[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 6, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1617-S1620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I have been periodically tuning in today 
during committee hearings and other work we do around here on some of 
the debate surrounding whether we are going to have a debate on Iraq. 
It is hard for the average American out there who may be watching C-
SPAN to understand whether there is any sanity in this place, whether 
we are really rational individuals running the Senate.
  This is supposed to be the most deliberative body, as we keep calling 
ourselves, in the world. The function of the Senate is to debate and to 
discuss, sometimes ad nauseam, different measures. Sometimes we can 
debate for a long time around here. People in this country wonder what 
is happening here that the Republicans won't even allow debate on the 
most important single issue confronting America today: the war in Iraq 
and the escalation.
  I make it clear from the outset to those who may be watching, to try 
to clear it up as much as possible, the Republicans, through 
parliamentary maneuvers and through their vote yesterday, will not even 
allow the Senate to

[[Page S1618]]

debate Iraq. I can talk on it if I want to. Of course, I can. But they 
will not allow us to go to a debate on the Warner resolution, which has 
very strong bipartisan support, and has a majority of the votes in the 
Senate.
  We are faced with an unusual situation which I don't know has ever 
occurred here before. A matter which is life and death for so many of 
our young men and women--disrupting families, causing untold drain on 
our Federal Treasury, not just now but for years in the future, causing 
us to lose friends and allies around the world--and we can't even 
debate it. But that is the situation in which we find ourselves.
  I can tell you, over the last few weeks I have had thousands contact 
my office through e-mails and phone calls. I must say, the vast 
majority, the overwhelming majority, oppose the President's escalation 
and the war in Iraq.
  Over the last 24 hours, since yesterday, much of their anger and 
focus has been not so much on the President and his misguided policies 
but on the Republicans in the Senate who won't allow Members to debate 
the issue. As one said, we debate this in our workplace, we debate it 
in the parking lot, we debate it after church on Sunday, we debate it 
with our neighbors, in our clubs, at the bowling alleys, but you guys 
can't debate it in the Senate? They just cannot believe that Republican 
Senators are blocking debate on the No. 1 issue before our Nation.

  In a nutshell, what callers are saying to my office is that Senators 
have a right if they want to support the President's position on the 
war in Iraq. They have a right to embrace his escalation of the war, 
but they do not have a right to block legitimate debate in the Senate 
on whether the escalation is wise or appropriate. They do not have the 
right to silence the voices of tens of millions of Americans who have 
had enough of our quagmire in Iraq.
  People in Iowa, and I suspect across the country, are saying the 
election last November was a referendum on the war. Voters spoke loudly 
and clearly; they want our troops out of the civil war in Iraq. I 
imagine the American people probably thought their elected leaders in 
Washington got the message. Well, maybe they see now that the 
Republican minority in the Senate does not even care about what 
happened in the election. They want to escalate the war. But that is 
fine. If that is their choice, that is their choice. But what should 
not be their choice is to silence debate by a majority of Senators who 
oppose the escalation in Iraq.
  I think this is what got people so upset and are calling and e-
mailing my office. People in this country, in times of crisis such as 
this, are always way ahead of the politicians. They know that by voting 
against debating the war, the Republican Senators have voted to endorse 
President Bush's escalation of that war.
  It is one thing for Republican Senators to ignore the Iraq Study 
Group's recommendations. It is one thing for Republican Senators to 
ignore the results of the November election. It is one thing for them 
to ignore all the warnings of the generals last year. But what is 
unacceptable is that Republicans in the Senate refuse to listen to the 
families of soldiers who are being asked to put their lives on the line 
for this last and reckless roll of the dice in Iraq.
  Among those being committed to the escalation are more than 600 
soldiers from the Iowa Army National Guard. Many of them are from the 
1st Battalion of the 133rd Infantry headquartered in Waterloo, IA. 
Other units are from Dubuque, Iowa Falls, Charles City, and Oelwein. 
These soldiers have been deployed since early last year in Anbar 
Province, the most violent region in Iraq.
  These soldiers were supposed to come home in the spring. But just 1 
day after the President announced his escalation, they learned they 
would not be coming home. Instead, their combat tour in Iraq would be 
extended to 16 months. Think about that--nearly a year and a half in 
the middle of some of the most deadly combat in Iraq. To make matters 
worse, as we now know, many of the soldiers and their families learned 
about it through the media before they were officially notified.
  I want to make it clear, I know some of these members of the Iowa 
Army National Guard. They are disciplined professionals. Even those who 
I know profoundly disagree with this escalation, I know they will do 
their duty. And they are doing their duty in Iraq. They deserve our 
profound respect and admiration. But they deserve to be listened to. 
And their families deserve to be listened to.
  From the letters, e-mails, and phone calls I have gotten, people are 
outraged that Republicans are not allowing the Senate to even debate 
the escalation.
  We got some e-mails in, and I started reading some of them. I asked 
my staff to contact them to see if I could read them on the Senate 
floor. I would not want to read an e-mail on the floor unless I had 
permission from the sender.
  So I have three letters I am going to read because they are so 
profound. One is from Barbara--I will not use the last name--in Iowa 
whose husband is with the 133rd Infantry. This is what she writes:

