[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16177-16183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2015
                           GENERAL PETER PACE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 18, 2007, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. This evening, we have heard some talk about 
the war that we're engaged in, the fighting in Iraq, the fighting in 
Afghanistan, this long war against Islamist extremists that we're 
engaged in. And tonight I am very pleased I am joined by a number of my 
colleagues here this evening to talk a little bit about that military 
action, to talk about that war and to talk about the military leaders 
that we are so blessed to have in this country.
  I think sometimes we sort of forget that there are people who have 
devoted their entire lives to serving this country and to providing 
exemplary leadership to our young men and women as they fight for us in 
Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. We have some new officers in 
the lineup, and we will talk very briefly about those tonight, I 
suppose. We have a new commander of Central Command, Admiral William 
Fallon. We have, of course, General David Petraeus, named by the 
President to be the senior U.S. commander of the multinational forces 
in Iraq and confirmed unanimously, I might add, by the Members of the 
Senate. Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, and other fine officers 
that are leading our young men and women.
  I know some of my colleagues would like to talk about one of the 
officers who is going to be leaving that chain of command, the very 
fine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first Marine Corps 
officer ever to hold that position, my good friend and a great 
American, General Peter Pace.
  I would like to afford a few minutes to my friend and colleague from 
South Carolina who I know has some words he wants to say about my 
friend, Pete, and give us a little idea of what his biography is.
  I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Congressman Kline, thank you for your 
leadership tonight. And particularly I want to thank you for your 
family service, your service in the Marine Corps, your son's service, 
who is in the central front himself, having served in Iraq. We are very 
grateful for your family's service.
  I am here tonight really indeed to point out the extraordinary 
service, 40 years of service, of General Peter Pace. I think it's 
extraordinary, and I hope the American people indeed look at this 
record of service.
  The perspective that I am here is that I served 31 years myself in 
the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves. Really, the reason I served 
so long is because I have such great appreciation for the confidence 
and capabilities and the patriotism of the military of our country.
  Additionally, I have the perspective of being a parent. I have four 
sons who are currently serving in the military of the United States. In 
particular, I am very grateful my oldest son served for 1 year in Iraq. 
I know firsthand of the bravery of our troops, the success of our 
troops in protecting America by keeping the terrorists and stopping 
them overseas. I am also grateful, I have a son who is a doctor in the 
Navy. We are very proud of his service, and his wife, and what they 
mean to our country.
  Additionally, I've got a third son who is a signal officer who has 
served in Egypt with the Army National Guard, and a fourth son who has 
just joined the Army ROTC. He will be participating in the simultaneous 
drill program of the National Guard.
  I give all my credit to my wife, Roxanne, for training these four 
guys. But I will point out that a reason that we have such faith in 
their service is because I have such faith in people like General Pace. 
I have entrusted my four sons to the leadership of the American 
military, which by every poll, every time it is done, I am afraid 
lawyers don't come out too well, politicians don't come out too well by 
standards, even the media suffers when it comes time to judge the level 
of perception of a profession, even ahead of the clergy is the military 
of the United States, and I believe they deserve it.
  The final perspective I have as a Member of Congress. I have been 
here 5 years. I serve on the Armed Services Committee. The communities 
I represent, Fort Jackson, Paris Island, the Marine Air Station in 
Beaufort, the Beaufort Naval Hospital, but the greatest highlight that 
I've had is to visit with our troops overseas.
  I have been to Iraq seven times. I have been to Afghanistan three 
times. I've visited probably 30 different countries. When we visit, we 
visit with the generals; we visit with the diplomats; we visit with the 
top American and foreign officials. But one of the real highlights is 
that we have the opportunity to go into a dining facility. And of 
course, they make it pretty simple for Members of Congress; they have a 
little flag identifying our home State. And we will go and we will find 
junior officers and enlisted personnel. And that's where you find out 
the extraordinary quality of the young people serving our country. 
Indeed, I believe it is the new Greatest Generation, people who don't 
whine, who understand that our Nation has been attacked. On 9/11, it 
was attacked. Beginning back in 1979, with the seizure of our embassy 
in Tehran, we have had multiple attacks until we came to 9/11/01. And 
we've learned a lesson. And these young people are protecting our 
country.
  Indeed, it was just three weeks ago today that I was in Baghdad and 
had the great opportunity to meet again with General David Petraeus. I 
have great faith in his leadership and what he's doing, protecting 
American families by creating a level of stability in Iraq.
  Additionally, I had the privilege of visiting with the 218th 
Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Kabul, Afghanistan. This is the Army 
National Guard of South Carolina being very ably led by General Bob 
Livingston.
