Remarks on the Situation in Iraq
REMARKS ON THE SITUATION IN IRAQ -- HON. DANNY K. DAVIS (Extensions of Remarks - February 15, 2005)
HON. DANNY K. DAVIS
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2005
· Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we may soon know the official count from the elections in Iraq but it is already very clear we will not know the real long term impact and results for some time.
· Will the election unite the Iraqi people or further divide them? Will the new government represent the interests of all sectors of Iraqi society? Will the rights of minorities be protected? Will the new laws of the land be promulgated on a secular or religious basis?
· The elections do nothing to increase the legitimacy of our so-called ``preventive war.'' The official end for the search for weapons of mass destruction confirms what a majority of the American people have known for some time: we were misled as to the need for military action in Iraq.
· There was no link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11. U.N. sanctions and inspections were, in fact, highly effective in disarming Iraq after the 1991 war.
· There is no doubt that those Iraqis who did vote, and already the controversy is growing over what share of the population participated, were expressing their profound hope for an end to the violence, for an improvement in the quality of their lives, for a say in their own futures and an end to the occupation of their country.
· And why not? Estimates by reputable experts such as the British medical journal, The Lancet are that more than 100,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the war and the on-going violence under the occupation.
· The Iraqi government has reported that malnutrition among young children has doubled since the war began and that they are experiencing soaring rates of disease exacerbated by a decimated health system.
· Iraq is no closer to a stable democracy today than it was two years ago. The Iraqi insurgency appears to be growing significantly faster than the security forces we have attempted to train. It is questionable if Iraqi security forces can ever achieve authority as long as our troops have the real responsibility for maintaining order.
· The presence of more than 130,000 U.S. troops has, in fact, become a rallying point and an endless source of fodder for propaganda by terrorists.
· At a time when American prestige and leadership is more necessary than ever, when the light of hope for a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people once again flickers to life, U.S. ability to serve as a broker for peace has been crippled by the perception of many of our actions in Iraq.
· We face the massive and difficult task of rebuilding international alliances and renewing the mechanisms of international diplomacy and security. And what has been the cost to America? As of yesterday, 1,449 American troops killed. 10,740 wounded as of the end of January. Extended time of service for tens of thousands of service men and women and reservists at immense cost to families.
· The diversion of tens of billions of dollars from homeland security, health, education, housing, and a host of other needs have left some of our most urgent needs here at home untended and unaddressed. The long term impact on our military has not yet been examined, but based on our experience after Vietnam there is good reason to expect that there will be a negative impact.
· Mr. Speaker, in the interests of stabilizing the situation in Iraq, in the interests of peace and security in the region, in the interests of our homeland security, and in support of our troops, it is time to bring our troops home.
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