       Senator Harkin: I sit here to write this letter, not 
     knowing why since I'm feeling like no one cares anymore or 
     will be able to do anything about it. I am a 41 year old 
     woman, (as of today), a military wife of 23 years and a 
     mother of 3. My husband is a proud member of the 1-133rd 
     Infantry. This unit was called up to serve in the Sinai for 9 
     months from April 2003 until January of 2004. Just a short 18 
     months later they were ripped away from their families once 
     again to be a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They are 
     currently serving in Iraq and have been gone for 16 months so 
     far on this mission. The soldiers and the families have 
     finally been feeling like we were seeing the light at the end 
     of the tunnel. As the new year began we all started our 
     countdown for our reunions expected for the first part of 
     April. Three days ago, our worlds came crashing down once 
     again as we learned that our loved ones would not be coming 
     home in April, but were being extended until August, thus 
     being deployed for almost 2 years by the time they return. I 
     am angry, I am devastated! How could this happen? How could 
     you let this happen? How could this be right? I have lost all 
     hope and faith in our government. I don't understand much 
     about politics so my biggest question is if so many people 
     are against this war and the increase of troops being sent 
     over then why is the president not listening? Doesn't he 
     care? I voted for him and believed in him and he has let me 
     down. I attended a meeting that was to discuss this extension 
     and we were told some good things were happening for the 
     future for the guards. Limited times of 12 months being 
     deployed and 5 years in between call ups. Even though I am so 
     happy for these changes for the future, you have to 
     understand that 700 families are devastated right now, 
     feeling left out, and not cared for because this doesn't help 
     our soldiers or us right now. Please, please think about the 
     effects this is having on our soldiers and their families. We 
     all have given so much and though we are proud to have been 
     part of serving our country, it's time for our soldiers to 
     come home. Please bring them home.
       Sincerely,
       Barbara

  The next letter is from Jodi in Iowa. She said:

       I have a 20 year old son who has put his life on hold for 
     the past 18 months. He left after only two weeks of his 
     freshman year of college. He deployed to Iraq last April and 
     was due to come home in three months. Now we are told he is 
     to stay another 4 months. I have seen no progress in the 
     Iraqi war and can not justify my son losing another 4 months 
     of his life. I feel it is the lower and middle class people 
     who are providing the men and women who are fighting this 
     war. How many of your fellow congressmen have sons, 
     daughters, husbands, wives, nieces or nephews serving in this 
     war? I have a son, a nephew and a niece in Iraq. They joined 
     the Guard for money so they could attend college, not 
     because they were eager to go to war. They were assured 
     when they signed up that they would not need to worry 
     about being deployed. They do not want nor do we want them 
     to stay longer than what they were told when they left 
     last April. Please help bring my son home. He has served 
     his time and his country and served it well.
       Sincerely,
       Jodi

  Last, I will read a letter from Nikole:

       Dear Senator Harkin:
       I write to you as the wife of a soldier in the 1-133. My 
     husband, SSG Nicholas . . . , has been stationed in Iraq 
     since the end of March 2006. He also trained at Camp Shelby, 
     Mississippi for five months prior. He was to come home at the 
     beginning of April; however, he has now been extended for an 
     additional four months.
       My husband and I have been married for almost six years. He 
     was in the US Army when we married and then joined the Iowa 
     National Guard after exiting the service to continue to serve 
     his country. My husband is 27 years old. He has served eight 
     years in the military. Before his deployment he was a junior 
     at Iowa State University majoring in Community Regional 
     Planning and had plans to attend graduate school.
       Our lives have been put on hold during this deployment. We 
     both went into the deployment knowing that it would be 
     difficult, but

[[Page S1619]]

     we knew that our love would allow us to make it through. Our 
     motivation was the ability to secure our future with 
     financial freedom.

  Think about that: ``Our motivation was the ability to secure our 
future with financial freedom.''

