[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23618]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                NEW IRAQ

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, a recent poll showed that two out of three 
residents in Baghdad believe that they are better off today than they 
were under Saddam Hussein. Less than 15 percent would rather live under 
repression. We are starting to hear more and more stories of Iraqis 
pointing us in the right direction in Iraq. A tip from an Iraqi led to 
a discovery of a priceless mask, thousands of years old. Another tip 
led to a buried cache of weapons. We do not hear much about these 
successes in the media, but Iraqi public opinion is with us.
  This week, Congress will begin consideration of the Iraq 
supplemental. As we move forward, we should encourage Iraqis to step 
forward and take control of their own country. But we should not, as 
some in this body suggest, turn over full control of that country 
before democracy has taken root, before we can ensure that a new Iraq 
will not become a haven for terrorists and Saddam's murderous 
followers. Iraq's future and our safety hang in the balance.

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