Mr. Paul: Madam Speaker, I rise to enter into the Congressional Record a letter to the editor of the Carteret County News-Times by General John Batiste titled, "A Man of Principle." General Batiste commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq and in this letter he rightfully praises one of the most courageous Members of Congress, my friend Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina. Rep. Jones, correctly observes General Batiste, is a man of principle and well understands the dilemma we face in Iraq. It is very encouraging for me to read the words of the highly experienced General Batiste affirming the correctness of Congressman Jones' position on Iraq, because I share Rep. Jones views about this very difficult situation we find ourselves. I also salute Rep. Jones for his courage and his determination to seek the truth.
Rochester, N.Y.,
May 22, 2007
To the Editor: Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina's 3rd District deserves our unqualified support. He is a man of principle and well understands the dilemma we face in Iraq to include the fatally flawed strategy that took us to war in March 2003; the failure to modify the same strategy over time; the administration's continued reliance on the military without the necessary diplomatic, political, and economic components fundamental to a successful strategy; the administration's failure to mobilize the nation to deal with global Islamic extremism; and the dire straights our great soldiers and Marines find themselves in today.
Indeed, our Army and Marine Corps, the best fighting formations our country has ever fielded, are at a breaking point with little to show for it because of the reckless behavior of the current administration.
Walter Jones gets it. He personifies patriotism. He understands the American way of war.
I base this judgment on personal experience, a 31-year career in the Army, two combat tours in Iraq, many years of service in Balkans peace enforcement in both Bosnia and Kosovo and service in the Pentagon before, during and after Sept. 11th, 2001. I am a lifelong Republican. I respect Walter Jones for his moral courage and resolve to get things right.
I met Congressman Jones in his office in the Rayburn Office Building some eight months ago. I was impressed then with his grasp of the situation in Iraq and his unqualified love of country and support for our military. Indeed, for the last five years, he is one of only several congressional Republicans who have embraced their constitutional responsibilities to overwatch and hold accountable our executive branch of government. He asks the tough questions and never backs down. The vast majority of our party has long since abrogated this incredibly important aspect of their duty. He well represents his constituents and the best interests of both our country and our military. As President Gerald Ford once said, "Truth is the glue that holds our government together." Since our first meeting eight months ago, my respect of Walter Jones has multiplied tenfold.
People often ask me to describe how they can help get the country back on track. The answer almost invariably boils down to exercising the right to vote and casting one's vote for the candidate who understands the issues and has the moral courage to do the right thing. I have now expanded that answer to elect more public servants like Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina. Our nation desperately needs members of Congress with his character, commitment, and resolve. I salute Walter Jones as a man of principle with the courage of his convictions.
John Batiste,< br /> Maj. Gen. USA (Ret.)
Mr. Sarbanes: Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation commemorating the work of United Nations Peacekeepers by recognizing May 29 as International United Nations Peacekeeping Day.
Since 1945, our U.N. Peacekeepers have aided in resolving a wide array of very complex regional conflicts across the globe. In many cases, these individuals have put themselves at great risk and indeed made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of a safer, more secure global community. Since its inception, the United Nations has undertaken 61 field missions and helped implement 172 peaceful settlements. These missions have ended regional conflicts and enabled people in more than 45 countries to take part in free and fair elections. More than 2,355 individuals from 113 nations, including the United States, have given their lives to this cause.
In the past 3 years alone, U.N. peacekeeping has helped to initiate missions in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Haiti, Burundi, Sudan, and East Timor, and bolstered the missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lebanon. These missions often come with difficult and complex mandates such as containing or preventing the outbreak of conflict and its spill-over across borders or helping implement peace agreements. In 2005 alone, U.N. peacekeepers supported elections in five post-conflict countries, including Afghanistan, Burundi, Iraq, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Through these efforts, over 56 million people were allowed to cast votes.