       We planned to purchase our first house with the money that 
     we saved.
       During his two-week leave in September, we began building a 
     new home. The house was to be finished in February. This 
     would allow me time to move in and decorate just in time for 
     his return. It was PERFECT timing. We would be able to pick 
     up our lives and move on.
       As you can imagine, we were both extremely disappointed to 
     hear the news that he would be extended for an additional 
     four months, already a longer time than any other unit 
     deployed to Iraq.
       I have not only lost my husband. I have lost my very best 
     friend, my lover, my confident, my motivation and inspiration 
     for life, that one person that knows and understands me the 
     most. I am sure you can relate to someone in your own life.

  Sure, my wife.

       Now imagine that person being torn away from you for two 
     years and place them in harm's way in a war zone. I act tough 
     to my husband so that he will have one less thing to worry 
     about. However, it IS an act. I miss him. I need him. I am 
     falling apart.
       My intention is not to be rude, complain, and say nasty 
     comments. I am sure that you receive enough of those types of 
     letters. I just pray that our story can give you a glimpse 
     into our lives and the effect of the situation. I also pray 
     that by hearing a personal story you will reconsider and 
     allow the 1-133 to return home to their families, their 
     children, their jobs, and continue their lives as American 
     citizens.
       Sincerely,
       Nikole

  Mr. President, I took the time to read those three letters. If we do 
not speak for these families, who will? If we are not allowed to debate 
here, are their voices to be silenced? They do not have the right to 
come here on the Senate floor and speak. I have the right to read their 
letters, with their permission, but why can't we debate this and speak 
on behalf of them and so many other families in this country who want 
their stories told and who want an end to this quagmire in Iraq?
  They now know--people are so far ahead of us; they are so far ahead 
of the politicians around here--they know what is happening. They know 
that Iraq was a lie; it was a mistake. They know there was never any 
weapons of mass destruction. They know now that Saddam Hussein, however 
bad he was, was not involved in acts of terrorism against the United 
States--against his own people but not against the United States.
  They now know that what is happening in Iraq is a civil war. As I was 
told some years ago by a person from the Emirates--close to there--he 
said to me: Senator, you have to understand that Iraq was really three 
countries. It is just a figment of the British imagination that they 
put it together in the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War. 
He said: Really it is three countries, the Shias, the Sunnis, and the 
Kurds. He said: Furthermore, Senator, it is a civil war waiting to 
happen, and there is nothing you can do about it.
  Yes, maybe someone as ruthless as Saddam could put the lid on it for 
a while. And we would hope they would come to their senses and not have 
a civil war. They have had an election. They have a parliament. And now 
it is time for the Iraqis to take matters into their own hands. The 
longer we are there, the more involved we become, the more it becomes 
America's war against the Iraqis.
  I read the article in the Washington Post this morning about how our 
troops are now going door-to-door in Iraq, and they just bust in. They 
busted into the home of a woman who had a master's degree in English 
translation, whose husband was a major in the Iraqi Army. And she said: 
Why didn't you just have the courtesy to knock? I would have let you 
in.
  These soldiers are going into homes. They are going into bedrooms and 
looking under beds, tearing sheets off the beds, looking through 
dressers of people who have nothing to do with the war. These are just 
civilians and they happen to be caught in a zone.
  You wonder how they feel about us after something like that happens. 
One soldier was quoted in the paper this morning talking about his 
first tour of Iraq right after the invasion. He said: Things were fine. 
We went out with the Iraqi people. Now I go over there and they spit at 
us, every one of them.
  So the people of this country understand that this war was a terrible 
mistake from the beginning. It has been not only a mistake and a lie to 
get into it, it has been mismanaged from the very beginning. It has 
cost over 3,000 of our young men and women's lives. How many Iraqi 
lives? I am told the count is now way over 50,000, maybe as high as 
100,000, with millions more displaced from their homes, going into 
Jordan. That is going to cause a lot of unrest in Jordan with all the 
displaced people and refugees there.
  The answer is not to continue this miserable escalation the President 
wants to do. Everyone realizes this won't do it. It is just going to 
cause more misery, more suffering, cost more money, cost more lives.
  That is the kind of debate we want to have. But Republican Senators 
will not allow us to have the debate or even to have a vote on the 
resolution of disapproval. We have a duty to debate this escalation, to 
speak up when we believe the President's policy is wrong. We have a 
duty to speak up for families, such as the ones whose letters I read, 
and for the overwhelming majority of Americans who oppose this new 
escalation. It is unconscionable that Republicans leaders, at the 
behest of President Bush, are refusing to allow the Senate to debate 
the escalation in Iraq. It is time for them to listen to the American 
people and the families of our troops in the field. It is time to stop 
the obstruction, allow the Senate to debate the Warner resolution, and 
to have a vote. That is all we are asking for. Vote your conscience. If 
people want to vote to support the escalation, if they want to speak on 
behalf of it, that is their right as U.S. Senators. But I hope they 
don't realize they have a right to silence the voices of millions of 
Americans who are looking to us to do something, to bring some 
reasoning, some rational discourse, and some clear thinking to what is 
happening in Iraq and to confront the truth.
  As I said earlier, our young men and women are doing their duty. I 
know. I have an e-mail I received the other day from a young man in 
Iraq who has been there for quite a while. I won't use his name because 
I didn't ask his permission to use the e-mail. He said in his e-mail 
that he--I am not sure of the word--disagreed with the war. He said: 
This war is not winnable. The military cannot do this over here. But he 
is doing his job. He is putting himself in harm's way day after day. 
They realize this is a bad mistake. You think we would start realizing 
it around here, too.
  War is not the answer in Iraq. Diplomacy is, bringing in other 
countries. Does it mean we have to talk with Iran? I have no problem 
with that. The President once said he didn't want to talk to Iran 
because they were our enemies. I guess all we want to talk to is our 
friends. If I disagree with someone here, I want to talk to that 
person. I want to find out why. Is there any way we can reach 
resolution? So we ought to be talking with Syria and Jordan and Iran, 
Iraq, of course, Turkey, Syria--all the countries around there. We 
ought to be talking to them. And there ought to be a more concerted 
effort on the diplomatic side than there is on the military side. We 
are putting too much on the military and not enough on diplomacy. I 
would hope the Iraqis would come to their senses and not engage in a 
civil war, but that is their decision to make. We can't make it for 
them.
  The longer we are there, the worse it becomes. The longer we are 
there, the more and more Iraqis turn against us. More and more people 
in the Mideast turn against us. And more and more we lose our standing 
in the world community. I daresay we have precious few friends around 
the world today who are willing to stand with us. Prior to this war, 
after 9/11, the entire world was on our side. After those planes hit 
the Twin Towers and the one hit the Pentagon and the one went down in 
Pennsylvania which was probably coming here, the world was on our side. 
Countries all over the world--Muslim nations were on our side. Even 
Iran sent out some feelers to go after the Taliban. They didn't like 
the Taliban, either. And here we squandered it all, with the whole 
world on our side 5 years ago. Now we would be hard-pressed to find a 
few. They may be with us here and there on this or that, but

