[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 5338-5339]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAQ

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I opposed going to war in Iraq. I 
opposed the escalation of American troop levels. And I still do.
  When the Bush administration proposed the escalation of U.S. forces 
in Iraq, the President said it would enable the Iraqi government to 
achieve political reconciliation. Our troops have done their part. Yet 
as we ask our troops to do more, the Iraqi government does less.
  While we were fighting the surge, the Iraqi parliament was on 
vacation. While our troops were wounded, dying, and away from their 
families, Prime Minister al-Maliki was running up a budget surplus.

[[Page 5339]]

  The Iraqi government has failed to make their country safer or more 
stable; they have failed to hold provisional elections, reform their 
oil laws or disarm the militias. This is a failure in leadership. The 
battle of Basra was a disaster. We know that many members of the Iraqi 
military fought bravely and steadfastly. But we also know that more 
than 1,000 deserted or refused to fight. Once again, American troops 
had to step forward to salvage the operation.
  Our troops have performed bravely and effectively. Yet a great 
American military cannot be a substitute for a weak Iraqi government. 
It is time to come home. We must bring our troops home, swiftly and 
safely.

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