[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 98 (Monday, June 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H6634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              THE IRAQ WAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Klein of Florida). Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, last week President Bush defended his war in 
Iraq saying it would be a disaster if we left. Well, if the President 
doesn't know it by now, we already have a disaster on our hands.
  Allow me to read a few headlines from the past week to give everyone 
a sense of how well the war is progressing:
  The Washington Post, June 18, 2007, General Petraeus: ``Iraq 
'Challenges' to Last for Years.''
  New York Times, June 16, 2007, ``In Iraq Secretary Gates Says 
Progress Toward Peace is Lagging.''
  New York Times, June 13, 2007, ``Violence Rising in Much of Iraq, 
Pentagon Says.''
  MSNBC.com, March 17, 2006, ``Cost of Iraq War could surpass $1 
trillion. Of course, the estimates vary but all agree price is far 
higher than initially expected.''
  A Pentagon report released last week gave a grim outlook of the 
situation in Iraq. While the number of U.S. troops on the ground 
reached a record high as a result of the President's so-called troop 
surge, violence in Iraq has continued to increase. In fact, since the 
surge was announced, 500 American troops have been killed. According to 
the report, much of the violence that plagues Iraq is attributable to 
``sectarian friction and each faction is driven by its own political 
and economic power relationships.''
  Further, ``Illegally armed groups are engaged in a cycle of sectarian 
and politically motivated violence, using tactics that include 
indiscriminate bombing, murder, executions and indirect fire to 
intimidate and provoke sectarian conflict.''
  Simply put, Iraq is a full-fledged civil war.
  The number of suicide attacks in Iraq has increased from 26 in 
January to 58 in March and April. Remember IEDs, that is, improvised 
explosive devices? Now insurgents are increasingly using a more 
advanced type of IED called EFPs, or explosively formed projectiles, to 
kill our soldiers. These new bombs are being used in rapidly increasing 
numbers and are extremely effective at piercing the armor of our 
Humvees, tanks, and troop transports, causing mass casualties. As of 
today, there have been 3,526 U.S. deaths; there have been 26,000 
Americans wounded, some very serious; 60,000 to 100,000 Iraqi civilians 
have died; and there are over 1,000 attacks per week, on average, and 
steadily growing.
  We have spent over $435 billion of taxpayer money. The total cost to 
our economy could be upwards of $1 trillion to $2 trillion.
  It is time to face the facts. Bombs and bullets have not and will not 
bring us peace in Iraq.
  In January, I, along with my colleagues Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey, 
introduced H.R. 508, the ``Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty 
Restoration Act of 2007.'' This bill repeals the authorization of force 
in Iraq, requires a complete withdrawal of troops within 6 months, and 
puts Iraq on a path to sovereignty and peace. This bill seeks to end 
the cycle of violence that has plagued Iraq since we began this 
occupation.
  There is bipartisan opposition to the war in Iraq, and a majority of 
Americans not only think President Bush is doing a poor job handling 
the situation in Iraq, but a majority also support setting a timetable 
for withdrawal. Our constituents sent us a strong message in November 
and continue to demand an end to this war.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that we in Congress have the courage to bring 
this war in Iraq to an end.

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