  I was in that unit, Congressman, for 25 years, so I know firsthand of 
the capabilities of the person serving that unit as they are training 
the Afghan police and training the Afghan Army. A sad reminder today 
with the heinous homicide attack on the Afghan police; 35 policemen 
were killed yesterday. It is a chilling but a sad reminder that, 
indeed, the police that are being trained in Afghanistan and being 
trained in Iraq, the armies being trained in both of those countries, 
they have been the primary focus of attack of the terrorists because we 
are making

[[Page 16178]]

progress in training people to provide stability in their own country.
  Now, when I think of General Pace, it's really incredible that he has 
had a 40-year record of service. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 
1967. He was sworn in as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 
September 30, 2005. And what is particularly meaningful is that he is 
the first Marine to serve in this position and also the first Marine to 
serve as Vice Chairman----
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Will the gentleman yield? Could you say that 
again?
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. And I knew this would get your 
interest, being the Marine, Congressman Kline, that you are, and 
indeed, I want to commend you. If anyone ever doubts, I want to point 
out that you wear a U.S. and Marine flag everywhere you go, without 
fail, with your congressional pin. And if anyone mistakes the pin as 
the People's Republic of China, I want them to know that indeed it is 
the Marine Corps of the United States of America.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. General Pace was born in Brooklyn, New 
York. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey. He holds masters degrees in 
business administration from George Washington University, attended 
Harvard University for the Senior Executives Course in International 
Security. He also is a graduate of the Infantry Officer's Advanced 
Course at Fort Benning, Georgia; the Marine Corps Command and General 
Staff College at Quantico, Virginia; and the National War College at 
Fort McNair in Washington.
  In 1968, upon completion of The Basic School at Quantico, General 
Pace was assigned to the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine 
Division in the Republic of Vietnam, serving first as a rifle platoon 
leader, and subsequently as assistant operations officer. He was later 
assigned to the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC, where he served a 
number of billets, to include Security Detachment Commander at Camp 
David, White House Aide, platoon leader and Special Ceremonial Platoon.
  General Pace has held command at virtually every level and served in 
overseas billets in Nam Phong, Thailand; Seoul, Korea; and Yokota, 
Japan.
  While serving as president of the Marine Corps University, then 
Brigadier General Pace also served as Deputy Commander of Marine 
Forces, Somalia, from December 1992 to February 1993, and as the Deputy 
Commander, Joint Task Force, Somalia, from October 1993 to March 1994.
  After his assignment as the Director of Operations, (J-3) Joint 
Staff, Washington, DC, then Lieutenant General Pace served as the 
Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic/Europe/South. He was 
promoted to General and assumed duties as the Commander in Chief, 
United States Southern Command in September 2000.
  As the Vice Chairman from October 2001 to August 2005, General Pace 
served as the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, 
Vice Chairman of the Defense Acquisition Board, and as a member of the 
National Security Council Deputies Committee and the Nuclear Weapons 
Council.
  General Pace's personal decorations include: Defense Distinguished 
Service Medal, with two oak leaf clusters, Defense Superior Service 
Medal, the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, the 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold 
star, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, Navy Achievement Medal 
with gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
  General Pace and his wife, Lynne, have a son, Peter; a daughter, 
Tiffany Marie; and a daughter-in-law, Lynsey Olczak Pace.
  Colonel Congressman Kline, again, I want to thank you for bringing 
many of us together tonight to pay tribute to a great hero, an American 
hero who has served our country for 40 years, who has served the last 2 
years as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, a 
person that I know and respect; I know that the military respects. I 
just want to thank you again for your efforts this evening.
  I yield the balance of my time.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman. I thank him for his 
comments, and certainly for his service and for the service of our 
sons. I know that the South Carolina National Guard is held up by the 
Wilson family, and we are grateful. I know that all the people of South 
Carolina are grateful to their service to the National Guard, and for 
your service in the Guard and here in Congress. And I know that General 
Pace appreciates your kind remarks.
  Pete and Lynne Pace were next-door neighbors for Vicky and I when I 
retired from active duty in the Marines in 1994. He is not only a fine 
man and a fine officer, but a good neighbor.
  I understand that we are joined now by my colleague from Missouri, 
who had some words that he wanted to share with us concerning General 
Pace's forthrightness; is that right? I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. AKIN. Thank you, Congressman Kline. And thank you for providing 
this opportunity for a number of us to make several points.
  The first that I would make would be to show a respect for General 
Pace for his 40 years of service. I have two sons who are graduates of 
the Naval Academy, one who is returning from his second visit to the 
Middle East as an officer and as a Marine, and another who is just 
going off to his basic school this July. And I have a third son at the 
Naval Academy who hopefully will be graduating in another couple of 
years, and he might also choose the Marines as well. So I have a 
respect for the Marines just from what I have learned from my own sons, 
and particularly as a Congressman, having watched and had a chance to 
observe General Pace's leadership.
  We are here partly this evening, in talking on this subject, because 
General Pace is not being renominated by Secretary Gates and the 
President. And he is not being renominated primarily because of 
concerns about his political correctness. In fact, a certain prominent 
Democrat in the other body has criticized Pace because he is ``not in 
touch.'' Now, that is a significant concern to me.
