[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 10169-10170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  IRAQ SUPPLEMENTAL CONFERENCE REPORT

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I strongly oppose President Bush's 
statements that the Democratic leaders are trying to use the current 
emergency supplemental bill to make a political statement. Congress is 
acting on its mandate from the American people, who used their votes 
last November to register their opposition to the war in Iraq.
  The President has repeatedly made it clear that nothing--not the 
wishes of the American people, not the advice of military foreign 
policy experts, not the concerns of members of both parties--will 
discourage him from pursuing a

[[Page 10170]]

war that has no end in sight and that has no military solution. With 
our heroic troops stuck in an Iraqi civil war, Congress cannot wait for 
the President to change course. We must change the course ourselves.
  Once again, President Bush is stalling for time as he threatens to 
veto a bipartisan bill that could finally change the course in Iraq.
  Although the conference report does not go as far or move as quickly 
as I would like, it is an important step toward ending the President's 
misguided policies in Iraq. It requires the President to begin 
redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq, while permitting troops to remain in 
Iraq for defined and narrow purposes: To protect U.S. personnel and 
facilities, to engage in ``targeted special actions'' against al-Qaida 
and their affiliates and to train and equip Iraqi forces. The vast 
majority of our troops would have to be redeployed, thus bringing to an 
end our current involvement in what may be the greatest foreign policy 
blunder in American history.
  Some of my colleagues may still feel we should defer to the Commander 
in Chief. But these arguments disregard our congressional 
responsibilities. Congress authorized this war and we have the power 
and the responsibility to bring it to a close.
  We have a responsibility to end a war that is taking away resources 
from our top national security priority--the global fight against al-
Qaida and its affiliates. Let me remind my colleagues that this is 
indeed a global fight--focusing so much of our resources on one country 
against an enemy that operates around the world is shortsighted and 
self-defeating.
  I am not suggesting that we leave the Iraqis to their own devices. 
There are many serious and troubling political problems in Iraq that 
are driving the insurgency and sectarian struggle and they require the 
attention of U.S. policymakers. But they will not be solved by an open-
ended, massive military engagement.
  Instead, we need a strategic approach to redeployment and a global 
strategy to defeat the threats posed by terrorist networks. As long as 
the President's Iraq policy goes unchecked, our military will continue 
to put their lives on the line unnecessarily, our constituents will 
continue to pour billions of their dollars into this war, our military 
readiness will continue to erode, and we will be unable to develop a 
strategy to truly confront al-Qaida.
  If the President vetoes this bill, he will be rejecting the wishes of 
the American people and the imperatives of our national security. I 
will oppose any efforts to send a weaker bill to the President's desk 
and I will continue to speak out on this issue until the voices of the 
American people are finally heard in Congress and the White House.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, we have 30 minutes; is that correct?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is correct, there is 30 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Would the Presiding Officer let me know when 10 minutes 
have passed?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator will be notified.

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