[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15251-15252]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TELL AMERICA THE TRUTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, this week had barely begun before three 
more U.S. soldiers died in Iraq. The U.S. casualties keep mounting and 
that

[[Page 15252]]

is a tragedy, but this administration remains silent on a coming 
travesty in Iraq.
  The President's appointed interim Iraqi government is preparing to 
offer amnesty to Iraqi insurgents, amnesty to the very people who are 
killing and wounding U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Our soldiers remain on 
patrol in the most dangerous place on Earth; and the snipers, bombers, 
and militants are about to be offered amnesty. What in the world is 
going on in this administration? Is this what the administration calls 
the road to peace? What is the President going to tell the families of 
every U.S. soldier killed or wounded in combat? What is the President 
going to tell the U.S. people?
  The interim Iraqi government was created by the U.S. administration, 
make no mistake about that, so no one should think that this policy was 
not put in place without the express approval of the White House.
  Now, Iraq says it is in their national interest to offer amnesty to 
the very insurgents U.S. soldiers have been battling day by day. This 
administration had no reason to start a war with Iraq. This 
administration had no plan to prosecute the war with Iraq, and now this 
administration demonstrates it has no plan to end the war in Iraq. What 
do we say to the dead? What do we say to the families of those who 
died? What do we say to the soldiers injured by roadside bombs and 
mortar attacks and snipers?
  Is this the President's exit strategy in Iraq? 160,000 soldiers 
remain in harm's way in a country that is about to offer amnesty to the 
people who are attacking them. If the interim Iraq government can offer 
amnesty, why can the U.S. not offer every U.S. soldier the option to 
leave? If Iraq's insurgents are offered freedom, why are U.S. soldiers 
not offered the freedom to choose whether they stay?
  Why will the people shooting at U.S. soldiers get special treatment 
while our soldiers get stop loss orders, forcing thousands of them to 
remain in harm's way. What in the world is going on in Iraq? We have to 
be brave enough to accept our people and embrace all Iraqis. That is a 
direct quote from Iraq's interim President, Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar.
  So much for the U.S. being seen as a great liberator. Even the 
interim government sees the U.S. as an occupier. So in their view it is 
okay to cut a deal with the insurgents. It is a statement about the 
instability of the entire country and the inability of the government 
to do anything about it. It is the most glaring statement yet that the 
administration was completely wrong in its need to go to war and 
unequivocally wrong with the consequences of post-war Iraq.
  There have been more U.S. casualties since the President's 
declaration of ``mission accomplished'' than during all the major 
combat operations. Now the world has become even more dangerous and no 
amount of denial will alter the images of the Iraq prison.
  Why talk about this shame again? Because it is entirely possible that 
this administration continues to ignore the most fundamental 
international protection for every prisoner. Abu Ghraib showed the 
world that the Geneva Convention was something the administration left 
out of the Iraq war plan. After those revelations, the administration 
made sweeping statements about their support of the Geneva Convention. 
Yet just today, the International Red Cross said it fears this 
administration is secretly holding more prisoners around the world.
  Quoting a Red Cross spokesperson, ``Some of these people who have 
been reported to be arrested never showed up in any of the places of 
detention run by the U.S. where we visit.''
  How bad does it get before the administration follows international 
law? Who does the administration think benefits from its failures to 
protect prisoners and follow international law? The International Red 
Cross tried to work behind the scenes before the Abu Ghraib scandal. 
The administration ignored them. The Red Cross tried to act as a 
catalyst for positive change in the wake of the scandals. Today's news 
makes clear the administration still believes it can flaunt 
international law. There can be no peace without justice, Mr. 
President, not in Iraq or anywhere else.
  Justice begins by treating prisoners we capture in the same way, with 
the same rights that we would expect to be extended to an American. 
Justice delayed is justice denied. Act now before another day goes by. 
Give the International Red Cross unrestricted access to every secret 
U.S. location where prisoners are being held. Prove once and for all 
that America stands for human rights and justice. Let the Red Cross see 
and the world know if America is true to its words. Let the Red Cross 
see and the world know if the prisoner abuses have stopped.
  Do not tell the world the administration supports the Geneva 
Convention. Do it by following the Geneva Convention. One call, Mr. 
Speaker, is all it would take for the President to let the Red Cross in 
and the world know. Our soldiers deserve nothing less. Our Nation 
demands nothing more than the truth.
  We only have 112 days left of this administration, but that is a long 
time if you are serving in Iraq under a stop loss order. The President 
has got to act to protect our people.

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