[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 11, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           NATIONAL SECURITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my concern over two 
critical national security issues: Iran and the ongoing Israeli-
Palestinian conflict.
  As far as Iran, the extremist mullah leaders in that country continue 
to oppress and murder their own people. They, by providing armor-
piercing weapons to terrorists, are also responsible for the death of 
hundreds, if not thousands, of American soldiers in both Iraq and 
Afghanistan. Yet the Iranian regime is being treated as a legitimate, 
if not democratic, government. Well, they are not legitimate nor are 
they democratic. They are a radical Islamic anti-Western dictatorship.
  We have long since passed the time when America should have been 
backing, verbally and otherwise, the Iranian people's struggle to 
overthrow their radical Islamic oppressors. Let the Iranian people, 
with our blessings, rid themselves of this pariah regime. That would be 
the best option.
  But when it comes to the mullah regime obtaining nuclear weapons, 
doing nothing to prevent it is not an option. If we won't do what is 
necessary ourselves, we should not get in the way of Israel doing it. 
Obviously, Israel will be the first nation threatened with devastation 
and destruction by a nuclear-armed Iranian mullah dictatorship. Thus, 
if Israel is willing to act and does so, it should not be viewed as an 
outrage but it should be viewed with understanding and perhaps with a 
sense of relief. If other options fail, intelligence, logistical and 
political support for an Israeli operation aimed at preventing the 
construction of a mullah A-bomb is in our interest, is in the interest 
of peace and safety in that region, and it is in the interest of all of 
the people of the world.
  Then there is, of course, the Palestinian-Iranian quagmire. But let 
us recognize when we are looking at that issue, there has been major 
progress over the last decade. Israel has demonstrably reached out to 
offer an olive branch to the Palestinian people.

                              {time}  2015

  They have embraced a two-state solution, which they didn't do over 10 
years ago. They have, in fact, withdrew their troops from Lebanon. And 
importantly, Israel has actually given up control of Gaza and 
substantial territory in the West Bank. And what did they get for it? 
Thousands of missiles launched into Israel itself. And when 
retaliating, they, of course, were condemned for a fight that they 
didn't even start.
  It's time for the Palestinian missile attacks to stop and for the 
Palestinians to reciprocate for Israel's tangible concessions in Gaza 
and on the West Bank. They should step up to the plate with a 
meaningful change of position.
  The Palestinians need to recognize Israel's right to exist. And to 
make it real, the Palestinians must renounce what they call the right 
of return. The Israelis have taken major steps. Now it's time for the 
Palestinians to move. And until the Palestinians make recognizable 
steps forward, as Israel has done, as I just pointed out, our 
government should not be urging Israel to give up even more territory 
or condemning them for prodding the Palestinians.
  For example, if the Israeli renovation of apartment complexes in 
Jerusalem gets the Palestinians to realize that they can't wait forever 
because Israel is just going to move on unless the Palestinians come 
out and try to reach an agreement, well, if it's got the Palestinians 
to understand that, and that they're going to have to act and step 
forward, then the widely condemned renovation of those apartment 
complexes in Jerusalem was actually something that furthered the cause 
of peace.
  To conclude, I urge the Obama administration to change course before 
it's too late, to stand up to the Iranian Islamic dictatorship, and to 
be realistic about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Peace can't come 
by trying to prove how sincere we are or by holding hands with thugs 
hoping they will be impressed with our sincerity, or by condemning a 
nation that is attacked for retaliating. It's time, as we say in 
California, to get real.
  Unfortunately, when it comes to these two important foreign policy 
challenges, it seems that wishful thinking and irrational optimism are 
what's guiding America's foreign policy.

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