  My own personal background, while I was in the Army some, has been 
more in the business world. But any organization can atrophy if the 
organization makes an effort to fill the organization with yes-men, 
with people who don't have the courage to speak up and to speak their 
opinions.
  Now, throughout America's history, we have had generals, some who 
don't even speak up very delicately, but do express their opinion and 
have had to pay a political price. And I think that history in many 
cases has shown that while what these men may have said may not have 
been popular in their day, yet it was accurate. I think particularly of 
people like General Patton, who, when he had finished his business of 
crushing Naziism, said, Let me after the communists and the Russians 
and the Soviets because they are no different than the Nazis. Well, 
looking back historically, we realize what he said was absolutely 
right, but he was not politically correct. He wasn't a yes-man.
  But it's my opinion that the reason the First Amendment is the first 
amendment is because Americans appreciate somebody who will speak in a 
forthright, straightforward manner and can give their opinion 
respectfully, but still with some level of force.

                              {time}  2030

  I think that General Pace has done that and is now going to pay the 
price politically for not being a ``yes'' man or lining up with 
somebody's preconceived political notions. I think it is a sad day in 
America's history where we don't have more respect for the first 
amendment and have way too much respect for political correctness and 
trying to go along and get along and just be a ``yes'' man and keep 
everybody happy.
  I think that one of the great things about our generals is that they 
do take a look at the details, they analyze the situation, and they say 
what is right, what is wrong, and what their opinion is. I think it is 
a shame that this general should be penalized for that particular 
situation.

[[Page 16179]]

  I would be happy to yield back to my good friend, Congressman Kline. 
I appreciate your giving me a chance to say that I think that our 
organizations need to have room for people who don't always necessarily 
agree. I think we are better Americans, we are stronger Americans, when 
we can look each other in the eye and say, I love you, brother, but 
this is my opinion on this subject.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Again, I thank the gentleman for his service 
and his son's service and obviously the good parenting job that you 
have done, having your sons go into the Marine Corps. My son went into 
the Army. I have got to tell you, I am so proud of him sometimes I just 
bust out, but occasionally I wonder where I may have gone wrong in that 
upbringing thing. But I know you are proud of your sons and I of mine 
and Joe of his and all of our sons and daughters who are serving so 
well and so bravely in this war and in wars past.
  I want to just remind my colleagues and those who may be following 
this discussion tonight what is at the core of the fine men and women 
who are leading our men and women into combat, and I go back to the 
very, very famous words of General Douglas MacArthur after he retired 
and he went back to West Point, his alma mater, and gave a speech. In 
that speech, I am just going to read a paragraph of it here, he said 
some words that strike to the core of these men and women that we are 
talking about tonight. This was back on May 12, 1962.
  General MacArthur said, ``For all eyes and for all time, it is an 
expression of the ethics of the American soldier. That I should be 
integrated in this way with so noble an ideal arouses a sense of pride 
and yet of humility which will be with me always.
  ```Duty,' `Honor,' `Country,' those three hallowed words reverently 
dictate what you want to be, what you can be, what you will be. They 
are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to 
regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create 
hope when hope becomes forlorn.''
  I think it is important for us to understand, and a little bit later 
this evening I am going to talk about some of those values and some of 
the fine young men and women who go to these service academies and 
provide the outstanding leadership that we have.
  Of course, tonight we are talking about that leadership and quite a 
bit about General Peter Pace, the first Marine Corps Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff and the man who is going to be retiring here in 
the coming months after he has served us so well in so many years.
  I am joined now by my friend and colleague and classmate, I guess, we 
came to Congress together in the 108th Congress, Dr. Phil Gingrey.
  I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, my 
friend from Minnesota, not just Representative John Kline, but Colonel 
John Kline of the United States Marine Corps. Representative Kline, you 
mentioned a number of great leaders. I consider you among them.
  It is fitting that we do this during this hour tonight to pay a 
special tribute to General Peter Pace and General Petraeus, Admiral 
Fallon and General Odierno, all of those you have mentioned. This is 
our chain of command. These are the brave men and women that we talk 
about, as you just referenced, when we go to those service academy days 
and we look at those youngsters in the 10th or 11th grade and they are 
with their parents and thinking about a service academy. And I am 
saying to them, as I am sure my colleagues tonight in this colloquy 
have done, you say, ``You know, young man, young lady, you could be the 
next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or you can be the Central 
Commander.''
  It is just when you look and you say that, you want to feel that they 
know that they are going to be respected, and that Members of Congress 
are not going to denigrate them in a public way.
  I think that is a very, very disappointing thing that has been 
occurring, Mr. Speaker. In fact, a Member recently was quoted as saying 
that this Member felt that General Pace was guilty of dereliction of 
duty because of his support for the Bush's Iraq policy.
