[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


IN RECOGNITION OF THE 2007 CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION ANNUAL 
 LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE--THE IRAQ WAR: THE COSTS, THE LESSONS, AND THE 
                                 FUTURE

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 2007 
Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference, the speakers 
who presented at the forum I hosted on the war, and the reason I 
selected the war for an issue forum.
  On September 28, 2007, I hosted a forum to address issues related to 
the costs, lessons and future of the Iraq war. I was honored to have as 
my speakers: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Reverend James Forbes, 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Eugene Robinson, Senator Jim Webb, and 
General Anthony Zinni. I thank each of them for taking time to share 
their views on these important topics. I also wish to thank all of the 
people who attended the forum and those who watched it live via the 
Internet.
  This is the fifth time in a row I held a forum on the war for the 
annual legislative conference. I decided once again to focus on the war 
for several reasons. There is a continuous need to explain to the 
American people why the war has not ceased yet. Americans are utterly 
confused about the politics as well as the rationale for continuing. 
Day in and day out Americans hear rhetoric versus solid withdraw plans 
and solutions. Americans are outraged and tired of the loss of life and 
other human tragedies associated with fighting the war. The human, 
financial, spiritual, and loss of reputation cost for our great country 
is immeasurable. I will continue to express my opposition to the war 
and work to bring it to an end.
  The forum speakers were phenomenal and provided their ideas on how 
America got in the war and how America can get out. Specifically, Dr. 
Dyson, a professor at Georgetown University, eloquently encouraged the 
audience to speak out against the war and described the similarities in 
the Bush's administration response to hurricane Katrina to the handling 
of the Iraq war. Rev. James Forbes, Jr., founder of the Healing of the 
Nations Foundation, passionately spoke about the moral failures of the 
war. Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, discussed the 
difficulties she faced in opposing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
Eugene Robinson, a Washington Post columnist, discussed the 
administration's use of fear to build support for the war. Senator Jim 
Webb of Virginia, emphasized the need for the U.S. to get out of Iraq 
and addressed issues related to fraud, waste, and abuse. General Zinni, 
a former commander of U.S. forces, explained the U.S. interests in Iraq 
and discussed his ideas on how the U.S. can get out of Iraq.
  I would like to express heartfelt thanks to the Congressional Black 
Caucus Foundation chair, Congressman Kendrick Meek, and the 
Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, for 
all their hard work to organize the annual legislative conference, 
which provides members of the Congressional Black Caucus an opportunity 
to highlight issues that impact the lives of Americans. The information 
shared by the speakers was informative and provided another outlet for 
critics of the war to openly express their views.

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