[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 83 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4213-H4217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF LEBANON UNDER PRIME MINISTER 
                             FOUAD SINIORA

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1194) reaffirming the support of the House of 
Representatives for the legitimate, democratically-elected Government 
of Lebanon under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1194

       Whereas, on May 7, 2008, the terrorist group Hizballah, in 
     response to the justifiable exercise of authority by the 
     sovereign, democratically-elected Government of Lebanon, 
     initiated an unjustifiable insurrection by fomenting riots, 
     blocking roads, seizing buildings, and organizing marauding 
     groups of gunmen who took control of much of Beirut, 
     including the sites of key government institutions, and 
     provoked sectarian fighting elsewhere in Lebanon;
       Whereas, in the course of this ongoing insurrection 
     initiated by Hizballah, more than 80 Lebanese citizens have 
     been murdered and more than 250 have been wounded;
       Whereas, in the course of this fighting, Hizballah and 
     allied fighters attacked the residences of Future Party 
     leader Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader 
     Walid Jumblatt, both of whose parties are members of the 
     legitimate governing coalition under Prime Minister Fouad 
     Siniora;
       Whereas, in the course of their insurrection, Hizballah and 
     allied fighters forced the Future Party's television station 
     off the air and burned the building housing the Future 
     Party's newspaper;
       Whereas Hizballah and its allies have turned over some of 
     the areas they conquered in Beirut to the Lebanese Armed 
     Forces;
       Whereas key government institutions, including the prime 
     ministry, remain under siege, as do the residences of Saad 
     Hariri and Walid Jumblatt;
       Whereas the purpose of Hizballah's insurrection is to 
     intimidate the legitimate, democratically-elected Government 
     of Lebanon, the Lebanese Armed Forces, and other legitimate 
     Lebanese authorities, so that Hizballah will have maximum 
     freedom of military action, can deepen its control over its 
     ``state within a state'' in Shiite-dominated areas of 
     Lebanon, and can enhance its influence on Lebanese Government 
     decision-

[[Page H4214]]

