Relating to the Liberation of the Iraqi People and the Valiant Service of the United States Armed Forces and Coalition Forces

RELATING TO THE LIBERATION OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND THE VALIANT SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AND COALITION FORCES -- (House of Representatives - March 17, 2004)

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 561, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 557) relating to the liberation of the Iraqi people and the valiant service of the United States Armed Forces and Coalition forces, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller), a leading member of the Committee on International Relations.

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Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, the debate on Iraq today I think confuses the American people. After all, one side focuses solely on parliamentary procedure or when they do on substance they focus solely on the tough times and the challenges that we face, which are very real. But its message all too often is devoid of any mention of progress. Sometimes it even suggests that we are not better off, we are not safer since Saddam's capture. However, the other side, Mr. Speaker, the side that I am on, talks openly of our soldiers' historic victories, how just 1 year after the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Saddam is in a dark cell, Osama is in a dark cave, and General Qaddafi is learning to play better with others.

The good news for the American public is that soon they will not have to rely on the media or the politics from either side of the aisle as the troop rotations take place. The public will get to hear from the soldiers themselves, our hometown heroes. And the story that they are going to hear is moving, it is amazing, it is historic. On the sobering side, the public will hear of mass graves discovered and death cells shut down. On the thrilling side, they will hear about some of the things I saw myself when I was in Iraq just a few months ago. The public will hear of schools and universities that are open and operating, clinics and hospitals that are open and serving, and democratically elected governing councils that are open and governing. They will hear that well over 100,000 Iraqis now serve in the military and the police and that water projects and economic development are well under way. In Mosul when I was there, I saw a sign on the wall of the headquarters of the 101st which read: "We are in a race to win over the Iraqi people. What have you done to contribute to victory today?" The answer from our magnificent troops is clear, a lot, an unbelievable amount. And Lord willing, the public is going to hear more each and every day about just what these fantastic brave men have done.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.