[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17588]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, 16 months after President Bush declared 
``mission accomplished'' aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, the fighting 
in Iraq continues and casualties continue to mount.
  Yesterday we reached a mournful milestone that we never thought 
possible: 1,000 brave Americans have lost their lives in Iraq. Nearly 
7,000 more have been injured. The youngest of America's fallen soldiers 
was just 18 years old. The oldest was 59. More than half had not even 
celebrated their 30th birthday. They hailed from nearly every State in 
the Nation. They are the best of America, and we are proud of each one. 
Although I disagree with the President about Iraq, I honor the service 
and sacrifice and dedication of each of these brave men and women.
  It was wrong for the President to rush to war for such a deeply 
questionable cause. We all know Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator, 
but he did not pose the kind of immediate threat to our national 
security to justify a unilateral and preventive war.
  Despite the President's claim that Iraq is central to the global war 
on terror, there was no persuasive pattern of ties or operational links 
between Iraq and al-Qaida. There were no nuclear weapons.
  President Bush has stated that the war in Iraq was a catastrophic 
success. He is right in one sense. The war has been a catastrophe. The 
war has been a catastrophe for our fallen soldiers, far too many of 
whom were sent to war with no plan to win the peace. The war has been a 
catastrophe for their loved ones. The war has been a catastrophe for 
our Nation's standing in the world and for the war on terror, for it 
distracted us from the real threat of al-Qaida in Afghanistan. It has 
made the war on terrorism far harder to win and it has made America 
more hated in the world than at any other time in our history.
  We need honest solutions that will end the terror of Osama bin Laden 
and destroy al-Qaida. We need honest solutions that will bring the war 
in Iraq to a noble end and bring our troops home with honor. This 
administration has had its chance and it failed the basic test of 
competence. It failed to deploy enough troops in Iraq to win the peace. 
It failed at Abu Ghraib. It failed in issuing sweetheart deals to 
Halliburton. It has failed the basic test of Presidential leadership.
  We need a new administration that will be honest with the American 
people on national security and propose real solutions to make us safer 
and stronger.
  How much time remains for the Democrats?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. There is 8\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Whatever time remains I yield to the Senator from New 
York, Mr. Schumer.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New York.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Before the Senator from New York begins, I do wish to 
use my remaining 4 minutes.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. There is 8 minutes 7 seconds 
remaining.

                          ____________________