Date: 2007-05-01
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. Members of the House. in a few minutes. the President- of the United States will veto the legislation to hold the Iraqi government responsible and accountable for the benchmarks that they promised their citizens and the citizens of this country. Tonight. after 24.000 U.S. soldiers have been wounded. 3.212 have been- killed. and the country has descended into a bloody civil war. what we now see is the basis on which the President told this country lie wanted the surge in the escalation was that he would hold the Iraqi government responsible. In January. he said he would hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks as announced. and that if no progress is made. they would lose the support of the American people. The fact is that no progress has been -made. and the Brookings Institute has shown us that situation. What we see now. as Secretary Rice says. that the administration believes that holding the Iraqis accountable to these benchmarks that they establish as the price of the surge "doesnt allow us the flexibility and creativity we need to move forward." You can be creative all you want but unless the Iraqis know that there are consequences. and that is what this legislation said. that if you cant reach these benchmarks. if you cant establish a civil society. then we will withdraw our troops. Right now. under President Bushs proposal under Secretary Rices proposal. what we see as the only people paying the price are the American soldiers. Those are the only people paying the price tonight.Today marks a sad anniversary for this. country. Four years ago today. President Bush declared that the mission in Iraq was accomplished and that major combat operations in Iraq were over. Since that time. 24.270 U.S. soldiers have been wounded. 3.212 have been killed. and the country has descended into a bloody civil war that we cannot stop nor should we referee. It is time for America to redeploy its troops from Iraq. Thats why today. Congress sent a bill to the Presidents desk that would do just that: to redeploy from Iraq. Its what a majority of the American people want. and its what a majority of the United States Congress wants. But instead of ending the war. the President is pursuing a war with no end in sight. He refuses to hold the Iraqi government accountable for the benchmarks it promised to achieve: to establish a government supported by its people that can provide for its own security. In January. the President said that "If the Iraqi Government does not follow through on its promises. it will lose the support of the American people." Well Mr. President. the Iraqis have not followed through. and your war has lost the support of the American people and a majority of the United States Congress. According to a study by the Brookings Institute. there has been "no progress thus far" achieving the administrations benchmarks. Yet. despite the Presidents promise in January to "hold the Iraqi Government to the benchmarks it has announced." the administration has flip flopped. On Sunday. Secretary Rice said the administration believes that holding the Iraqis accountable "doesnt allow us the flexibility and creativity that we need to move this forward." You can be creative as you Want. but unless the Iraqis know that there are consequences to not living up totheir end of the bargain. American Soldiers. taxpayers will continue to make all of the sacrifices and bear all the costs. And that is unacceptable. Optimism is not a strategy. Ignoring the facts and misleading the country is not a path to victory. It is time for the Iraqis to be held accountable. and to take charge of their own country. And it is time that the President yield to the will of the Nation. and end our occupation of Iraq now.