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[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 4 (Friday, January 9, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                         LET'S NOT FORGET IRAQ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, this week was the beginning of the 111th 
Congress, and it is absolutely clear we face enormous challenges. We 
must deal with an economic crisis that is robbing the American people 
of their savings, their jobs and their homes. We must tackle our 
problems in health care, energy, education and the environment. The 
domestic agenda is going to be long, it is going to be hard, and it is 
going to demand our time and our energy.
  But I rise today to make this plea: Let us not forget Iraq. About 
140,000 American servicemembers remain in harm's way in Iraq. Military 
families and veterans continue to struggle and to suffer, and the 
occupation continues to cost us over $11 billion a month. That is money 
that is desperately needed to help the American people right here at 
home. Yet Iraq seems to have disappeared from our radar screens, from 
our newspapers, from our media. The three major television networks 
have decided to remove their full-time reporters. With Iraq off 
television screens, I am concerned that it will be out of sight and out 
of mind.
  But forgetting Iraq would be wrong. It would be dangerous. The dying 
hasn't stopped. Nearly 100 civilians have been killed in the first few 
days of this month alone. In addition, over 300 died in December and 
over 300 died in November. Many, many more are sure to die in the days 
and months ahead, not to count those that are being injured and 
displaced. The number of Iraqis being killed today is about the same as 
the number that were being killed in 2003 and 2004.
  There are other issues that demand our attention as well; the new 
Status of Forces Agreement, which is bound to create confusion and new 
problems for our troops. And we must come up with a plan, a plan to 
meet the refugee crisis. Four million refugees must be resettled. The 
humanitarian crisis goes on and on.
  But despite all these problems, there is reason for hope. The 
administration that decided to destroy Iraq in order to save it will be 
gone in 2 weeks, and I am confident that the new administration, with 
President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton leading the way, will 
put us on the right path. They are committed to ending the occupation 
within 16 months. I actually urge them to do it even sooner and to 
ignore the voices that will advise them to leave residual forces and 
permanent bases behind. I also urge them to engage the international 
community and Iraq's neighbors, including Iran, in a diplomatic effort 
to stabilize the Middle East, which is absolutely essential.
  A full redeployment of our troops in a new diplomatic effort will 
send a signal to the world that a compassionate America is committed to 
peace; that it is committed to human rights instead of war and instead 
of torture.
  Madam Speaker, the pundits and neocons who got us into the Iraq mess 
in the first place are calling it a victory. This is the second time 
they have called it a victory. They would like us to close the book on 
Iraq and to move on. But the occupation is still standing in the way of 
peace, it is still undermining our moral authority in the world and is 
draining our Treasury at the worst possible time.
  We have more than enough domestic problems to deal with, but ending 
the occupation of Iraq must also be at the very top of this new 
administration's agenda. I am confident that it will be, because we 
will finally have the leadership in the White House and the State 
Department that will do the right thing.
  Madam Speaker, let's not forget Iraq.

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