[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. CHET EDWARDS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 16, 2007

  Mr. EDWARDS. Madam Speaker, there are two fundamental questions we 
face in voting on this resolution: First, is it appropriate for 
Congress to express its views on the escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq? 
And second, is the escalation the best use of military forces in our 
war on terrorism?
  First let me say that it is wrong for anyone in this debate to 
question the patriotism of someone on the other side of that issue. 
That tactic was tried by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. It was 
wrong then, it is wrong now.
  In our democracy, there is nothing patriotic about questioning the 
patriotism of someone with an opposing view. We all love our country; 
we all support our troops; and we all want to defend America from 
terrorism.
  On the appropriateness of this resolution being before the House, I 
believe this debate is consistent with our Founding Fathers' deep 
commitment to the constitutional checks and balances of government. 
They chose to make the President our Commander in Chief of the Armed 
Forces. At the same time, they chose not to give the President the 
authority to declare war or to fund a war. Those solemn 
responsibilities were given to the Congress in article I of the 
Constitution.
  It is noteworthy that on the most solemn act of government, to put 
citizens into harm's way, our Founding Fathers clearly chose to put in 
place constitutional checks and balances on the executive branch. This 
resolution is a proper exercise of that constitutional principle, 
especially given this war has now lasted longer than America's 
involvement in World War II, with no end in sight. Blind allegiance to 
the executive branch is not a constitutional principle.
  The second question before us is whether the escalation in Iraq is 
the best use of U.S. military forces in our war on terrorism.
  After nearly 4 years of combat, two facts are indisputable: First, 
our service men and women have served our Nation with courage and 
professionalism. They and their families have sacrificed above and 
beyond the call of duty, and I salute them.
  Second; there have been major mistakes made by policymakers in 
Washington that have complicated at every step the challenges our 
troops have faced in Iraq, dead wrong intelligence on weapons of mass 
destruction and Iraq's involvement with September 11; rejecting General 
Shinseki's call to send an adequate amount of troops to Iraq in 2003, 
the disbanding of the Iraqi Army, the de-Baathification process, 
inadequate armor for our troops; and the repeated assertion that the 
insurgency was on its last leg, despite facts to the contrary.

  Given mistakes made in the build-up to this war and its management, 
and the enormity of this issue in terms of lives at risk and our 
Nation's future, it is time for Congress to give a voice to the clear 
majority of the American people who oppose escalation in Iraq.
  Since the President has already started the escalation, I personally 
hope and pray that he is right, and that more U.S. troops in Iraq will 
lead to long-term stability there. However, in good conscience, I must 
express my profound concerns for this policy for several reasons.
  First; I believe until the Iraqi government creates a government that 
is respected by Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, no amount of U.S. forces can 
stop sectarian violence there in the long run.
  Second; I want U.S. forces fighting terrorists, not standing on 
street corners in Baghdad as target practice for Sunnis and Shiites 
locked into deep-rooted sectarian violence.
  Third; I believe it is necessary to send a blunt wake-up call to the 
Iraqi political leaders that America has sacrificed our sons and 
daughters and hundreds of billions of dollars for their nation, but we 
will not do so forever for an incompetent government that is rife with 
corruption and sectarian bias. This is not a test of America's will, 
rather, it is a test of the Iraqi government's will to make the tough 
choices to ensure its nation's own future.
  Fourth; with the increasingly serious situation in Afghanistan, where 
al Qaeda and the Taliban are resurging, we will definitely need 
additional U.S. troops there to prevent the kind of chaos that is 
rampant in Iraq.
  For these reasons, I believe this resolution is the appropriate and 
right thing to do. This resolution will send an unequivocal message to 
the Iraqi political leaders that the time to end their corruption, 
incompetence and sectarian favoritism is now.
  When that message is truly heard, then and only then will there be 
real hope for stable and lasting peace in Iraq.
  I urge support of this resolution.

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