  Now, President Bush, like him or not, is the Commander in Chief, and 
if General Pace did not support the Commander in Chief, then that, I 
think, Colonel Kline, you can explain it better than I can, you talk 
about a dereliction of duty, but I am proud to be here tonight.
  I thank the gentleman for giving me a little bit of time. I know we 
have other Members who are colleagues on the Armed Services Committee. 
We have already heard from a couple of them who are veterans and who 
have sons that are serving. I wish I could say that I was a veteran.
  So I am very proud of my colleagues. I am proud of these leaders of 
our military. Especially I want to say to General Pace, Mr. Speaker, 
you know, one of my favorite country songs by Garth Brooks is ``Some of 
God's Greatest Gifts Are Unanswered Prayers.'' If the General was 
praying to get reconfirmed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
maybe this will be God's answer to him: ``General, you have served 40 
years. You are a four-star general. You have done a great job for this 
country, and we salute you.'' Tonight I want to salute General Peter 
Pace.
  I yield back to the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his 
kind remarks and for his service here. You have been a great colleague 
and a great champion for our men and women who are serving so bravely 
and so well all around the globe. It is not just Iraq, as my friend 
knows, and here shortly I will be recognizing another colleague to talk 
about this threat that we face. But first, I want to recognize my 
friend and colleague on the Armed Services Committee and a great 
American himself, the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Hayes.
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the colonel for yielding. I 
appreciate Congressman Kline for his diligence in bringing this 
important matter to the floor. You and I have been friends for years. I 
have been here a little longer, but I say without reservation that 
probably the main motivation that you and I serve, aside from our 
specific constituents in our own districts, is our love for the 
military and our desire to do anything and everything we can to support 
them at all levels of service.
  I represent Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Joint Special Operations 
Command, U.S. Army Special Operations Command at the epicenter of the 
universe in Fayetteville, North Carolina. And as I have spent time with 
these young men and women in all parts of the world, I am continuously 
astounded, amazed, and incredibly appreciative for what they do every 
day and every night of the year to keep us free. I say that simply as a 
little bit of a background to pick up on what Colonel Wilson and Dr. 
Gingrey have said in tribute to General Peter Pace.
  For 40 years, Pete Pace has absolutely signified, has identified, has 
personified, the greatest qualities of the American citizen-soldier-
marine that anybody could absolutely personify. He served in virtually 
every theater for 40 years. He has exemplified Semper Fi. He has been 
faithful beyond belief to our country. He would still be serving, were 
it not for political correctness and cheap-shot politics, that has 
unfortunately become a part of what we do.
  I think General Pace said it better than anyone. When given the 
opportunity to resign, he said, ``Why would I leave my men on the 
battlefield? If you tell me my job is done, then my job is done.''
  General Pace, your job has never been done. It will never be over, 
because the memory of your service will be extremely strong in all of 
our minds.
  Colonel, I would like to add a few more remarks. I feel it is highly 
inappropriate that the Senate majority leader would make disparaging 
remarks about General Pace and General Petraeus, the commander of our 
troops in Iraq and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[[Page 16180]]

  Mr. Speaker, General Petraeus and General Pace have had a tough job, 
and now they should not be fodder for political gain with a group of 
left-wing liberal activists, or anyone else for that matter. Gentlemen, 
scholars and warriors, they have devoted their lives to serving our 
Nation, and have done it well.
  What is most puzzling is that the Senate majority leader put his 
endorsement behind General Petraeus and trusted him to carry out our 
objectives in Iraq when he was confirmed on January 26 of this year. 
Obviously he felt General Petraeus was more than competent when he 
voted to confirm him.
  Mr. Speaker, I don't think anyone is content with the existing 
situation in Iraq, neither General Petraeus nor General Pace. General 
Petraeus, the commanding general, has cautioned it is too early to 
judge the success of Baghdad's security and stability. He informs us 
that the new security effort is just beginning to reach the full number 
on the ground, because they still have an additional brigade just 
coming into Iraq, General Petraeus is now in his third tour of duty in 
Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, the majority leader and others have visited troops 
serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I have been there. I think 
it is good that lawmakers see the situation firsthand. But there is 
real arrogance in saying that someone with a commander's-level 
experience and General Pace's experience is out of touch with the 
situation in Iraq.
  As I said, I have visited Iraq many times and recognize General 
Petraeus as a military commander and as the expert he is on this issue. 
As he makes determinations regarding the security situation in Iraq, I 
will ask tough questions. If you are going to declare that he is out of 
touch or incompetent, then you have already made up your mind. You have 
already determined the outcome is going to be labeled a failure.
  Mr. Speaker, what message are we sending our troops when the 
leadership of the other body has already declared that their effort in 
this new security strategy is a failure before they have really begun?
