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Expressing Sense Of The House Of Representatives On Fifth Anniversary Of Terrorist Attacks Launched Against The United States On September 11, 2001

Date: Sept. 13, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense Foreign Affairs


EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF TERRORIST ATTACKS LAUNCHED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 -- (House of Representatives - September 13, 2006)

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Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my friend Mr. Thompson for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, 5 years after 9/11, we have still failed to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. We have not destroyed al Qaeda. A new Pentagon report shows that the situation in Iraq is worsening, with the number of attacks against Americans and Iraqis climbing to the highest average per week since the war began; 2,700 United States soldiers have died in Iraq, over 20,000 have been wounded; and United States taxpayers have paid more than $300 billion for the Iraq war. Yet we are spending 4 hours debating a partisan resolution about one of the most tragic days in American history.

Mr. Speaker, now is not the time to divide the country. Slogans and partisanship will not bring us victory. ``Stay the course'' and ``you are either with us or against us'' are not military strategies.

Five years after 9/11, we must be clear: The war in Iraq has distracted us from finding Osama bin Laden, dismantling al Qaeda and fighting the war on terrorism. We must put the future of Iraq in the hands of the Iraqis so we can focus on our primary goal, winning the war on terrorism. We must end the stonewalling and pass the 9/11 Commission recommendations.

But the Republican leadership keeps fighting the wrong battles. They announced yesterday a war against Democrats on security.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation is engaged in a war against a real and brutal enemy who finds pleasure in taking innocent life and who works every day to undermine the freedom and democracy we hold dear. I suggest the Republican leadership focus its energy on fighting that enemy, not their fellow Americans.

As this Nation faces the greatest challenge of our generation, defeating terrorism, our leaders must preach strength and unity, not partisanship and divisiveness.

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