[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4642]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             EASTER IN IRAQ

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, after returning from Iraq over the Easter 
weekend, I want to report my observations. The military situation is 
progressing positively with the Iraqi Security Forces, the National 
Police, and the new-found group of citizen soldiers called the Sons of 
Iraq doing ever improving job of securing their own nation.
  The Iraqis and the U.S. troops are working better together as both 
nations use their troops in combined patrols. U.S. Commander and Four 
Star General Petraeus understands not only the military situation, but 
the complex political situation as well. The Iraqi government is 
showing signs of more stability than it has in previous months.
  My observations of the U.S. troops: they have very high morale, a 
strong sense of purpose, and are well trained and ready to meet U.S. 
objectives in Iraq. The most notable concern I saw was the ever 
increasing interference and influence of Iran. The Iranians are funding 
insurgents and supplying weapons from small arms to rockets to any 
group that will cause chaos. It appears Iran wants instability in Iraq 
to further its own political and military objectives.
  The U.S. presence in Iraq is necessary to prevent the circling 
Iranian vulture from preying on the peoples of Iraq.
  And that's just the way it is.

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