  The 82nd Airborne from Fort Bragg in my home district is currently 
deployed to Iraq as part of the troop surge. These servicemembers and 
others are there at the tip of the spear. It is time for everyone to 
put partisan politics aside and stand together in solid support of our 
men and women in uniform.
  General Pace has had an incredible, distinguished career, serving in 
every capacity, and he deserves much better. His record merits thanks 
and a second term as chairman. Instead, he becomes another victim of 
the campaign of personal destruction.
  General Pace, thank you for Semper Fi. You have always been faithful.
  Nobody wants their troops to return home sooner or more safely than I 
do. They should not stay in Iraq one day longer than necessary. While 
we have soldiers on the ground fighting the war on terror for us over 
there, we should have no patience for cheap-shot political gamesmanship 
on this critical national security issue here at home.
  Colonel Kline, again, thank you. General Pace, thank you, and Lynn, 
and your family. We are ever grateful for your service.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his 
words and for his strong support of our men and women in uniform. I 
know the people down in North Carolina are very proud to have you 
serve. There is no greater champion for our Special Operations Forces 
than you are and for all those fine soldiers down there, and I know 
that General Pace appreciates your support. So I thank the gentleman 
for joining us this evening.
  Mr. Speaker, I was thinking about the kind words that have been said 
tonight about General Pace. I certainly add to those.
  I mentioned earlier that I thought that General Pace was a fine man 
and a fine marine and a fine commander and a great neighbor when he and 
Lynn lived next door to Vicky and I down at the Marine Base at 
Quantico. I just have to share another story with my colleagues 
standing here.
  There was another time when General Pace and I were neighbors, and it 
was not such a nice location as the Marine Base at Quantico and the 
fine quarters there up on the hill.
  We were serving together in Mogadishu in 1992 and 1993 in the rubble 
of that country, in some pretty tough times and bad weather and bad 
conditions and starving people. We had some folks who were intent on 
shooting each other and shooting us.

                              {time}  2045

  I remember going into the building one time and General Pace was 
sitting there, sort of an old, bombed-out room of the Embassy.
  I said, ``General, how is it going?''
  He said, ``We are here, we are serving our country and we are in the 
Marines.''
  He was a fine friend and fine neighbor, whether he was in the idyllic 
hillside down in Prince William County or bombed-out rubble in 
Mogadishu. You couldn't have a finer man with you. I am very proud to 
have known him and served with him, and I am very grateful for his many 
years of distinguished service, living by those ideals we discussed 
earlier.
  There are some more commanders that we want to refer to later 
tonight, but we want to put this in the context of this terrible war we 
are fighting. We are fighting an evil and adaptive enemy, and I yield 
to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).
  Mr. WAMP. Colonel, it is an honor to join you tonight and my 
colleagues on the floor. Anytime I have the privilege to stand and 
honor our men and women in uniform, I try to begin with what John 
Stuart Mill said about war. He said, ``War is an ugly thing, but not 
the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and 
patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. 
The person who has nothing for which they are willing to fight, nothing 
which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable 
creature and who has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by 
the exertions of better men than himself.''
  Those better persons that Stuart Mill referred to are the people we 
rise tonight to honor, the men and women in uniform of our Armed 
Forces.
  They understand from time to time it is necessary for people to put 
themselves between a threat and our civilian population, and they know 
that freedom, every time it has been extended from one generation to 
the next, it has been by those people who have been willing to put 
themselves and their lives, everything they have, their whole measure, 
between the threat and our civilian population.
  Tonight, Colonel, I come to the floor to talk briefly about this 
threat because, unfortunately, the conversation revolves around one 
theater in this war and that is Iraq. We know mistakes have been made. 
We know it has not gone as well as we would have liked. Wars are that 
way. Stuart Mill said it is an ugly thing.
  I don't know of a war that has been perfectly executed. I know that 
the march to Baghdad was perfectly executed, but I know that 
intentionally the insurgents have wreaked havoc wherever they could, 
from bombing the Samarra mosque which initiated the last 16 months of 
internal strife within Iraq, by design, knowing that that would test 
our will to see if we were a ``paper tiger'' or if we were the strong 
and determined United States of America.
  I think a lot of people forget who it is that threatens freedom-
loving people all around the world. They are called the jihadists, the 
Islamists, the radicals within Islam. The problem here is this is not 
just a religious issue, it is a political agenda. The call is for a 
Shariah, global Islamic rule. That's the truth. Read. I would encourage 
people to read ``Hatred's Kingdom.'' Read ``America Alone.'' Read 
``Looming Towers.'' Read ``While Europe Slept.'' Read ``Londonistan.'' 
Read ``Epicenter.'' Read ``Knowing the Enemy.'' You will understand the 
history of how we got where we are.
  One slice, the Wahhabi movement, the most radical out of the Saudi 
Arabia Sunni sect. A man named Sayyid Qutb came to the United States 
about

[[Page 16181]]

the time I was born in the late 1950s, was educated at Northern 
Colorado State University, and went back and began to indoctrinate the 
Wahhabi sect that western liberalism, self-determination, freedom, 
would create apostasy and ungodliness and it must be stopped.
