[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18040]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         IRAQ IS A DISTRACTION

  (Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on Monday night, our President 
had an opportunity, after 5 years of 9/11, to again unify this Nation 
as he did in 2001. Instead, he chose to give a political speech that 
focused more on the war in Iraq than what he is doing now to secure 
this Nation against those really responsible for the attacks of 
9/11.
  Last month, the Republican cochair of the 9/11 Commission Tom Kean 
said, ``We're not protecting our people in this country. The government 
is not doing its job.'' That is from a Republican.
  When Commissioner Kean was asked whether Iraq is preventing us from 
protecting our Nation, Kean admitted Iraq has been a distraction.
  Five years ago and 2 days after 9/11, Osama bin Laden remains at 
large and the Taliban is resurging in Afghanistan. Since the Bush 
administration turned its attention away from Afghanistan to go into 
Iraq, roadside bombs have increased by 30 percent and suicide bombings 
have doubled.
  Mr. Speaker, President Bush had a chance on Monday to level with the 
American people. It is time we turn our attention back to Osama bin 
Laden, who really was the one who was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. 
Let's get Osama bin Laden.

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