[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Page 31943]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I listened with interest to my friend 
from Kentucky comment about my statement on Iraq and the importance of 
disengagement with the withdrawal of American troops. I don't intend to 
restate my positions on the war this afternoon. I came to the floor to 
address another issue. But I will point out that one of the best votes 
I have cast in the Senate was in opposition to the resolution, 
supported by the Senator from Kentucky, that took us into Iraq, where 
American forces have been fighting for a longer time than all of World 
War II and where we see the continued loss of American lives--some 37 
American lives lost last month--and billions in taxpayer dollars 
flooding into the sands of Iraq. Still, there is not the reconciliation 
by the Iraqi political leadership to develop some kind of Government 
that could be the basis for independence in the future. As our brave 
men and women are fighting gallantly and with great valor there, they 
are entitled to a policy that is worthy of their valor. Today they are 
effectively being held hostage by Iraqi politicians who refuse to 
negotiate among themselves and form a government. That might be 
satisfactory to the Senator from Kentucky but not to the Senator from 
Massachusetts. Evidently, the Senator from Kentucky wants to give a 
blank check to the Iraqi politicians: Continue your squabbles over 
there, while we continue to see the loss of American lives and blood.
  Not the Senator from Massachusetts. They have had their time. What is 
going to convince the Iraqi politicians we are serious? What will send 
the message is when we demonstrate that we are starting to withdraw 
American troops. Then they are going to make political judgments for 
their survival.
  But not today. If the Senator from Kentucky wants to continue an 
open-ended commitment with American lives and American treasure, that 
is his position. It is not mine. I don't think that is where the 
American people are.
  How long is it going to take for the Iraqi politicians to get 
together? They are not doing it now. They didn't do it yesterday. They 
don't appear to be willing to do it tomorrow, even though we have had 
assurances from the administration that success was around the corner.
  This is a matter of enormous importance and consequence. We will 
continue the debate. That is why I am a strong supporter of what our 
leader pointed out earlier today, talking about a proposal that has 
been put forward in terms of what is called bridge funding.

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