  One of his lieutenants was Osama bin Laden. One of the people that he 
taught at university was Osama bin Laden. These things didn't happen by 
accident. For years this has been brewing. It is a real threat.
  Unfortunately, the left has a propaganda campaign in this country to 
cause people to believe this is all just Iraq, if we would just leave 
Iraq, if we had never gone we wouldn't have a problem, or that life 
would just return to normal or that everything would just be okay. It 
is just simply not the case. We were not in Iraq before September 11. 
We weren't in Iraq before 1993. They hit us over 40 times since 1979. 
You have to study the history of it all.
  When the Wahhabis took Mecca in the late seventies, the Saudi Arabia 
Kingdom made a deal with them that they would start spending money in 
this country.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I couldn't agree with you more in your 
explanation of what we are up against; but it strikes me the 
differences we hear on the floor of this House. This evening some of 
our colleagues were saying we have to get out of Iraq now. We have to 
end the war. If we bring our troops tomorrow, say they, we will end 
this war. And presumably, then, everything will be fine. And that 
simply doesn't track with the history that the gentleman is describing. 
It does not describe the enemy that was willing to hijack planes and 
fly them into buildings and kill women and children. Every day we see 
the stories in Baghdad of people blowing up women and children. Our 
just bringing our troops home doesn't, wouldn't, couldn't, signal the 
end of this war and of the determination of that enemy. It strikes me 
the difference that we see in this body.
  Mr. WAMP. The words we hear in Washington run almost in denial of the 
words of our enemy, of Zarqawi when he was still alive, of Zawahiri 
about expanding the caliphate, reestablishing the caliphate, from 
Morocco to Indonesia, this huge part of the world, to come back with 
Islamic rule. And this is dangerous because they don't believe in a 
theocracy as we do. They don't believe in pluralism. They don't believe 
in the freedom of religion. We believe everyone should have the right 
to worship as they please. This is a Shariah. This is Islamic law they 
are calling for. This is Islamic rule they are calling for, and this is 
where politics, the military and religion all come together. And we 
didn't do that, they are doing it. That's the truth.
  Frankly, the left has misled and twisted and distorted and run a PR 
campaign that is driven by politics, denying even the weapons of mass 
destruction realities. Hans Blitz said, Where did the 8,500 liters of 
anthrax that we knew were in Iraq go? Two tractor-trailer loads. 
Probably Syria.
  I have news for you, those are weapons of mass destruction. For 
people to say over and over again there weren't weapons of mass 
destruction in Iraq is one of the greatest lies ever told in this 
country.
  He gassed his own people. They came running out with their eyes 
bleeding out of their face. Weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq. 
The threats were real. Over half the Democrats of the United States 
Senate voted to remove Saddam Hussein by force, almost half the 
Democrats in the House voted, and now it is convenient to say we should 
retreat, we never should have gone. This was a misguided war.
  These men and women in uniform, they know that these threats are real 
and we have to stand up and face these threats. I pay tribute tonight 
to the Guard and Reserve from my State, the 181st where my nephew is at 
Fort Bliss training to go to Iraq right now. And the 278th that just 
came back, the might battery of the Marine Corps Reserve; Colonel Brett 
Hale who just commanded the Dragonslayers in Iraq for a year, my 
constituent, my patriot, my hero, who says in the public square in 
Chattanooga, Tennessee: I have been there and I have seen what we are 
doing. I know that it is important.
  These are the people who have been. These are not the people at home 
saying things about the ones who have gone.
  Eight brave men from my district have given their life in defense of 
our freedom; and when some people say they have died in vain, it makes 
me angry because they didn't die in vain, nor has any patriot who has 
ever given their life in defense of freedom for this country died in 
vain. Freedom comes with a huge price, and these men and women are 
willing to put their life on the line for us, and we come to the floor 
tonight to honor them so they know we stand behind them.
  And there is widespread bipartisan support for our troops. But our 
troops are in harm's way on our behalf. You can't say they shouldn't be 
there, we are not for them; and then say, oh, we are for them. It is a 
paradox. It is just wrong-headed sometimes for the leader of the United 
States Senate to say the war is lost while they are in harm's way 
fighting for what they believe in. They know these threats are real.
  We can leave Iraq tomorrow and this threat is not going away. This 
threat is a greater threat to freedom in the world than Nazi Germany 
ever was. It is growing all over the world. Read these books. If you 
haven't read to understand the threat, there is no way you could be 
there to know what is happening in Europe and all across the country. 
The radical elements of Islam have infiltrated through the mosque and 
trained people up all over the world. That is the truth. And they are 
in this country. Nobody wants to hear it because it is not politically 
correct, but that is the truth. I hope, I hope that God showers us with 
his grace so we don't get hit hard again like we did on September 11, 
but the threats are real.
