[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 ON THE LOSS OF AMERICAN LIVES IN IRAQ

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2005

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, this week, the U.S. Department of Defense 
acknowledged that the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq has 
reached 2,000. Sadly, Californians represented the majority of these 
deaths, with 215 falling victim in the conflict. I, along with all 
other Americans, mourn the loss of these brave American patriots and 
insist that we all continue to support those courageous men and women 
who bear the burden of this military action in Iraq.
  As we pause to remember the 2,000 patriots who gave their lives and 
console the families they left behind, we must demand that the 
remainder of our troops begin their journey home. This unfounded war 
began with the false belief that Iraq was in possession of weapons of 
mass destruction and has continued under a shortsighted and flawed 
military strategy. While the Administration chooses to ``stay the 
course'' and insists that there is significant progress in Iraq, the 
insurgency continues unabated and too many of our soldiers are 
returning to their families as only a memory. Others return with 
emotional and physical wounds that may never heal.
  Let this week's grim milestone not slip away without a renewed demand 
that the President provide to the American public, as well as the U.S. 
soldiers in Iraq, a clear strategy for success. Only through the 
creation of a coherent and realistic plan can this Administration begin 
to stem the loss of American life.

                          ____________________