[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8006]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. THOMAS. Madam President, I had come to the Senate floor to talk 
about an issue that is very important to all of us, particularly 
Medicare recipients in this country. But first I have to express some 
disappointment, frankly, and some surprise about the discussion that 
has gone on here in the first 30 minutes criticizing the President on 
everything that is happening overseas, acting as if we are not in 
support of what is happening there.
  I am very surprised and, frankly, disappointed. All they talk about 
is what the President has done. We voted here on this floor to do this 
job in the Middle East. That is what we are seeking to do, and that is 
what our great service people are doing for us over there.
  The idea behind conducting Operation Iraqi Freedom was to free 25 
million Iraqis from the Saddam Hussein regime. That is why we are 
there: to defend the will of the international community, to remove the 
threat of terrorism that happened here on September 11, and to change 
the dynamics in the Middle East. That is what we are seeking to do, and 
that is what we are trying to carry on, and it is an admirable effort.
  Madam President, 211 Members of Congress have visited Iraq and 
witnessed firsthand some of the extraordinary efforts of the coalition 
forces and Iraqis. I have been to Iraq. I am impressed with what they 
are doing. For us to simply criticize everything that is happening 
there aimed at the election in 2004 is a great disappointment to me.
  Despite the terrorist attacks and the tough events that have 
happened, public opinion has found 56 percent of Iraqis believe things 
are better than they were; 71 percent believe a year from now they will 
be better than they are now. Again, having been there, I agree with 
that assessment. I have been there traveling around with the military, 
with all the little kids waving and saying hello. I have seen the 
schools and hospitals that have been fixed up. Of course, there is a 
real problem with terrorism, there is no question about it.
  The defeat of Saddam Hussein's regime is the second major victory in 
the war on terrorism. We need to continue. I hope we give the kind of 
support that is necessary.

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