[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 25, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H2636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PUTTING NATIONAL SECURITY IN PERIL FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY

  (Mr. HUNTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, since Mr. Obama became the President, the 
economy has been his focus. But through executive orders and not so 
subtle hints in recent speeches, his administration has put some effort 
into making America less safe than it was 2 years ago.
  Some examples: Throwing out the case against the USS Cole bomber; the 
closing down of Guantanamo; limiting our interrogation techniques; 
cutting defense spending; and announcing a troop surge in Afghanistan 
without the proper infrastructure or funding to support it.
  The French just today released five terrorists that the United States 
released to them for prosecution. If even one of the brave men and 
women who carry the burden of our security on their shoulders in Iraq 
and Afghanistan are harmed by the fact that American operatives can no 
longer get timely information from the enemy through interrogation or 
are attacked by a prisoner released because of the closing of 
Guantanamo, if even one of our men and women in uniform pay the 
ultimate price for these reasons, it will be a sacrifice made so that 
President Obama can score political points with the liberal fringe of 
his party.
  I am a United States Marine and I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 
I will not stand by while our national security is put in peril for 
political expediency. Let us not betray those who sacrifice for our 
freedom.

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