     making in order to render Lebanon subservient to Iranian 
     foreign policy;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559, 
     1680, and 1701 affirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity, 
     unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole 
     and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559, 
     1680, and 1701 call for the disbanding and disarming of all 
     militias in Lebanon;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 
     insists that no country transfer arms into Lebanon other than 
     with the consent of the Government of Lebanon;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747 
     explicitly forbids Iran from transferring arms to any entity;
       Whereas Hizballah has contemptuously dismissed the 
     requirements of the United Nations Security Council by 
     refusing to disarm;
       Whereas Hizballah and its allies have repeatedly sought to 
     undermine the legitimate Government of Lebanon under Prime 
     Minister Siniora by preventing parliament from meeting and 
     blocking the election of a new President, leaving that office 
     vacant for the past half-year;
       Whereas, contrary to the explicit and binding mandates of 
     the United Nations Security Council, Iran continues to 
     provide training, arms, and funding to Hizballah;
       Whereas, contrary to the explicit and binding mandates of 
     the United Nations Security Council, Syria continues to 
     facilitate the transfer of arms to Hizballah via its 
     territory;
       Whereas Syria, through, inter alia, its support of 
     Hizballah's efforts to undermine Prime Minister Siniora, its 
     suspected campaign of assassinations of Lebanese leaders, its 
     minimal cooperation with the international investigation of 
     these assassinations, and its refusal to delineate its border 
     with Lebanon, shows every sign of wanting to control Lebanon 
     as it did prior to its April 2005 withdrawal;
       Whereas it is highly likely that Hizballah provoked the 
     recent fighting in Lebanon with the blessing of Syria and 
     Iran; and
       Whereas Hizballah and its Lebanese political allies 
     continue to pursue an agenda favoring foreign interests over 
     the will of the majority of Lebanese as expressed in a 
     legitimate and democratic election: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms its strong support for the legitimate, 
     democratically-elected Government of Lebanon under Prime 
     Minister Fouad Siniora;
       (2) expresses its profound sympathy to the people of 
     Lebanon, who have again been thrust unjustly, and against 
     their will, into a conflict initiated by Hizballah;
       (3) offers its condolences to all those in Lebanon who have 
     suffered displacement, injury, or death in their family, or 
     among their loved ones, as a consequence of Hizballah's 
     unjustifiable insurrection against the Government of Lebanon;
       (4) condemns--
       (A) Hizballah's illegitimate assault on the sovereign 
     Government of Lebanon, which has led to the worst sectarian 
     warfare in that country since the civil war from 1975 to 
     1990;
       (B) Hizballah for its unprovoked attacks against Lebanese 
     leaders, citizens, and against Lebanese public and private 
     institutions and for its illegal occupation of territory 
     under the sovereignty of the Government of Lebanon; and
       (C) Syria and Iran for illegally transferring arms and 
     providing other forms of military support to Hizballah, in 
     clear violation of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolutions 1559, 1680, 1701, and 1747;
       (5) demands that Hizballah immediately cease its attacks 
     and withdraw from all areas in Beirut and elsewhere in 
     Lebanon that it has occupied since May 7, 2008, as a first 
     step towards its total disarmament; and
       (6) urges--
       (A) the United States Government and the international 
     community to immediately take all appropriate actions to 
     support and strengthen the legitimate Government of Lebanon 
     under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora;
       (B) the United Nations Security Council to--
       (i) condemn Syria and Iran for their blatant violation of 
     United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1680, and 
     1701;
       (ii) condemn Iran for its violation of Chapter-VII-based 
