[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 162 (Wednesday, October 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, last week marked the 5-year anniversary 
of President Bush's signing the Congressional resolution that 
authorized him to use military force in Iraq. That resolution has 
proved to be a disaster for our country, opening the door to a war that 
has undermined our top national security priority, the fight against 
al-Qaida and its affiliates.
  More than 5 years after the authorization of war, America is mired in 
a conflict that continues to have no end in sight. Nearly 4,000 of our 
soldiers have died and more than 27,000 have been wounded. Hundreds of 
thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed, if not more, and at 
least 4.5 million have been displaced from their homes. The region is 
more unstable, and our credibility throughout the international 
community has been significantly damaged.
  We have spent over a half trillion dollars and stretched our military 
to the breaking point. Who knows how many more billions will be spent 
and how many brave Americans will die while the President pursues a 
military solution to problems that can only be solved by a political 
settlement in Iraq.
  At the same time, al-Qaida has reconstituted itself along the 
Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and has developed new affiliates 
around the globe. Al-Qaida has been strengthened, not weakened, since 
we authorized military action against, and then want to war in, Iraq.
  Indeed, this senseless war has made us more vulnerable, not more 
secure. Yet it continues endlessly with only a small token drawdown of 
forces expected in the coming months, and no timeline from this 
administration as to when more troops will come home.
  The American people know this war does not make sense. They expect us 
to do everything in our power to end it. Now that does not mean 
neglecting domestic priorities, and there are plenty of those to 
address, but it does mean we cannot, in good conscience, simply put 
Iraq on the back burner. We cannot simply tell ourselves and our 
constituents we have done everything we could. Finding the votes to end 
this war is not an easy task, but for the sake of the country, we must 
keep trying. I, for one, am not prepared to say, in late October, with 
weeks to go before we adjourn for the year, that Iraq can wait until we 
come back in 2008. Believe me, the administration and its supporters 
would like nothing better than to change the subject from Iraq. Every 
time we insist on debates and votes on Iraq, they complain loudly that 
we are taking time away from the country's true priorities. But as we 
were reminded last November, however, ending the disastrous Iraq war is 
one of the American people's top priorities. It may well be their top 
priority, and we owe it to them to make it our top priority as well.
  While the administration continues to refuse to acknowledge that we 
have severely strayed off course, the war drags on and on, and more 
brave American soldiers are being wounded or killed. But it is not only 
the President and his administration that is at fault; many of my 
colleagues here in Congress have expressed concerns about the war but 
refuse to take real action to end it. They have prevented Congress from 
acting to secure our country and restore our global leadership.
  I will not stand idly by while this mistaken war continues. I will 
continue working to end this war and bring our troops home. I will 
continue looking in the days and weeks ahead for opportunities to 
debate and vote on ending the war, this year, and, if necessary, next 
as well.
  My colleagues may complain, they may be inconvenienced, they may 
prefer to focus on other matters. But this Congress has no greater 
priority than making right the mistake it made more than 5 years ago 
when it authorized this misguided war.
  I do not want to have to come to the floor again in a year to mark 
another anniversary of the war's authorization, and to again implore my 
colleagues to act. I do not want the American people to lose faith in 
their elected leaders for pursuing a war they rightly oppose. I do not 
want more American troops to be killed for a war that does not serve 
our national security interests.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
  Mr. WYDEN. I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in morning business.

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