[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 112 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1521]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RESPONSIBLE REDEPLOYMENT FROM IRAQ ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2007

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Responsible 
Redeployment from Iraq Act.
  It is long past time for a change of direction in Iraq. For far too 
long, this institution merely acted as a rubber stamp and never asked 
the hard questions necessary of the Administration.
  That begins to change today. The passage of this bill will require 
the Administration to confront the consequences of their bad choices 
and, more importantly, set us on a responsible path for ending our 
involvement in Iraq.
  This legislation would begin the responsible redeployment of U.S. 
troops within 120 days and complete redeployment by April 1, 2008. In 
addition, troops could remain in Iraq for the limited purposes of 
fighting terrorism or to train Iraqi forces.
  This bill is a measured response to the quagmire we find ourselves 
in. As has been clear for some time, Iraq is currently engulfed in a 
vicious civil war. This strife between Sunnis and Shiites goes back 
1400 years and the American people never signed up for refereeing a 
civil war.
  Moreover, this bill expressly allows for our troops to remain in the 
region for the purposes of fighting terrorism or to train Iraqi forces.
  Our enemy in this conflict is Al Qaeda. They are the ones who 
attacked us on 9/11, they are the ones who declared war on the United 
States, and they are the ones we were told were in Iraq. This bill 
allows our troops to do whatever is necessary to root out Al Qaeda and 
ensure they will not be able to use Iraqi territory as a safe haven.
  Moreover, by augmenting our ability to train Iraqi police forces, 
this bill places the onus for Iraqi security squarely where it 
belongs--on the Iraqis themselves. This Administration has only given 
lip-service to the importance of training Iraqi soldiers and has 
allowed the bulk of the security responsibility to rest on the 
shoulders of our brave American men and women.
  This is not only unfair, it is counterproductive. We keep hearing--
``we'll stand down when the Iraqis stand up.'' This bill, by beginning 
the belated shift of responsibility from the American military to the 
Iraqis, will finally force the Iraqis to stand up.
  As many have said, the problem of Iraq will not be solved militarily. 
No less than our military commander in Iraq--General Petraeus--has said 
that Iraq will not be solved with military means. Only by engaging the 
full weight of our diplomacy we will be able to force the political 
compromises necessary that will bring some measure of stability to 
Iraq. This bill, by redeploying our troops and thus signaling our 
recognition of the importance of diplomacy, will finally put the Iraqis 
on a path towards peace.
  The time is now. The American people are clamoring for a change in 
our Iraq policy and, despite the recalcitrance of the Administration, a 
change in policy will come. After close to 5 years, billions of dollars 
spent, thousands of our soldiers dead, maimed, or wounded--we simply 
must chart a new course.
  As always, this Congress stands ready to work the President to find a 
bipartisan solution to Iraq. However, veto threats and refusals to deal 
with the reality on the ground are no longer tolerable. We must all 
negotiate an end to this conflict in good faith with a clear and honest 
recognition of the challenges we face. For my part, I stand ready to 
work with my colleagues to engage in such a constructive dialogue.
  Mr. Speaker, let's end this. Let's bring our soldiers home and thank 
them for a job well done. Let's pass the Responsible Redeployment Act.

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