  I come to the floor tonight and say ``thank you'' to the men and 
women in uniform on our behalf. All of them. We came to honor General 
Pace tonight, but every one of those Guardsmen and Reservists whose 
families didn't know that they were going to have one or two or even 
three deployments, thank you families for allowing your son or daughter 
or husband to go, or wife to go, on our behalf.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman very much for his 
insight and certainly his passion on this issue. I, too, want to thank 
all of the men and women in uniform. And certainly we are here tonight 
talking some about the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Peter 
Pace, who will be retiring this fall, but we are also here to talk 
about the other leaders and the values that are at their core.
  Minnesota is like other States in the Union. We have members of our 
National Guard who have deployed, and deployed again in some cases. We 
have 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard serving in Iraq now 
as members of the Red Bulls, and we are so proud of them and looking 
forward to them coming back this summer. The sooner the better.
  That is an issue that has been mentioned by Members on both sides of 
the aisle that there have been mistakes made, and there certainly have. 
One of the early mistakes was not building up the size of the active 
forces and relying so heavily on these men and women in the reserve 
component, the reserves that the gentleman from Tennessee mentioned, 
and the members of the National Guard from all over having to go, 
having to leave their civilian jobs and leave their families and go and 
serve, and they do so willingly and bravely and well. And then they 
come back and have to resume their civilian lives, and we have to do a 
better job of reintegrating them in this body. We need to not let up.
  But I want to thank you, Mr. Wamp, for coming down here and helping 
us understand what it is that we are fighting. You put it so well.
  I know the gentleman remembers way back when the 9/11 Commission came 
out, and in that report they said we are fighting Islamist extremists. 
They didn't say we were just fighting al Qaeda. Certainly we are 
fighting al

[[Page 16182]]

Qaeda. And it seems so long ago now, and as you pointed out, it is even 
clearer now that this enemy that we are fighting is very, very 
determined. It is the jihadists in that moment that are at the core of 
this, and they are not going to quit.

                              {time}  2100

  America's a great country, greatest in the world with great people. 
But we're an impatient people, and it's difficult; no, it is impossible 
for us to understand what's in the minds of people who are not only 
willing but apparently eager to strap bombs to children and blow them 
up and kill innocent, innocent men, women, and children in the name of 
their cause and reestablishing that sharia law and that caliphate and 
then moving on to the world.
  And so like you, I am just grateful for the men and women in uniform 
and for all they have done and for their leaders. And before we wrap up 
here this evening, I want to mention briefly some of the other leaders 
that we don't sometimes talk so much about, but they are part of this 
fight, and they're an integral part.
  We just got a new commander of Central Command, Admiral William 
Fallon, a new leader, will bring new ideas and a new face. We've been 
ably led in the past, but it's important sometimes that we get a change 
of face and a new idea, get a new team sometimes. And Admiral Fallon is 
bringing some new insights into this fight.
  He was a naval aviator, a graduate of Villanova University in 1967, 
came through the Naval ROTC program, as I did. I have a lot of good 
things to say about the service academies. I think they do a terrific 
job, but there is no question that we get fine officers, men and women, 
who come through our other commissioning programs like the Naval ROTC 
program.
  Admiral Fallon served as an aviator in Vietnam, has had a very 
distinguished career. He is going on now to take overall command of 
everything in Central Command which, of course, includes all of Iraq 
and the surrounding countries, and we're glad to have him.
  General David Petraeus has been mentioned this evening, a really fine 
officer, graduate of the West Point Military Academy, has a PhD., very 
distinguished career. I've had the pleasure of sitting and talking with 
General Petraeus on two previous trips to Iraq. He was the commander of 
the 101st Airborne Division and Operation Iraqi Freedom One, and when I 
went over there, my first trip to Iraq, he was the commanding general 
up in Mosul. I had a chance to go and talk to him, and I was impressed 
then with his intelligence and his determination and his leadership.
  What a fine job the 101st did, not only in winning the initial combat 
but in starting to establish some local government and progress amongst 
the people of Mosul. And I thought at the time, what a fine officer, 
and all my colleagues who traveled over there, Republicans and 
Democrats, came back with glowing reports of General David Petraeus.
  It was later my son became a member of the 101st under a different 
commander and has gone to Iraq and served for a year and come back and 
served well, and General Petraeus left that division in good shape.
  General Petraeus went back to Iraq and served as the man in charge of 
training the Iraqi security forces, and so he was able to see firsthand 
what the difficulties were and what we needed to do there. And then he 
went on to become probably the Nation's foremost authority in 
unconventional warfare, ideally suited to his job. And so when the 
President nominated him to be the senior American commander in Iraq, he 
was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate.
  And under him is Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, another fine 
officer with previous service in Iraq and a graduate of the United 
States Military Academy. All of these officers, too many awards and 
decorations to name.
  My point this evening is that we are ably led by fine men who hew to 
an ethic of, as General Douglas MacArthur said, ``Duty, Honor, 
Country,'' but the core values seen at the Naval Academy and the United 
States Marine Corps of honor, courage, commitment, all of these men 
exemplify those core values, and they provide firm, steady, well-
informed leadership to the men and women who serve us so well in all 
the corners of the world. And they're doing a good job.
  I just want to share with you a couple of quotes that I've got here 
about things that are going on in Iraq. Goodness knows we see plenty of 
bad news, and there is certainly some to share. And every time there's 
an explosion and our soldiers are killed or wounded, it pains us 
deeply. And when civilians are killed, it's a tragedy. But we're 
fighting against an enemy that is fierce and determined, as my 
colleague Mr. Wamp from Tennessee outlined so well.
  This is a tough enemy and we need tough soldiers to fight them, and 
all of us recognize that you cannot win this only militarily, that you 
need economics and you need politics and you need diplomacy. And I 
would say that these leaders that we've talked about tonight, Admiral 
Fallon, General Petraeus, General Odierno and certainly the Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, understand that very 
well. But they're attending to the first order of business first. They 
want to make sure that our men and women are well-led. They're fighting 
to win. We in this body, my colleagues, need to make sure that we're 
giving them every chance to win.
  And I just notice some quotes that have just been in the news in the 
last couple of days. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker says, ``It is 
noteworthy that violence is down in the two areas where the surge is 
focused, Anbar and Baghdad.''
  And our friend from the other side of the Capitol, Senator Joe 
Lieberman says, ``Our troops have succeeded in improving security 
conditions in precisely those parts of Iraq where the surge has 
focused.''
  We can't win it all in a day. It's going to be a long fight. The men 
and women serving and fighting understand this. We need to understand 
this and make sure that we are, in fact, being true to ourselves and 
true to them.
  I want to share just a brief story about the fine leadership that we 
have, not just these men that we've talked about tonight, but the fine 
young men and women who are stepping up to lead our Armed Forces today.
  One of the great things we get to do as Members of Congress is 
nominate these fine young students to go forward to the academy. We're 
always thrilled when one is selected to go, and the joy that they have 
and the pride that their families feel is certainly moving.
  In my first year here as a Member of this body, my niece graduated 
from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Vicky and I went up for 
several days of ceremonies and to share with my sister and brother-in-
law and nieces their joy and pride in my niece's accomplishment.
  She, by the way, now Captain Stroecker, is serving in the United 
States Army. She served a year over in Kuwait. She served in Germany, 
and she's the kind of officer that makes us proud.
  But while we were there at West Point, we were surrounded by these 
young cadets, some of them just getting ready to be commissioned. And 
we were there when the second lieutenants' bars were pinned on, but I 
remember sitting with Vicky in the audience and witnessing a ceremony 
that I found to be very moving. It was a very impressive thing to 
watch.
  This is a ceremony where the graduating class turns over command, 
turns over command to the brigade, to the rising seniors, the juniors 
rising to be seniors, and you see the long gray line march out in that 
ceremony. Movies are made about the long gray line, stories written, 
and it's moving to watch it, and they march out, and they pass command 
from one class to the next.
  And I remember thinking as that ceremony was going on and looking at 
those fine, fine young men and women, I remember thinking, no wonder, 
no wonder that the United States has the finest Armed Forces in the 
world and no wonder that we're the best we've ever been, with all 
apologies to the

[[Page 16183]]

Greatest Generation, my father's generation, an Army World War II 
veteran, but today's Army and today's Marine Corps and Navy and Air 
Force and Coast Guard are the best they have ever been, all volunteer, 
all eager, all determined. They understand that enemy that my 
colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee, was describing. They know that 
what they're doing is important, that without their success we are in 
great danger.
  But as you look at those fine young men and women and when you are 
there, when they move on to become second lieutenants, you just can't 
help but notice that that's the reason why our men and women in uniform 
today are led by very, very fine leaders.
  Well, I see that we're nearing the end of the time for this Special 
Order. I'm sure there is more to be said about the fine men and women 
who are leading our military, and that's what we were about this 
evening, to talk a little bit about the conflict we're involved in, the 
importance of that leadership and the people who are leading and 
certainly to talk about General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff.
  Pete, I think it was my colleague, Robin Hayes, who said, we love 
you, and we thank you, and we wish you all the best. And I know that 
sometimes you thought about these words, I certainly have over the 
years, President Ronald Reagan said way back in 1985; he said, some 
people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in 
the world, but the Marines don't have that problem. And Pete Pace has 
never had that problem. He has been a great leader. He is a great 
leader. We're looking forward to his leadership in the closing months 
of his tour as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We thank him 
for everything that he has done, that he is doing and that he is going 
to do.

                          ____________________