[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. McCONNELL. Briefly, Mr. President, with regard to the President's 
remarks last night, I think the American people would like to see us 
prevail in Iraq, succeed in Iraq. And the definition of ``success,'' 
obviously, would be a stable government and an ally in the war on 
terror. What prevents that is violence in Baghdad.
  This plan announced last night to clear and hold Baghdad 
neighborhoods gives the capital city a chance to quiet down, to create 
the kind of secure environment that will allow this fledgling democracy 
to begin to function.
  I think the President should be given a chance to carry this out. 
Rather than condemn it before it even starts, it seems to me it would 
be appropriate to give it a chance to succeed. If it could succeed, it 
would be an enormous step forward in the war on terror.
  Finally, let me say, it is no accident we have not been attacked 
again here for the last 5 years. I hope no one believes that is a quirk 
of fate. The reason we have not been attacked again here at home for 
the last 5 years is because we have been on offense in Afghanistan and 
Iraq. Many of the terrorists are now dead, many are incarcerated, 
others are hiding and on the run.
  The policy of being on offense has been 100 percent successful in 
protecting our homeland, and we are grateful for that, that no 
Americans have been attacked for 5 years.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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