Iraq War Resolution

IRAQ WAR RESOLUTION

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Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, whether you are for or against the war in Iraq, whether you think the administration has done a good job or not, none of that, Madam Speaker, is the subject of this resolution. The issue that we are here debating now is whether or not we support the reinforcements that the Commander in Chief has sent to Iraq.

At the request of the commanders on the field, the Commander in Chief made the decision to send the requested reinforcements to Iraq. Many of them are already there, Madam Speaker. Those fine men and women have already been sent to Iraq.

The tragic effect of this resolution is to sabotage the morale of our troops and to broadcast to our enemies that Congress does not support our soldiers' mission.

Our Nation's troops are the bravest and most dedicated men and women on this Earth. They are risking their lives every single day to preserve our freedom and to ensure the safety of all Americans. They are not letting us down. We cannot let them down.

Again, Madam Speaker, the issue here is not whether you support or you oppose the war. It is whether you support our troops.

Every American, Madam Speaker, every American should agree that it is in our Nation's best interest to ensure that Iraq does not fall into the hands of terrorist groups or of a terrorist state like Iran. The consequences of that happening, the consequences of that happening, would be catastrophic for the region, for our allies in the area such as Israel, Afghanistan, Jordan, Egypt, and others, and for the United States of America. We cannot pretend, we cannot pretend, that this ill-timed resolution expresses anything other than a rejection of our troops' mission.

Our troops deserve much better than this. What our troops deserve, Madam Speaker, is our unwavering support. I refuse to let them down, and that is why I will be voting against this resolution.

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