     United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747; and
       (iii) as part of sanctions on Iran for violating Chapter-
     VII-based United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747, 
     prohibit all air traffic between Iran and Lebanon and between 
     Iran and Syria;
       (C) every country controlling possible transit routes from 
     Iran to Lebanon to impose the strictest possible controls on 
     the movement of Iranian vehicles, airplanes, and goods to 
     ensure that Iran is not exploiting its land and airspace for 
     the purpose of illegally transferring arms to Hizballah and 
     other terrorist groups; and
       (D) the European Union, in light of recent and earlier 
     Hizballah actions, to designate Hizballah as a terrorist 
     group and to treat it accordingly.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Ackerman) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution 
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman Berman for his 
leadership in getting this vitally important resolution to the floor so 
quickly. It's extremely important that the House be on record telling 
the brave men and women who fought and died defending Lebanon's 
independence and sovereignty that America has not forgotten you and 
will not abandon you.
  While many in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, are trying to 
make sense of what has happened, I believe that it is critical that 
they know that the United States and the U.S. Congress still strongly 
support the democratically elected and legitimate Government of 
Lebanon, that we will stand behind its efforts to fully restore 
Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and that the future of Lebanon 
is not with Iranian and Syrian sponsored thugs and bullies, but with 
the decent people of Lebanon of every sect and confession who only want 
the normal and peaceful life for themselves, for their children, and 
for their country.
  Mr. Speaker, just as Hezbollah sucked Lebanon into its conflict with 
Israel in 2006 by hiding behind its women and children, they have now 
forced the Lebanese people to endure their war against the Lebanese 
state. The insurrection by Hezbollah was unjustified, illegitimate, and 
immoral. No conceivable Lebanese interest was served by it. Only the 
goals of Iran and Syria were advanced by Hezbollah and its allies' 
assault on the sovereignty of the Lebanese Government.
  The pretense that Hezbollah is an authentic Lebanese political actor 
has fallen away, and in the arrogance of power they have declared their 
true allegiance. It is not to Lebanon, and it is not even to the 
Lebanese Shia. Their loyalty is to Iran and Syria, and to the needs and 
interests of Tehran and Damascus. In their Lebanese puppet state, 
Ayatollah Khamenei will be the true president and Bashar al-Assad the 
real prime minister.
  We have seen this kind of fraud before in the 20th century. The 
culmination was called the Warsaw Pact. But what was true in Europe in 
the Cold War remains true today in the Middle East--a captive nation is 
no true ally of its captor, and no amount of power can make a lie 
become the truth. And no amount of thuggery, torture, intimidation and 
murder can make Hezbollah anything other than the terrorist arm of 
foreign powers and an enemy of Lebanese independence and sovereignty.
  The United States and every other decent nation must continue to 
support the Government of Lebanon. The Lebanese Government was 
democratically elected, it is legitimate, and it deserves our aid. 
Justice must ultimately be done for those recently and unjustly killed, 
as well as all those Lebanese murdered for their support of Lebanese 
sovereignty going back to the assassination of former Prime Minister 
Rafic Hariri. I have said many times before, and I will keep repeating 
it, there must be no deal or arrangement that undercuts the Special 
Tribunal for Lebanon.
  Mr. Speaker, you either believe that Lebanon is a sovereign and 
independent state that is to be governed by and for the Lebanese people 
alone, or you don't. The overwhelming majority of Lebanese, whether 
they're Sunni, Shia, Maronite, Orthodox, Druse, or any other group, 
believe in this principle. The entire international community, with the 
reprehensible exceptions of Syria and Iran, believes in this principle. 
The United States certainly believes in it. Only Hezbollah, Amal, and 
the delusional Aounists do not. And that is why Lebanon has suffered 
and remains in pain today.

[[Page H4215]]

  I'm very proud of the resolution before us today. I strongly urge its 
adoption by the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 1194, which reaffirms America's 
support for the Government of Lebanon and condemns the violent Islamic 
group Hezbollah and its state sponsors, Iran and Syria, for undermining 
the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.
  For over two decades, Hezbollah and its state sponsors have done 
everything in their power to destroy any hope for a free and democratic 
Lebanon. In response, some have tried to compromise with Hezbollah to 
incorporate it into the Lebanese electoral system, to pretend that it 
is a group of Lebanese freedom fighters instead of a wholly-controlled 
subsidiary of Iran and Syria, to permit it to arm and re-arm in 
violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and to excuse its 
relentless attacks and incitement against America and Israel.
  Mr. Speaker, America and other responsible nations must stop 
Hezbollah's current attempt to rule by the gun. We must support efforts 
in the U.N. Security Council and elsewhere to ensure that Hezbollah is 
disarmed and that Iran and Syria are barred from rearming that group. 
Moreover, we must hold Iran and Syria accountable for the continuing 
efforts to spread violence and to undermine our allies in the Middle 
East, including Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran and Syria continue to start fires throughout the 
region only to disingenuously step forward and offer to put them out 
for an unconscionable price. We must cease falling prey to their 
deception, and we must stop their deadly behavior, which undermines the 
security of Lebanon and the entire world.
  I thank my good friend and colleague from California, Chairman Berman 
of the Foreign Affairs Committee, for introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), an esteemed member of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
  (Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and ask all Members to support the resolution.
  I want to compliment Chairman Berman and Chairman Ackerman and 
Ranking Member Manzullo for their leadership in bringing this very 
important resolution to the House floor.
  No one has suffered more in the Middle East than the small country of 
Lebanon, caught in the crossfire of many different attacks from many 
different forces, not the least of which is Hezbollah. This resolution 
reaffirms the House's strong support for the legitimate democratically 
elected government, expresses sympathy to the people of Lebanon and 
condolences to those in Lebanon who have been displaced, injured, and 
lost relatives as a result of Hezbollah's violent action.
  It urges the U.S. Government and the international community to 
immediately take all appropriate actions to support and strengthen the 
legitimate Government of Lebanon under the extraordinary leadership of 
Prime Minister Siniora, condemns Hezbollah and its state sponsors, Iran 
and Syria, for its efforts to undermine the Lebanese Government, 
including from approximately May 5-12, fomenting riots, blocking roads, 
seizing buildings, seizing control of West Beirut, and engaging in 
sectarian fighting in much of Lebanon.
  The resolution demands that Hezbollah, as a first step toward total 
disarmament, immediately cease its attacks and withdraw from all areas 
in Lebanon that it has occupied.
  The resolution urges the U.N. Security Council to condemn Iran and 
Syria for their violations of multiple UNSC resolutions and to sanction 
those nations by banning air traffic between Iran and Lebanon and 
between Iran and Syria. It urges every country controlling possible 
transit routes between Iran and Lebanon to impose strict controls to 
prevent Iran from arming Hezbollah. And it urges the European Union to 
designate Hezbollah as a terrorist group. This is a very good 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, as someone who has traveled to Lebanon 12 out of the 14 
years that I've been a Member of the House, I can tell you that Lebanon 
is caught in a very, very difficult situation.
  I want to give credit, also, to President Bush and Secretary Rice for 
the interest that they've taken in Lebanon. More recently, the 
President was in the Middle East and spoke out in defense of Lebanon 
and calling on those countries, including the group Hezbollah, to cease 
and desist from their activity that they're participating in in this 
small country. I compliment President Bush and Secretary Rice for their 
involvement and their encouragement to the country of Lebanon and to 
the leaders that they met with most recently to become more involved in 
trying to help solve the problem and detach Hezbollah from the kind of 
hold that they have on the country.
  One other thing, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to also encourage the 
Parliament in Lebanon, who have the responsibility for electing a 
president and have not taken on that responsibility, and given the fact 
that the Office of President of Lebanon has been vacant for a number of 
months, I call on the Parliament of Lebanon to convene themselves and 
elect a president. This would send a very strong message around the 
region and around the world that Lebanon is a country that can stand on 
its own and stand up to these terrorist groups if it has the help from 
other countries.
  So I encourage the Speaker of the Parliament in Lebanon to take on 
the responsibility to call the Lebanese Parliament into session and to 
elect a president. I think it would be a very, very important move.
  Again, I thank the Committee on Foreign Affairs for their interest in 
the country of Lebanon and the way that they have struck a very strong 
cord against Hezbollah and their activities in Lebanon. I urge all 
Members to support the resolution.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio, the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee 
on Domestic Policy, Dennis Kucinich.
  Mr. KUCINICH. I thank the gentleman.
  I think that this House has concurrence, that we share concern about 
Lebanon. I certainly do, having had the chance, twice in the last 2 
years, to not only visit the country, the northern and the southern 
part, but to meet with all the parties to the disputes.
  One of the things that I thought was most telling was that there was 
a concern about working out an agreement without the interference of 
outside parties, without the interference of Iran or the interference 
of the United States. There is a feeling of Lebanon-for-Lebanon that 
exists very strongly in Lebanon. Yet the Lebanese have not had the 
opportunity to really stand that way.
  Having gone to Lebanon, as I did right after the war that went past 
one month in the summer of 2006, and seeing the devastation there, 
there is no appetite for war on the part of the Lebanese people.

                              {time}  1615

  The role of Hezbollah is certainly worth looking at. It's also worth 
considering the depth of support they have among the Lebanese people.
  We have to be very careful about how we dictate a certain policy in 
Lebanon for its effect on Lebanon and for its effect on the region. So, 
therefore, I must reluctantly oppose this resolution, as well intended 
as it might be, because I'm concerned that it will be seen by some as 
the United States trying to instigate more civil unrest in Lebanon at 
the same time that we say that we're supporting the central government.
  I have met with Prime Minister Siniora. He has been a good friend of 
the United States. But he had to sit by while the United States either 
looked the other way or encouraged, depending on whose story you 
accept, the continued bombing of Lebanon, which actually undermined his 
government.
  So we have a condition in Lebanon that really has been going on now 
for over 25 years, with Lebanon having only tenuous control of their 
own affairs, with the interference of so many outside governments.

[[Page H4216]]

  We should be doing everything we can to strengthen a process of 
dialogue in Lebanon. I don't believe that this resolution accomplishes 
that. I think it accomplishes the opposite.
  Again, I'm in support of whatever we can do to stabilize Lebanon. I 
just have my doubts that this resolution will accomplish that. I 
appreciate the concern of the sponsors. I think we need to have more of 
a discussion----
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. KUCINICH. I certainly will.
  Mr. LaHOOD. The gentleman knows that he and I have had a number of 
discussions about Lebanon.
  I know of your deep interest in the country, and I know that you've 
traveled there.
  The one thing, Mr. Speaker, that I would say to the gentleman is that 
Prime Minister Siniora did not turn a blind eye on a number of 
occasions when the bombing was taking place. He called for a cessation 
of the bombing in the southern part of the country; so I want to be 
sure the record is clear on this.
  Mr. KUCINICH. I appreciate your pointing it out.
  Mr. LaHOOD. He did not sit by and allow his country----
  Mr. KUCINICH. I agree with you, and I appreciate your correcting the 
record in that he wasn't for it, that's for sure. But I'm suggesting to 
you that the fact that we had someone who was supporting us, and yet we 
continued as a government, our government did nothing to discourage the 
continued bombing of Lebanon during that period after the 6 days that 
Israel thought they basically had accomplished their objectives.
  I was in southern Lebanon. I saw the devastation. And I talked to 
people both on the Israeli side and on the Lebanese side, and I see 
that there was a desire to stop but it continued. We undermined the 
Siniora government. What I'm suggesting is that it's the United States 
interference in Lebanon that does not serve the country's purpose of 
peace well. I don't see our purpose there as being benign, to my good 
friend, and I say this having talked to all sides. Let Lebanon be for 
Lebanon. Let the United States and all the other nations of the world 
provide some support when asked for it, but we have to be very careful 
about injecting ourselves in a way that we try to determine the outcome 
for that country. We do not do well when we try to determine the 
outcome of who should govern another country. It always, in the last 
few years, has been very difficult for us to do that.
  I appreciate, though, the dedication that my good friend has to peace 
in Lebanon. We both agree on the necessity of civility there. We may 
have differences as to how that would be achieved.
  I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).
  Mr. LaHOOD. I don't want to belabor this to my friend from Ohio, Mr. 
Speaker, but I want to say this: I visited right after the bombing 
stopped in the southern part of Lebanon. I visited there, Mr. Speaker, 
with some other Members of Congress, and I can tell you this: The 
Siniora government and all government officials decried very much what 
was happening in the southern part of the country and asked the United 
States to help in this instance to raise an enormous amount of money to 
help rebuild the southern part of the country. And President Bush got 
on the telephone, Mr. Speaker, talked to a number of countries, raised 
an enormous amount of money, billions of dollars. Siniora, the Prime 
Minister, went to France and actually met with leaders and raised an 
enormous amount of money.
  The country of Lebanon, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, has encouraged 
the kind of involvement of our country to help raise money to rebuild 
the south and also to say to those who have taken a place in the 
country for no other good but to disrupt the country that this is not 
the kind of activity that they want.
  And so we do disagree on this, Mr. Speaker, and I do disagree with 
the gentleman from Ohio. We need to speak out. That's what this 
resolution does. It speaks out about a group of people in Lebanon whose 
only goal is to disrupt the country and to try to take over, for no 
good, and that's why this resolution is well drafted and well written.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, will my friend yield?
  Mr. LaHOOD. Of course.
  Mr. KUCINICH. I'm maintaining that our government, the United States, 
has really not been for dialogue so as to try to bring all the parties 
together. We have pursued a path that has been quite narrow and that, 
in effect, keeps the conflict going. So I have concerns about that.
  I would agree that Mr. Siniora is trying to do everything he can, but 
I also think that he's limited to what he can do because of the 
parameters that he has to work within in order to keep the confidence 
of the administration in Washington, DC. And that's my concern.
  So this resolution, I don't think, really addresses the much deeper 
need for dialogue within Lebanon by the Lebanese instead of the United 
States injecting its point of view and its mandate onto Lebanon.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Well, I would say this, Mr. Speaker: I would say there 
are a lot of back-channel talks going on that don't get the kind of 
headlines and the kind of publicity. But there are activities taking 
place, unbeknownst to many who serve here and unbeknownst really to the 
public. I think these are good discussions. But I urge the House to 
support this resolution because for one of the few times that I've been 
here in 14 years, it really sets out, I think, the right language that 
we, as the House of Representatives, want to send as a message to the 
Prime Minister of Lebanon and to a group there that wants to hurt the 
country and hurt the people in the country and have set on a course to 
do that.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  First let me express my appreciation for the gentleman from Ohio and 
for his good intentions and for his support of dialogue. Certainly 
nobody is against dialogue.
  But we have a situation here where a democratic, freedom-loving, 
sovereign people are insisting on the results of their own self-
determined election that they came to through democratic processes and 
are doing that in the face of outside interference in the form of armed 
opposition, murders, assassinations that are being sponsored by 
Hezbollah, financed by the Iranian and Syrian regimes. And the 
gentleman instead calls for dialogue. We call for nothing other than 
dialogue.
  This is a nonbinding sense of the Congress resolution. And while 
other countries are running interference and murdering the people of 
Lebanon and preventing their democratic government from governing, we 
are sending them a message of hope, a message of support. And the 
gentleman's protestations say that we shouldn't interfere, let them 
have a dialogue.
  What we are looking at, Mr. Speaker, is the equivalent of a rape, and 
I have just heard the argument that what we should do is not interfere 
and take sides between the victim and the raper and to say let them 
have a dialogue and work it out, while each and every day the rape 
continues. As a civilized, democratic society, we cannot sit idly by 
without saying a word.
  I do appreciate the argument of those who are against violence, who 
are against arms, and who are against war. I stand with them on that. 
But we have no alternative than to act and at least send a message of 
support. There is no interference other than our best wishes while 
others are sending arms. There is nothing in the 17 whereases in this 
resolution that suggests that we're in favor of violence. And if the 
gentleman and those who argue his argument are truly opposed to raising 
an army, let them at least raise their voice. Let them speak out with 
us on this resolution. Let us reaffirm our dedication to the principles 
of democracy and self-determination of a people who have already made 
their choice in their election, and to stand by them, not by providing 
arms or violence, but by sending them the wishes of this Congress, of 
the American people, expressing our support for their determination to 
continue in their quest to effectuate the democracy to which they are 
entitled.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ACKERMAN. I yield to my friend.
  Mr. KUCINICH. My concern is this: that you had an assistant Secretary 
of

[[Page H4217]]

State for the U.S., David Welch, who went to Lebanon, and he went there 
to basically make sure that the government took a hard-line position 
and that it would forestall the possibility of any dialogue. And then 
one of the clients of the United States, or so-called clients, 
basically escalated the situation by taking on the issue of disarmament 
of Hezbollah, which really ought to be done within the parameters of 
the Lebanese discussion.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Reclaiming my time, the Security Council of the United 
Nations has asked for the disarmament of Hezbollah. This is not our 
request. This is the United Nations. This is the international 
community. This is the entire peaceful world that has asked for that.
  As far as the administration, I don't speak for the administration, 
heaven forbid. This is our Congress, and together Democrats and 
Republicans have joined in with words. Words are powerful. Words are 
important weapons. And if you want to avoid the weapons that go bang in 
the night, then words of support are important, important to a people 
who are under siege, whose democracy is being eroded by rogue states 
and terrorist organizations using violence and assassination, trying to 
blow up members of their elected parliament so that they no longer have 
a majority to continue their democratic work.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Will my friend yield?
  Mr. ACKERMAN. I yield.
  Mr. KUCINICH. How much more effective it would be if the disarming of 
Hezbollah, which should occur, would occur within the context of an 
agreement within Lebanon as opposed to being imposed by someone else. 
The Lebanese should have control of their own government.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Let me say I'm not opposed to that happening. Let them 
disarm themselves. But let us in the meantime do what we can to be the 
voice of democracy and freedom.
  The world looks at us as a beacon. We have spent so much of the 
goodwill that we have built up over 230 years of this democracy. At 
least let us speak out for freedom, speak out for freedom in the case 
of a people who are under siege, who are in the throes of having their 
duly elected government taken away from them by terrorist organizations 
and rogue regimes.
  We know what Hezbollah is. The world knows what it is. We cannot 
stand idly by and not utter a word of support. This is our word of 
support. This is the resolution of this Congress. Would that it be 
more. Would that it be more forceful. Would that it be more effective. 
But at least we can continue to give those people who insist on living 
lives of freedom a rekindling of the belief that we too believe in what 
they believe in and that we support them in their struggle.
  If the gentleman is prepared to yield back his time, I will do so.
  Mr. MANZULLO. I am prepared to yield back. I want to commend the 
gentleman for his impassioned speech.
  I thank you for the things you have said this afternoon in this 
Chamber.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. You're quite welcome.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 1194, mainly 
because this legislation reads like an authorization to use force in 
Lebanon.
  As the key resolved clause of H. Res. 1194 states:

       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

                           *   *   *   *   *

       (6) urges--
       (A) the United States Government and the international 
     community to immediately take all appropriate actions to 
     support and strengthen the legitimate Government of Lebanon 
     under Prime Minister Fouad Siniora;

  This language is eerily similar to a key clause in the 2002 Iraq war 
authorization, H.J. Res. 114, which read:

       (a) Authorization--The President is authorized to use the 
     Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be 
     necessary and appropriate in order to--
       (1) defend the national security of the United States 
     against the continuing threat posed by Iraq;

  I find it outrageous that this legislation, which moves us closer to 
an expanded war in the Middle East, is judged sufficiently ``non-
controversial'' to be placed on the suspension calendar for 
consideration on the House Floor outside of normal parliamentary order. 
Have we reached the point where it is no longer controversial to urge 
the President to use ``all appropriate actions''--with the unmistakable 
implication that force may be used--to intervene in the domestic 
affairs of a foreign country?
  Mr. Speaker, the Arab League has been mediating the conflict between 
rival political factions in Lebanon and has had some success in halting 
the recent violence. Currently, negotiations are taking place in Qatar 
between the Lebanese factions and some slow but encouraging progress is 
being made. Regional actors--who do have an interest in the conflict--
have stepped up in attempt to diffuse the crisis and reach a peaceful 
solution. Yet at the critical stage of negotiations the U.S. House is 
preparing to pass a very confrontational resolution endorsing one side 
and condemning competing factions. In threatening to use ``all 
appropriate actions'' to support one faction, the United States is 
providing a strong disincentive for that one faction to continue 
peaceful negotiations. Passing this resolution will most likely 
contribute to a return of violence in Lebanon.
  This legislation strongly condemns Iranian and Syrian support to one 
faction in Lebanon while pledging to involve the United States on the 
other side. Wouldn't it be better to be involved on neither side and 
instead encourage the negotiations that have already begun to resolve 
the conflict?
  Afghanistan continues to sink toward chaos with no end in sight. The 
war in Iraq, launched on lies and deceptions, has cost nearly a 
trillion dollars and more than 4,000 lives with no end in sight. Saber 
rattling toward Iran and Syria increases daily, including in this very 
legislation. Yet we are committing ourselves to intervene in a domestic 
political dispute that has nothing to do with the United States.
  This resolution leads us closer to a wider war in the Middle East. It 
involves the United States unnecessarily in an internal conflict 
between competing Lebanese political factions and will increase rather 
than decrease the chance for an increase in violence. The Lebanese 
should work out political disputes on their own or with the assistance 
of regional organizations like the Arab League. I urge my colleagues to 
reject this march to war and to reject H. Res. 1194.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1194.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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