[[Page S1620]]

we know what they are saying about our involvement in Iraq. We know 
what they are saying about our standing in the world community. We know 
that. It is going to take a long time to rebuild it. The longer we 
persist in this unconscionable, unwinnable quagmire war in Iraq, the 
longer it is going to take us to get our standing back in the word 
community. Try we must. We need to bring this war to its conclusion.
  It is not losing the war. People say: We can't lose it. I wasn't in 
the Senate, but I was in the House of Representatives when the Vietnam 
war finally came to a close. We heard the same arguments then, that we 
can't afford to lose, that the whole of Southeast Asia would be in 
flames, communism would take over the Philippines, communism would take 
over Indonesia. We heard it time after time. Guess what. None of it 
happened. And you look back now and you go down here to the Vietnam 
Memorial wall and you read those names and you think about their 
sacrifice, families that were left behind, children, loved ones. You 
wonder what for. What for? They served their country proudly. They did 
their duty. But you wonder in the end, what was it for?

  I think, as we look back on this war in Iraq years from now, the 
thousands of Americans who have lost their lives, we will ask that same 
question: What for? Why? War is not the answer. Escalation is not the 
answer. We need to bring our troops home.
  Those on the other side are saying we ought to talk about cutting off 
funding. That is going to come. We are going to have a supplemental 
appropriations bill. It will be here probably in the next couple 
months. I, for one, am going to do everything I can to make sure we 
have some kind of amendment on that bill which will limit the 
President's ability to spend the taxpayers' money on the war in Iraq. 
After all, the Constitution gives us the power of the purse strings, 
not the President. If we want to say: Mr. President, you can spend the 
money to redeploy troops out of Iraq and to protect them while they are 
being deployed, you can do that, but you can't spend any of that money 
to send any more troops there and put them in harm's way and have them 
going door to door in Baghdad and have them be shot at by snipers, we 
will have that opportunity when the supplemental appropriations bill 
comes before us.
  Right now is time for us as a Senate to stand up and say whether we 
approve of the escalation or disapprove. Republican Senators on the 
other side of the aisle won't even give us that opportunity. I hope 
they hear from more families like the letters I just read. Maybe we 
will get that opportunity. It is time for us to quit shirking our 
responsibility, time for us to stand up and say whether we are for the 
escalation. I, for one, am not. Maybe others are for it. I think that 
is what we ought to debate, and that is what we ought to vote on.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________