Supporting Nearly 200,000 Americans Working to Secure, Reconstruct and Establish Stability in Iraq

SUPPORTING NEARLY 200,000 AMERICANS WORKING TO SECURE, RECONSTRUCT AND ESTABLISH STABILITY IN IRAQ -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 25, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2004

Ms. MCCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the nearly 200,000 American servicemen and women, civilian government officials and private contractors working to secure, reconstruct and establish stability in Iraq. Their collective service and sacrifices, and the sacrifices made by their families in their absence, are to be honored and profoundly respected.

The brave and proud people of Iraq also deserve to be recognized for enduring a very difficult and often violent transition from brutal authoritarian rule to the beginnings of self-rule. There remains years of work ahead by the Iraqi people and their journey will be difficult and bloody, but the path to an open, stabile and prosperous Iraq now lies ahead of them.

The current situation in Iraq and the June 30, 2004 transfer of limited sovereignty requires U.S. policy makers and elected leaders to examine the very difficult reality of today and tomorrow with determination and honesty, rather than the best-case planning and irrational optimism that has plagued the occupation for the past twelve months. The U.S. occupation will continue on July 1, 2004 and tens of thousands of Americans remain working in a very dangerous war zone for an indefinite number of months or years.

Today, over one hundred Iraqis and three American soldiers were killed in a series of coordinated attacks across Iraq.

Hundred more Iraqis were seriously wounded. Yet, today in this House we debate House Resolution 691 which calls for the American people to "celebrate the restoration of freedom in Iraq" with the June 30th transfer of authority. The absurdity and contradiction between the reality in Iraq and this resolution's call for Americans to celebrate in the face of a murderous day and difficult days, months and years ahead is something I cannot support.

Iraq is a war zone, where guerilla-style attacks take place everyday and our troops operate in an extremely hazardous environment. There is a phenomenal amount of work that still needs to be done before Iraq and the world can celebrate sovereignty.

Mr. Speaker, I know the people of Minnesota honor the service of tens of thousands of brave Americans serving in Iraq with their thoughts and prayers every day, as do I. We also share in the mourning with the families of service men and women who have died in Iraq. We support the men and women who have come home wounded and need support and time to heal. We witness the tragic deaths of Iraqi women, men and children and feel anguish at the unending violence.

Mr. Speaker, this is no time for the American people or the people of the world to celebrate as House Resolution 691 urges. On July 1, 2004, the first step toward Iraqi autonomy will be taken and the long and difficult path to peace, security and hope begins. It is at the end of this path-when Iraqi sovereignty does not require 140,000 U.S. troops to support it and when peace is real and the Iraqi people are celebrating their own freedom from occupation and violence-that the Congress, the American people and the world should join them in the celebration.

We should be planning for success in Iraq, not planning for a celebration.