Currently, the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations has more than 100,000 troops and personnel deployed in 18 peacekeeping missions and 13 political missions worldwide, all with an annual budget of $6 billion. This U.N. peacekeeping force has grown five-fold over the last 10 years, reflecting not only the broad international support for U.N. peacekeeping, but also the U.S. support for new and expanded peacekeeping missions.
In 2005, the Human Security Report, a major international study funded in part by the Rockefeller Foundation, judged that, perhaps contrary to popular belief, civil strife has plummeted 80 percent worldwide since the early 90s. It attributed that decline to the rise in international activism, in particular the increase in support for and deployment of U.N. peacekeeping missions and their growing complexity.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget recently granted all U.S. contributions made to international peacekeeping activities three- stars, its highest rating. This distinction is reserved for expenditures that "set ambitious goals, achieve results, are well- managed, and improve efficiency."
Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to commend the work and courage of our U.N. peacekeepers around the globe and the logistical guidance provided by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations. I hope you will join me in supporting this resolution drawing attention to these brave men and women and in honoring those who have sacrificed their lives in the name of international peace.
The Speaker pro tempore: Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. Woolsey: Mr. Speaker, today marks over 1,500 days of the occupation of Iraq. Since that time, over 3,500 brave men and women have given their lives and at least 2,600 have been injured. We have spent nearly half a trillion dollars, but this occupation is about more than just numbers. It is about the lives, both American and Iraqi, that will be changed forever.
So many brave men and women heeded the call of the Commander in Chief to rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. One could say many of these troops were misled with false or at the very least faulty intelligence. They deserve so much more for their sacrifice and their service.
Last month, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a newspaper in my district, carried a story titled, "GIs Voice Disillusionment With the War." It outlined the frustrations of our troops, some on their first tour, others who have served again and again.
One account exemplifies the frustration, and I will read it. "In 2003, 2004, 100 percent of the soldiers wanted to be here to fight this war," said Sergeant First Class David Moore, a self-described "conservative Texas Republican" and platoon sergeant who strongly advises an American withdrawal.
"Now," he says, "95 percent of my platoon agrees with me."
Mr. Speaker, that is directly from the front. This is not something that has been run through the administration's spin machine. This is the unvarnished truth from the troops in the trenches.
One more account comes from Staff Sergeant David Safstrom. According the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Staff Sergeant Safstrom does not regret his previous tours in Iraq, not even a difficult second stint when two comrades were killed while trying to capture insurgents. He said, "In Mosul, in 2003, it felt like we were making the city a better place. There was no sectarian violence. Saddam was gone. We were tracking down the bad guys. It felt awesome."
But now, Mr. Speaker, on this third deployment in Iraq, he is no longer a believer in the mission. The pivotal moment came, he says, this February when soldiers killed a man setting a roadside bomb. When they searched the bomber's body, they found identification showing him to be a sergeant in the Iraqi Army.
"I thought," he said, "'What are we doing here? Why are we still here?"', said Safstrom, a member of Delta Company of the 1st battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. He had changed his mind.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear, I and every one of my colleagues support the troops. We honor their bravery and we commit to ensuring that they receive all of the promised benefits as a result of their service to our Nation.
I believe that the best way we can stand up for our troops is to bring them home. It is past time for a fully funded and safe redeployment. We will not back out of our commitment to the Iraqi people. We will work with them to increase their security forces and to help in reconstruction.
But we must face the facts. The situation on the ground may be worse than it ever has been before. Military leaders are conceding that the so-called surge is not working, and it may never.
The administration has even said that we needed to look at the situation in Iraq like that of Korea, and we have been there half a century. That is simply not an option.
Let's do the right thing. Let's do the sensible thing. Let's bring our troops home. We owe it to them and we owe it to our Nation.
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| Paul: Gen Bastiste's Principle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sarbanes: UN Peacekeeping Day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woolsey: Listen to Troops | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| H.R. 2642 Part 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| H.R. 2642 Part 5 |
