[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21889]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      GOOD NEWS COMING OUT OF IRAQ

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, let's talk about some of the good news coming 
out of Iraq. I realize the Democratic majority would like to spend most 
of our time talking about failure in Iraq. Indeed, that is what we have 
done during the first 7 months of Congress. However, the new strategy 
in Iraq and the new general in charge are making real progress on the 
ground.
  The Iraqi people are beginning to stand up for the safety and 
security of their neighborhoods. A recent story in the Times of London 
states the increased presence of U.S. forces in the Doura neighborhood 
in South Baghdad, ``is encouraging insiders to overcome their fear and 
divulge what they know. Convoys of U.S. soldiers are working the 
rubble-strewn streets day and night, knocking on doors, speaking to 
locals and following up on leads on possible insurgent hideouts.''
  Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the members of the Armed Forces who have 
given their lives, we owe it to the Iraqi people, to give this new 
strategy a chance to succeed, and we need to talk about their 
successes.

                          ____________________