[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 24 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1405]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE PROPOSED TROOP ESCALATION IN IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman 
from Georgia on his legislation, and I look forward to working with him 
on those efforts with many others here in the House.
  When the American people and this Congress stand in unity, great 
change is possible. Last fall from every corner of our Nation, we spoke 
loud and clear to demand an end to the Bush administration's open-ended 
stay-the-course policy in Iraq and start a new direction. That unity 
has changed control of this very Congress, led to the departure of 
Secretary Rumsfeld, helped drive the bipartisan consensus behind the 
Iraq Study Group recommendations.
  Yet the Bush administration, in response, proposes another 
escalation, a so-called surge. As I said last month on this floor, the 
escalation plan flies in the face of military experts, of the 
bipartisan Iraq Study Group, Democratic and Republican leaders in this 
Congress, and the American public. This Congress has a solemn duty to 
listen and take action.
  Recently, the mother of a young soldier being deployed back to Iraq 
told me, Congressman Carnahan, I am one of those mothers who is against 
the war in Iraq. But my son volunteered to serve his country. Please be 
sure they get the support and equipment they need to come home quickly 
and safely.
  That mother's heartfelt request is a powerful example of our national 
unity and resolve to support our troops and oppose the escalation 
policy that is not making the Iraqi Government more self-reliant, not 
making the Middle East region more stable, and not making our country 
safer.
  Next week, after this Iraq war has extended longer even than World 
War II, this Congress will have an historic, long, and thorough debate 
about the escalation plan. I believe the result will be a bipartisan 
vote reflecting the reality that a fourth U.S. escalation is the wrong 
direction for our country.
  When this Congress acts in unison with the American people, great 
change is possible. In the weeks and months ahead, I believe this 
Congress will undertake its constitutional responsibilities with all 
seriousness and dispatch to continue this solemn debate, to exercise 
detailed oversight, and to use the tools available to us to change the 
direction of the war, to support our troops, to de-escalate the war, 
and to escalate the political solution in Iraq.
  Working together, great change is possible.

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