[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 161 (Tuesday, October 25, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H7015]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IT'S ABOUT TIME: A WELCOME BUT OVERDUE MILITARY REDEPLOYMENT OUT OF 
                                  IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, 8\1/2\ years ago, without provocation or 
just cause, and based on distortions and deceptions, our country 
launched a bloody and immoral war in Iraq--almost 9 years, a long time 
for a war whose mission was pronounced accomplished by then-President 
Bush in May of 2003.
  But now the Iraq war, which has cost our Nation so very much in blood 
and treasure, in moral authority and global credibility, is finally 
ending. Thank you, President Obama.
  When I heard the President's announcement that our troops would be 
home from Iraq by the end of the year, I had one thought: it's about 
damn time. And my second thought was: oh, well, we have to stay 
vigilant, especially with negotiations still to come about the 
possibility of military trainers or advisers remaining in Iraq. As we 
move forward with a constructive bilateral partnership, let's make sure 
we don't backslide into a renewed military occupation under a different 
cloak.
  To me, however, Friday's news was greeted not so much with 
celebration but with relief and also with reflection about the 
senseless sacrifice endured by so very many people. Nearly 4,500 
courageous American servicemembers gave their lives for this war. More 
than 30,000 have returned home with searing wounds to their bodies and 
their minds, if not missing limbs, then too often post-traumatic stress 
that can make every day a living nightmare.
  And let's not overlook the 100,000-plus innocent Iraqi civilians, 
many of them children, who were killed because the United States of 
America chose to ``liberate'' them. When I think about the humanitarian 
atrocities of this war, it is most often the faces of those children 
that I see.
  Then there's the fiscal carnage. The $800 billion appropriated to 
prosecute the war doesn't even scratch the surface of the total cost. 
There is the rise in oil price, the interest on the debt we've 
accumulated, and of course the veterans health obligations, a promise 
we must and will keep, a promise that will still be with us at least 50 
years from now.
  President Obama's announcement is welcome, but long overdue. I've 
been an outspoken opponent of the war since before it started, and I 
introduced the first legislation to bring our troops home in 2005. More 
than 400 times I've stood in this very place in this Chamber to call 
for an end to the Iraq and Afghanistan military entanglements and the 
beginning of a SMART Security approach that emphasizes humanitarian and 
peaceful conflict resolution in place of military might.
  I was proud to work with my good friends Congresswomen Waters and Lee 
to establish the Out of Iraq Caucus. Their leadership, their support, 
plus our many other colleagues on both sides of the aisle who lent 
their voices to the cause made the difference because back in 2004 and 
2005, ours was not the majority position. Because we broke the silence, 
because we acted on principle and refused to stand down, the American 
people came around to the out-of-Iraq perspective. Because we stood on 
the right side of history, we found ourselves with the majority of 
Americans on the right side of public opinion wanting--no, demanding--
an end to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
  Our work isn't done, of course. The war in Afghanistan rages on. It's 
destructive, it's foolish and about 100,000 troops are still in harm's 
way there on a futile and expensive mission that is not making us safe, 
but is actually undermining our national security.
  Mr. Speaker, again I give President Obama credit for his decision to 
bring our troops home from Iraq by the end of the year; and at the same 
time, I will continue to speak out until Americans get the peace that 
they want and deserve and all of our troops are home from Afghanistan 
as well.

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