[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 74 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5623-S5624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, nearly a week has passed since the President 
vetoed a bipartisan proposal that fully funded our troops and also 
changed course in Iraq so we could responsibly end the war.
  Although the President's actions thwarted the will of the American 
people, very clearly, they--the American people--deserve to know what 
their leaders in Congress are doing. We are alerting them that we, as 
congressional leaders, are doing everything we can to work toward an 
agreement on an emergency supplemental funding bill that will make 
America more secure, fully fund our troops, and responsibly change 
course in Iraq.
  Our proposal called for a change in the mission and the phased 
redeployment of U.S. combat troops no later than October 1 of this 
year.
  A bipartisan majority of the House and Senate made it clear they 
believe a timeline for the reduction of combat operations will compel 
the Iraqi Government to take responsibility for their own country, will 
reduce the specter of occupation, and will allow our forces to come 
home.

[[Page S5624]]

  The American people believe this overwhelmingly. But now there are 
signs the Republican leadership in Congress is beginning to think a 
timeline is necessary as well. According to the L.A. Times, House 
Republican Leader John Boehner said:

       Mr. Bush risks defections in the fall if the war situation 
     hasn't improved.
       By the time we get to September or October, members are 
     going to want to know how well this is working, and if it 
     isn't, what's Plan B.

  The House Republican leader now seems to be saying that he and his 
colleagues agree there must be a time limit on the President's current 
course in Iraq.
  What is also revealing, and somewhat disturbing, is the Republican 
leader is willing to allow our troops to stay in Iraq with a failing 
strategy until he and his colleagues decide it is time to part with the 
President.
  President Bush--the same President who vetoed our plan--said this as 
a candidate about his predecessor, Bill Clinton, and the war in Bosnia, 
in 1999:

       I think it's important for the president to lay out a 
     timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they 
     would be withdrawn.

  We hope President Bush will keep his own past words in mind as these 
negotiations continue.
  We are pleased to see the House Republican leader, speaking on behalf 
of his caucus, adopt our view that this commitment in Iraq must not be 
open-ended, that there must be a timeline. It is surely no coincidence 
that his views come at a time when conditions in Iraq grow worse.
  I am reminded of the Easter sermon of Pope Benedict, delivered only a 
month ago. The Pope said:

       How many wounds--how much suffering there is in the world.

  He continued:

       Nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual 
     slaughter as the civilian population flees.

  Since those words were spoken, conditions have indeed deteriorated.
  In April, our troops suffered the deadliest month of the year and one 
of the deadliest of the entire 51 months of the war.
  The President's own Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction 
released its quarterly report last weekend that painted a dispiriting 
picture of waste, ineffectiveness, and failure to achieve even 
minimally satisfactory results.
  Despite burning through most of the 20 billion American dollars 
planned for reconstruction, many Iraqis are without basic necessities 
such as electricity and clean drinking water. Of course, oil production 
is down. Only a third of Iraqi children are attending school. Seventy 
percent of the kids are suffering from symptoms of trauma that could 
paralyze an entire generation that we are counting on to harvest the 
seeds of democracy.
  Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki is accused of sabotaging efforts for 
peace and stability by firing some of the country's top law enforcement 
officials for doing too good a job of combating violent Shiite 
militias.
  President Bush speaks of pressuring the Iraqi people to take 
responsibility for their own future. Yet while American troops are 
fighting and dying to secure the country, the Iraqi Government is 
planning a 2-month summer vacation.
  Yesterday, eight more courageous American soldiers fell; four the day 
before. I have no doubt these developments weighed on Leader Boehner's 
mind when he made his comments suggesting a fall timeline to the war in 
Iraq. But I know he is not alone. Many of my Republican friends across 
the aisle feel strongly that a change of course in our Iraq strategy is 
needed--one that holds the administration and the Iraqis accountable 
for real results. Many of my Republican friends across the aisle feel 
it is time for change. This is the time. I know many of my Republican 
friends also intend to be part of the solution on the way forward, and 
I look forward to working with them. We all look forward to continuing 
negotiations, which we will work on today. I have spoken to Chairman 
Obey today. I talked to him Friday. I will continue to talk to him 
every day until we reach agreement on a bill that fully funds the 
troops while providing a responsible new course that makes America more 
secure.
  No one wants to succeed in Iraq and make America more secure than I.

                          ____________________