[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 13, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  BOTH PARTIES SUPPORT TROOPS EVEN THOUGH WE VOICE OPPOSITION TO BUSH 
                                  PLAN

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Congress has a responsibility to the 
American people and to our troops bravely serving our Nation in Iraq to 
debate the President's plan to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq.
  Today this House will begin debate on a bipartisan resolution 
supporting our troops and voicing disapproval with the President's 
plan. I want to say, Mr. Speaker, it really concerns me that some of 
the Republicans on the other side this morning talked about this debate 
as silly and tried to trivialize a debate that involves our troops who 
are fighting, some of whom are dying in Iraq.
  Our own intelligence agencies released a report earlier this month 
saying that the war in Iraq is not a civil war, it is worse, with 
numerous groups killing each other to gain the upper hand. Four times 
before, the President has sent thousands of additional troops to Iraq, 
and each time the situation on the ground either remained the same or 
grew even more dangerous. Could that be why our generals concluded, 
before being let go by this President, that sending more troops to Iraq 
simply will not help the situation?
  Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to ask the tough questions this week so 
we can begin taking our Iraq strategy in a new direction.

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