[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4401-4402]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               CONCERNS ABOUT AMERICA'S GLOBAL ALLIANCES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tonight I wish to place on the record my 
deepening concerns about America's global alliances. A few weeks ago, 
it was with shock and dismay that I observed our President purposely 
fail to extend congratulations to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder 
on his reelection. The President's behavior was inappropriate and 
damaging. Germany has stood as our Nation's most cooperative ally for 
over 50 years as our nations rebuilt Europe, weathered the Cold War and 
linked our economies with shared democratic values and a rule of law.
  NATO has stood as the bulwark against the most awful forms of tyranny 
and repression. NATO is not the ``Old Europe,'' in Secretary Rumsfeld's 
poorly chosen words. It is the democratic, dependable Europe that has 
withstood the test of time. It is the modern Europe that has always 
stood at America's side.
  I have been blessed to live through an era when President John F. 
Kennedy stood at the Brandenburg Gate, when Berlin was a divided city 
between the forces of freedom and repression, to proclaim for freedom-
loving people everywhere, ``Ich bin ein Berliner.''
  For the vast majority of Americans of this post-World War II period, 
we express to the German people and their government profound gratitude 
for your alliance with America, your sister Republic.

                              {time}  1915

  Never before in my 20 years in Congress have I felt compelled to 
place a call to the German Embassy to offer

[[Page 4402]]

my congratulations to the German Chancellor, as well as the 
congratulations of all Americans of goodwill to the Chancellor. Indeed, 
it is no secret that Germany has dispatched its own peacekeeping forces 
to Afghanistan to help secure the first bloody tranche of peace, a most 
dangerous and difficult assignment.
  So, tonight, I want again to formally thank the Chancellor, the 
members of the Bundestag, and the German people for their resolve and 
enduring friendship with America. I thank the Bundestag, as well, for 
their ongoing exchange with our Congress.
  Despite reckless White House rhetoric, Germany's ties to America are 
deep and growing. Then this past month, we witnessed the Bush 
administration publicly humiliate France. France too has suffered and 
suffers as a result of terrorism. They know a great deal about 
terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, let me remind the American people how essential France 
was to the establishment of our own independent Nation. During the 
Revolutionary War, the French forces allied with our Continental 
revolutionaries, and they were indispensable to our victory over the 
British crown. French General Marquis de Lafayette was dispatched by 
General George Washington to rout out the British forces. About 5,500 
French soldiers, led by Lieutenant Jean Rochambeau, drove the British 
from New York; and ultimately, the French and American forces were 
victorious at Yorktown. Mr. Speaker, 5,500 French troops in those days 
was a huge commitment by the nation of France. Our Republic owes much 
to France and the people of France, and I wish to thank them tonight in 
their own words.
  Donc, ce soir je voudrais exprimer mon gratitude profonde envers le 
President Chirac et envers le parlement francais de leur alliance 
durable avec notre pays et avec l'OTAN. Je voudrais aussi offrir de 
respect au ministre de l'Etranger de la France, Dominique de Villipin--
je ne veux absolument pas le chatier. Le monde civilise ne peut pas 
encore savoir la meilleure methode pour endiguer le terrorisme 
grandissant qui est engendre par la ferveur revolutionnaire trouvee au 
Moyen-Orient et a l'Asie Centrale. Mais je suis certaine d'une chose: 
nous ne reussirons pas sans nos allies historiques et valables en 
l'Europe--ni face a leur opposition. La guerre doit etre la derniere 
ressource, apres que les inspections raisonnables executees par les 
agents de l'ONU auront epuise.
  Je veu parler des rapports entre les gouvernements de la France et 
des Etats-Unis et entre les citoyens de nos pays. Notre amitie est 
importante et historique, et date des jours ou le general Lafayette 
nous aidait pendant notre guerre de l'independance. Meme notre 
capitale, la ville de Washington, a ete dessine par un francais, Pierre 
L'Enfant, et a pris modele sur la ville de Paris. Les mots de la 
revolution francaise--liberte, egalite, fraternite--restent vrais 
aujourd'hui et dans notre congres, ils sont vraiment graves pour 
toujours.

  So tonight I wish to express my profound gratitude toward President 
Chirac and toward the French Parliament for their enduring alliance 
with our country and with NATO. I would also like to offer my respect 
to French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villipin--I absolutely do not 
want to castigate her. The civilized world cannot yet know the best 
method for stemming the growing terrorism that is engendered by the 
revolutionary fervor found in the Middle East and Central Asia. But I 
am certain of one thing: we will not succeed without our historic and 
valuable allies in Europe--faced with their opposition. War must be the 
last resort--after reasonable inspections performed by UN agents have 
been exhausted.
  I would like to speak of relations between the governments of France 
and the United States and between the citizens of our countries. Our 
friendship is important and historic, and dates from the days when 
General Lafayette helped us during our war for independence. Even our 
capital, the city of Washington, was designed by a Frenchman, Pierre 
L'Enfant, and was modeled after Paris. The words of the French 
revolution--liberty, equality, brotherhood--remain true today and in 
our Congress, they are truly carved for all time.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Beauprez). The Chair understands the 
gentlewoman will supply the Clerk with the English translation for the 
Record.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Yes, Mr. Speaker.

                          ____________________