
on the Lebanese-Syrian border a ``hostile'' act. I believe that such a
UNIFIL force on the Lebanese-Syrian border is manifestly in the
interests of Lebanon and the international community, which seek the
full sovereignty and security of Lebanon, and peace and stability in
the Middle East.
This is a defining moment in Lebanon's history. We must have and
exercise the moral courage necessary to bring peace, stability, and
justice to this troubled region of the world. The best way to honor the
innocent victims of past conflicts in the Middle East is to ensure
similar conflicts do not occur in the future. I urge my colleagues to
support this important resolution, and I encourage continued
humanitarian aid for the people still suffering in the region.
Mr. ISSA. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schwarz of Michigan). The question is on
the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1017, as
amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
____________________