Date: 2006-09-13
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I yield myself 5 minutes. Mr. Speaker. 5 years ago there were a lot of questions as to who attacked us and why we were attacked. Answerscame to that in fairly short order. but the question of why still remained and what those who attacked us had in order for us in the future. In the book. "Nuclear Terrorism." there is a citation to Osama bin Ladens official press spokesman Suleiman Abu Gheith making a chilling announcement on the now defunct al Qaedaassociated Web site. and these are his words. "We have the right." he said. "to kill 4 million Americans. 2 million of them children." Let me repeat that. The spokesman for Osama bin Laden said on their Web site. "We have the right to kill 4 million Americans. 2 million of them children. and to exile twice as many and wound and cripple hundreds of thousands." He went on the Web site to explain what justified it. and these are his words. "America with the collaboration of the Jews is the leader of corruption and the breakdown of. values. whether moral. ideological. political. or economic corruption. It disseminates abomination and licentiousness among the people via. the cheap media and the vile curricula. America is the reason for all oppression. injustice. licentiousness. or suppression that is the Muslims lot. It stands behind all the disasters that were caused and are still being caused to the Muslims. it is immersed in the blood of Muslims and cannot hide this." Why do I mention this?*I.mention it because the threat is clear. They have officially said that they would not feel that they have succeeded until they have taken 1.400 assaults similar to those of 9/11. because that is what would be required. 1.400 times the loss of life that we had on 9/11. They do not refer to any cleavage between Democrats- and Republicans. They do not say they .do this because of what this administration did or that administration did or because of what the Democrats did in the Congress. or the Republicans. They did that because they reject everything we stand for. That is why we bring this resolution to the floor. This resolution is brought to the floor in recognition of the threat against us. the challenges it presents and what we have done working together. Republicans and Democrats. men and women who are Americans first to try and respond to that threat for ourselves. our children and our grandchildren. We need to remind the American people of the affirmative steps that we have taken: the PATRIOT Act. which changed the way we dealt with the threat of terrorism. other programs that we have supported and the administration has carried out. So this is not a fight over partisanship. This is not a suggestion of oneupsmanship. This is a recognition of the threat that faces us as Americans. and we are committed and united as Americans to respond to that. That is what this resolution stands for. That is what it says. That is why we bring it to the floor. to ask all Members to support it so that we can show that there is unity in this body. not division. so that we can show that we understand the challenges that we face and that we are up to the challenges that face us as a Nation. We can do no less than our l3arents generation did in responding to the totalitarianism of their time as we respond to the totalitarianism of our time. Mr. Speaker. this is not an effort to divide. It is an effort to unify. It is an effort to show the American people that we are together in this fight and we shall continue this fight. Mr. Speaker. I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia .