THE PRESIDING OFFICER: The clerk will report the amendment.
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: Yes. I send an amendment to the desk.
THE LEGISLATIVE CLERK: The Senator from Illinois [Mr. DURBIN] proposes
THE LEGISLATIVE CLERK: an amendment numbered 2252 to amendment number 2241.
THE LEGISLATIVE CLERK: At the end of the amendment add the following:
THE LEGISLATIVE CLERK: This section shall take effect one day after the bill's enactment.
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: adam President, I ask unanimous consent that no
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: motions to commit be in order prior to the cloture votes on Wednesday.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: ithout objection.
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: hank you. Madam President, I yield the floor and thank
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: the Senator from Virginia.
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: thank my colleague. We did get part way into one of the
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: pending amendments, and that is the amendment of Senator McConnell. I wish
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: we had gotten one paragraph further and that is the National Intelligence
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: Estimate, and that's conclusions. As a matter of fact, I understand another
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: updated intelligence estimate is soon going to be received by the Congress and
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: the American public. The National Intelligence Estimate states:
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: Al-Qaida would attempt to use Anbar province to plan further attacks on Iraq;
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: Neighboring countries would consider actively intervening in Iraq; and
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: Sectarian violence would significantly increase in Iraq accompanied by massive
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: civilian casualties and displacement.
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: That's my concern with the Levin amendment. If we go in and announce with
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: concrete law as to what our tactics should be, and we have this fixed timetable,
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: with all due respect to my friend, I cannot support that.
WARNER, SEN. JOHN: I thank my colleague.
DURBIN, SEN. RICHARD: thank the Senator from Virginia and I yield the floor.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: adame President
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: The Senator from Alabama.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: adam President, we are talking about some very serious
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: issues that impact the life and safety of our soldiers whom we have called on to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: serve us in Iraq and it is a matter the American people care about, and we owe
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: them the most careful study.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: To my distinguished colleague, the assistant Democratic majority leader,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Senator Durbin, I would say one thing about a change in strategy. We voted to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: change our strategy. We voted 80 to 14, just 53 days ago, to change our
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: strategy, to send General Petraeus and fund the surge that is going on in Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: That is our strategy. We just voted on that. In fact, a few weeks ago, just two or
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: three weeks ago I think, the last part of that surge arrived in Iraq. What, are we
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: going to change it again, this month?
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Madame President, later this week, we will vote on the Levin amendment to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: decide whether to change, again, our strategy in Iraq. Now changing strategy
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: by Congress during a time of war, particularly making changes that are
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: opposed by the military and our Commander in Chief, is not a small matter.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Our decisions deal with war and how to achieve peace and will affect the safety
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and the mission of those magnificent men and women who now serve us in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: For the busy American, the casual observer, and even the world citizen, it may
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: seem that this is an appropriate time so let's have a vote on this subject again.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Certainly, the frustration in our country and inside all of us is high and we are
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: deeply concerned.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: I would note that I think all of us agree that quite a number of errors have
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: taken place in our military actions in Iraq. I would suggest perhaps the most
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: serious error was our belief that we could, too readily, alter this Government in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Iraq and create a new government that would be effective virtually overnight.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: That is contrary to good, conservative principles. These people in Iraq have
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: never had a heritage of a functioning government other than brutality, and it is
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: very difficult to do, and I think we are finding out it is very difficult to do. It just
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: can't be done as quickly as many of us would like to have thought when this
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: activity was begun some years ago.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: But with regard to this change in policy, I suggest the Members here in the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Senate know better. We know it is not appropriate to be changing our policy
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: again. We know that any nation, especially one that aspires to be a great
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: nation, must deal with these life-and-death matters with maturity and sound
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: judgment. We know if we were to lift our eyes away from politics and emotion,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: that our country, striving to do good, is facing a most difficult challenge in Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Things have not gone well. Our terrorist enemies are watching our politics with
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: great interest. Sometimes they play us like a Stradivarius. And so are our allies
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: are watching. So, indeed, is the whole world. The terrorists are quite
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: sophisticated and strive to produce a continuous series of bloody headlines to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: affect American public opinion. Our judgment, our character, our principles,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: our very souls are being tested. But this Nation has faced tough times before.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Don't we remember the history of Washington at Valley Forge or the burning of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: our own Capitol by the British in 1812 or the brutal bloody Civil War or the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: massive deaths in World War I or the attack on Pearl Harbor or the Italian
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: campaign, the ferocious battles in Iwo Jima, Okinawa, D-Day, the Battle of the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Bulge or the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean war? These are major moments in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: American history, and blunders in strategy and tactics and timing occurred in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: almost every one of them. Many many errors occurred. Failures that cost lives
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: unnecessarily, placed our Nation at greater risk than was necessary. But that
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: is the nature of war.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Enemies lose a great deal of sleep trying to figure out what the weaknesses are
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: of your adversary and trying to exploit that, and frequently they are successful,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: to a point. But certainly it is appropriate, even in times of war, that the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Congress question and challenge the Commander in Chief and our military
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: generals. That challenge must be, no matter how vigorous, responsible, and
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: honest. Our domestic politics are quite partisan, true; and, frankly, I have been
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: a little disappointed at the nature of the debate I have heard this afternoon.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Republican this and Republican that and President Bush this and President
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Bush that--it sounds more like politics than a sincere effort to reach the proper
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: decision about what our future course should be.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: But still, no one should deny that a congressional response to a war, a war that
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: over three-quarters of us voted to authorize, should rise above political gain.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And with some exceptions, this Congress, I think, has done so.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Truly, there is great concern in our land about the war in Iraq. That concern is
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: real and justified. I readily admit my concern and I will admit I am not able to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: state with certainty today what our long-term course should ultimately be or
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: how this will all play out in the end. Therefore, I do not contest the sincerity of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: those who will disagree with my conclusions.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: I can only state my views honestly and forthrightly because that is what I have
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: been elected to do, and that is what our soldiers that depend on us for support
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: expect of me.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: First, I strongly believe this Nation cannot flop around, changing its policy from
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: month to month. That would be immature. It would result in bad execution of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: this military effort, this war. And it would demoralize our soldiers who are
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: walking the streets of Iraq this very moment because we sent them there.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Additionally, this Congress funded their military operations. We funded them.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And our duly elected President, our Commander in Chief, has directed the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: policy with the advice of his commanders in the field. That s just what it is.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: That is what is going on. That is what is happening.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Now we had a great debate in April and May over whether change our strategy,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: whether to fund the so called ``surge'' that President Bush and the Defense
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Department requested. This is the surge that has, a few weeks ago, reached its
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: full strength. After full debate, Congress could have said no to the President on
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: his request for the surge and not provided those funds.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Some did vote no, 14, I believe. But we said yes by an overwhelming vote of 80
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: to 14. On May 24, less than 2 months ago, we authorized this change in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: strategy, this surge. More importantly, we passed an emergency supplemental
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: to fund that surge. Didn't take 60 votes there or at least far more than 60 votes
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: were applied, were cast in favor of the surge, 80 to be exact. Nothing required
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: us in Congress to do that. We concluded it was the right thing to do,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: considering the serious alternatives that existed.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Because of the concerns we all had at that time, we required an interim report
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: on July 15th, dealing with benchmarks, and that was received last week,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: received on time, early in fact. We also called for a complete report from
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: General Petraeus, in September, on the status of his efforts and our soldiers'
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: work.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Of course, we had voted to confirm General Petraeus by a vote of 99 to 0 to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: command this operation. There was no mistake then concerning the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: seriousness of the situation we were in. As General Petraeus described the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: challenge: It is difficult but not impossible.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: We were in no way misled about the difficulties we faced, nor were we unaware
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: of the most serious ramifications of a failure in Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Thus, on May 24, this Congress, with an overwhelming majority, said: Let's go
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: with the surge. But we said: General Petraeus, we will expect you to give us a
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: full, complete, and honest report in September as to how it is going with the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: good and the bad, and set out specific benchmarks we want you to address.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: That he promised to, do, and off he went.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Yet even before the personnel who were to be deployed to effect this surge had
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: even arrived in Iraq, the Democratic majority leader, Senator Reid, who I
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: believe voted for the surge, to my dismay, declared it a failure. While the troops
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: were still arriving, the Democratic leader, the majority leader of the United
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: States Senate, declared the surge a failure. Other such comments were made
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: at the time.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: To me it is unthinkable that this Congress would pull the plug on this
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: operation before it has had a fair chance to work, and we have had a fair
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: chance to evaluate its effectiveness. We just voted for it 53 days ago. What
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: must the world community think, friend and adversary alike? Doesn't such
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: immaturity of action reflect poorly on us as a nation? Nothing has occurred
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: since that time of decision in May to justify concluding that the situation in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Iraq has significantly changed for the worse? In fact, there are indications that
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: some improvements have occurred. We know that General Petraeus, just last
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: year, after two tours in Iraq, 2 years over there, came home and just last year
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: he wrote the Department of Defense doctrine on how to defeat an insurgency.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: He was back here spending a year working on it. His expertise was much noted
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: when we confirmed him to go take charge of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: marines who would effectuate this effort. Nowhere in his manual did he ever
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: suggest that an insurgency could be defeated in 50 days, or 90 days, or 120
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: days.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Victory, we must admit--if you read his manual--takes time, diligence,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: determination, and smart application of politics, weaponry, and forces. His
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: manual sets out metrics for how to achieve victory against an insurgency, the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: metrics for victory.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: So there is simply no basis at this point to conclude that our soldiers, sailors,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: airmen, and marines have failed in executing this policy. And in fact, they are
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: moving out with vigor. After seeing a reduction of sectarian violence in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Baghdad by two-thirds. This is the sectarian violence, the murders that were
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: occurring between hit squads, Shia and Sunni, as a result of the violence
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: kicked off by the attack by al-Qaida on the Samara mosque, and their
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: determined, effective policy to create violence between the Shia and the Sunni.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: That is what al-Qaida set out to do, and they succeeded last year.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And so we've seen that drop by two-thirds, although the bombings still occur,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and the bombings are suicidal, many times with large bombs that kill large
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: numbers of civilians in lines and in shopping areas. But today some of our
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: troops are moving out of Baghdad into the toughest areas outside Baghdad,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: such as the Dyala Province, and making, it appears, some progress there.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And as our soldiers confront enemy strongholds, some of which have never
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: before been cleared, they demonstrate professionalism and courage that reflect
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: the finest qualities that have ever been demonstrated by the American soldiers.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Nor, let me add, has anything occurred that I can see that suggests this new
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: strategy is flawed and will not succeed and should be abandoned 53 days since
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: we agreed to see it forward.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: So with respect, I conclude that it would be irresponsible in the extreme to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: have this bunch of politicians sitting in air-conditioned offices in Washington to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: reverse a strategy we approved 53 days ago. But that is exactly what the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Levin-Reed amendment would do. That's exactly what it would do.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And I have tremendous respect for Senator Levin. He is a superb chairman of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: the Armed Services Committee. But I do not agree with him on this point. I do
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: not believe this is right.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: If you were a soldier or a marine and you had just moved into a tough terrorist
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: neighborhood in Iraq, following the directions given to you by your President
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and your Congress, we passed May 24th, and you saw your comrades take
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: casualties, maybe killed in the course of executing that policy, all in the belief
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: that somebody up there back in Washington had finally settled on a workable
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: plan for victory, and then before your work is half done, in less than 2 months,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: you learn that the folks up there had now changed their mind again, how
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: would you feel? Would you not think we do not take our mission of our soldiers
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and what they are doing seriously?
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: We owe our military better than that. We owe them the same courage and
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: character they are displaying right now. On the birthday of our Army, I was at
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: a celebration and met a young soldier. I thanked him for his service and began
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: to explain my concern about the long deployments we were asking them to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: undertake. And he cut in just like that , saying, ``Senator, we just want to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: win.'' Before all that is just, this Congress must not fail such men.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: The Levin amendment is pernicious in more ways than I am able to discuss at
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: this time. It must not pass. We know a full review of our policies will occur in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: September. We agreed on that in May. That is critically important and valuable.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And I support such a review and I am open minded about what we will decide
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: to do in September.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: I hope and pray we will be able to reduce the number of our soldiers and begin
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: a mature, effective way to reduce that deployment in Iraq, but we will decide
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: our next step then. To execute a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq now,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: regardless of the condition on the battlefield, and regardless of the advice of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: our commanders in the field, is unthinkable. It would be a stain on this Senate
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: for years to come.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Has anybody bothered to express an interest in what General Petraeus has to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: say about it? Things don't always go well. My favorite statue in Washington,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: one that conveys the most historical import, I think, the one of General Grant
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: right down here in front of the Capitol. He sits astride his horse, his campaign
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: hat pulled down, his coat wrapped around, his head tilted slightly forward, a
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: perfect picture of determination in the face of great difficulty.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: It is said 600,000 died in that war on both sides. Over 400,000 Americans died
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: in World War II. This Nation has seen dark days before, days darker than
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: these. So let's keep our poise. Let's keep our wits about us. Let's give General
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Petraeus and his courageous military personnel a chance to effect the strategy
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: we just agreed on and asked him to effect.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: There are other important issues that I would suggest to my colleagues as we
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: discuss the Levin amendment. I will just note a few briefly.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: The surge report. The language in our affirmation of the surge in May called for
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: a report that had benchmarks for improvements in Iraq. Those benchmarks
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: have been much commented upon, but these benchmarks for improvement did
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: not declare that all or any of the benchmarks must be met by September or
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: even by July 15, the time of our interim report. They were to be objective
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: markers by which we could judge progress and lack of it, and they were surely
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: not exhaustive of every issue and challenge we faced in Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: The fact that progress has been made in only half of those benchmark areas
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: does not mean, of course, that we should now up and declare the new
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: operation a failure and that we should now cut and run. How could anyone
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: conclude this July 15th report that shows limited early progress in only some
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: areas means General Petraeus has failed? All the extra soldiers just arrived
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: there only 3 weeks ago.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: So, it's important to note that the benchmarks seemed to focus on the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: performance we wish to see by the central government, and they have not been
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: meeting their responsibilities, in my view. And I had my sixth visit there this
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: spring and I was able to share that view and that frustration of the American
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: people with the top leaders in Iraq, including Prime Minister Maliki. We believe
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: they need to do more in the central government.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: But, for example, the benchmarks provided no credit at all for the stunning
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: progress that has occurred in the al-Anbar region, progress that has resulted
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: at the ground level where tribal, Sunni tribal leaders, have partnered with the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: marines to rout whole groups of al-Qaida operatives.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: And similar progress, though smaller, it appears, seems to be occurring in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: other areas at the local level. So the benchmarks don't consider those events
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and whether progress is being made, but they are important as we evaluate
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: what our situation truly is. We must remember that while sectarian violence
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: continues, and it has occurred in large part as a direct result of al-Qaida's
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: strategy to foment it, safety and security in the capital city is important in
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: furthering political reconciliation. Surely that's so.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: I wish I could agree with the idea of my able colleague Senator Levin when he
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: declared that peace and security in Iraq can only come as a result of a political
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: settlement. Thus, he would suggest that if a parliament cannot settle all of the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: difficult political issues on the timetable we set, we must just leave, because
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: this is the only thing that will make them agree on policies, our threatening to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: leave, and our actual leaving, it appears, because his amendment would
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: require an actual departure from much of Iraq.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Well, I wish it were so easy. But, in truth, our commanders believe, our State
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Department believes, and I believe, it is far more complicated than that. Of
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: course, a political settlement and reconciliation is critical to any long-term
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: stability. But will not a reduction of violence and a more secure Baghdad be an
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: event that will make political progress more possible? That is what the generals
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: are telling us, that when the capital city is in a constant state of violence and
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: disorder, how can we expect the Parliament to be able to function and to
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: provide a peaceful settlement of the disputes that need to be settled long term
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: for a healthier Iraq?
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: So Madame President, I think we have a new strategy. We just voted on it 53
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: days ago. And we agreed to fund it. That's what the Congress does, we either
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: put up the money or we do not put up the money. By a vote of 80 to 14 we put
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: up the money to fund this strategy. And we asked for a report in September,
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: and now we have an amendment that has garnered quite a lot of political
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: headlines and provided a lot of forums, a lot of ability to come forward on the
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: floor of the Senate to attack President Bush and Republicans, but it is not a
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: very responsible thing, I think.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: The responsible thing is for us to do what we said 53 days ago--to demand a
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: full and complete, and honest report by General Petraeus in September, and at
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: that point, to evaluate the situation in Iraq and establish a strategy and a
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: policy going forward from there that serves our national interest.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: Madame President, I thank the Chair and I yield the floor.
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: 3:45:05 Grassley immigration amendments to DOD bill
SESSIONS, SEN. JEFF: 4:02:08 BACK TO IRAQ
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: adame President, I have come to the floor today to reiterate
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: my intention, along with the senior Senator from California, Senator Feinstein,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: and the senior Senator from Nebraska, Senator Hagel, to offer legislation to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Now, again, we have decided not to offer the measure on the bill before us, the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: National Defense Authorization Act. But we certainly will be offering it as an
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: amendment to the Defense appropriations bill when that bill comes to the floor.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: One way or another, we intend to get this legislation passed this year.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I think, Mr. President, there is remarkable agreement on the need to find a way
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: to close this prison. All our closest allies have urged that Guantanamo be
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: closed, as have many leaders from across the political spectrum here in the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: United States.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Last June, after three detainees committed suicide on a single day, President
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Bush acknowledged the prison has damaged America's reputation abroad. He
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: said, and I quote:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: "No question, Guantanamo sends a signal to some of our friends--provides an
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: excuse, for example, to say the United States is not upholding the values that
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: they are trying to encourage other countries to adhere to."
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: The President said:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I'd like to close Guantanamo.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: More recently, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and Secretary of State
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Condoleeza Rice have urged the prison be shut down.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: On March the 23rd, the Washington Post, citing ``senior administration
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: officials,'' reported that Secretary Gates had ``repeatedly argued that the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had become so tainted abroad
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: that legal proceedings at Guantanamo would be viewed as illegitimate.''
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: According to the Post, Secretary Gates ``told President Bush and others that it
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: should be shut down as quickly as possible.''
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, let's make no mistake about it; the current detainees at Guantanamo do
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: include a number of extremely dangerous terrorists, with the determination
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: and ability--if given the opportunity--to inflict harm upon the United States
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: and its citizens. Among the detainees are 14 senior leaders of al-Qaida,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who has confessed to being a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: mastermind of the September 11th attacks, as well as others. We must--and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: we can--hold these enemy combatants in maximum security conditions
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: But the critics of Guantanamo are right. The 5-year-old prison at Guantanamo
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: elsewhere.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: is a stain on the honor of our country. By holding people at Guantanamo
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: without charge, without judicial review, without appropriate legal counsel--and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: in the past subjecting many of them to what really amounts to torture,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: regardless of how you want to dress it up--by doing all those things, we have
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: forfeited the moral high ground and stand as hypocrites in the eyes of the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: As Secretary Gates has argued, any legal proceedings or convictions now taking
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: world.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: place on Guantanamo will be viewed as illegitimate in the eyes of the world.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Perhaps most seriously, from a pragmatic standpoint, maintaining the prison
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: at Guantanamo is simply counterproductive. It has become a propaganda
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: bonanza and recruitment tool for Islamic fundamentalists. It alienates our
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: friends and allies. It detracts from our ability to regain the moral high ground
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: and rally the world against the terrorists who threaten us.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: The administration has repeatedly described detainees at Guantanamo as ``the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: worst of the worst,'' or, as former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, once
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: described them, the ``most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of the earth.'' Unquestionably, some of the detainees fit these descriptions.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: However, an exhaustive study of Guantanamo detainees conducted by the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: nonpartisan and highly regarded National Journal, last year, came to the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: following conclusions:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: A large percentage--perhaps the majority--of the detainees were not captured
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: on any battlefield, let alone on ``the battlefield in Afghanistan,'' as President
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Bush once asserted.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Secondly, fewer than fewer, fewer than--20 percent of the detainees have ever
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: been al-Qaida members.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Third, many scores--and perhaps hundreds--of the detainees were not even
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Taliban foot soldiers, let alone al-Qaida members.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Fourth, the majority of the people at Guantanamo were not captured by U.S.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: forces but, rather, handed over by reward-seeking Pakistanis and Afghan
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: warlords and by villagers of highly dubious reliability.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: For example, one of the detainees in Guantanamo is a man who was
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: conscripted by the Taliban to work as an assistant cook. The U.S.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Government's ``evidence'' against this detainee consists, in its entirety, of the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: following--keep in mind, the evidence against this detainee consists, in its
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: entirety, of the following--
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: a. Detainee is associated with the Taliban.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: 1. The detainee indicates that he was conscripted into the Taliban.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: b. Detainee engaged in hostilities against the U.S. or its coalition partners.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I. The detainee admits he was a cook's assistant for Taliban forces in Narim,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Afghanistan under the command of Haji Mullah Baki.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: ii. Get this
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: ii. Detainee fled from Narim to Kabul during the Northern Alliance attack and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: surrendered to the Northern Alliance.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: That's it. That is the evidence they have against this detainee. He was forced by
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the Taliban to be a cook. When he saw his opportunity to get out of there, he
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: escaped and went to the northern forces and surrendered to them. And now he
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: sits in Guantanamo.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: What kind of justice is this?
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, Mr. President, the situation at Guantanamo is rather personal with me.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Not only was I stationed there for some time back when I was a Navy pilot--and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I have since been back, of course, to visit--but more personal, was in July of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: 1970, when I was at that time, a rather young staff person for the Select
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Committee on U.S. Involvement in Southeast Asia of the House of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Representatives. I was working with a congressional delegation on a fact
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: finding mission to Vietnam in the summer of 1970, and through a series of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: circumstances--and because of the bravery of a young Vietnamese man who
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: had been in the tiger cages on Con Son Island and who was let out--now, why
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: was he let out? He was let out because usually when you got to the tiger cages,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: you were never seen again.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, the South Vietnamese had these prisons put up on Con Son Island.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Actually, they were built by the French, Mr. President, when the French ruled
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Indo-China. So the French built these prisons on an island off the coast. The
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Vietnamese took them over and then built these so-called tiger cages, which
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: were hidden within the prison so no one could find them.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Nguyen Cao Loi was sentenced to the tiger cages because he led a student
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: protest at Saigon University. He was the student leader at Saigon University in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: 1969, early 1970. And because he led a protest against the war, the police
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: picked him up. The South Vietnamese Army picked him up and sent him out to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Con Son.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: No one knew where he was. But the students refused to go back to class until
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: their student leader was released. It was time to take the exams, and this was
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: a big deal for families. They were putting pressure on the university, and finally
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the Government let Nguyen Cao Loi go. They told him at the time, though, that
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: if he ever said anything, they would kill his brother because his brother was
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: also in the tiger cages.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, this young man, very bravely, sought me out, along with Don Luce. Don
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Luce was a young man working, I think at that time, had been working for the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: World Council of Churches in Vietnam. If I am not mistaken, I think he was a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: native of Vermont. Yes, Don Luce was a native of the State of Vermont. And he
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: had been over there teaching the Vietnamese how to grow sweet potatoes,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: agricultural things.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, Don Luce had known this young man. I had sought out Don Luce
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: because Luce had written a book about Vietnam called ``Vietnam--The
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Unheard Voices.'' So in preparation for this trip to Vietnam, I read the book
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: because I felt that Congressmen should hear both sides. So I read this book. I
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: never met Don Luce before, but I was intrigued by this book, that there really
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: was a large sector--I questioned at the time--of South Vietnamese who were
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: opposed to the war. We were led to believe quite differently, of course.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: So Don Luce brought this young man to see me to tell me about the existence
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of the tiger cages. Now Mr. President, these tiger cages had been rumored for a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: long time. In fact, the year before, in 1969, a young Congressman by the name
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of John Conyers went over with a Congressman, I believe it was Father Drinan,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Bob Drinan, and they had inquired about the existence of the tiger cages. They
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: were told this was Communist propaganda, no such thing existed. Our military
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: denied it. The Nixon administration denied it. The South Vietnamese
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Government denied it: There was no such thing. This was just Communist
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: propaganda.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, this young man, who came to see me, said that: They are out there
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: because I was in them. But they told me if I talked, they would kill my brother,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: so I really have to place my trust in you because someone has to expose them.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I said: Well, I don't know if I could or not because I would have to get a couple
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of Congressmen to go out there. It was on an island. We had to get a plane, fly
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: out to this remote island. It would take a whole day. And then he told me: You
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: won't find them unless you have a map. I will draw you a map. So he sat down
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: and he drew me a map of how to find the tiger cages.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: He said: Because, you see, there are a lot of prison camps on Con Son Island.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: There are about five different prison camps and they all look the same. And
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: unless you know what you are looking for, you will never find the tiger cages,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: because they are in one prison camp and you have to know how to find them.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: So he drew me a map. He couldn't quite remember exactly, but he knew to look
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: for these certain symbols, these certain signs, these certain things that he
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: remembered. So I took the map.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I then went to see Congressman Gus Hawkins of California and laid this out for
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: him and said there might be a possibility that we could find out for once and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: for all whether these tiger cages existed. Well, he said he would go but we
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: needed another Congressman. William Anderson, Congressman William R.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Anderson from Tennessee, when he heard the story, said: I will go.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Keep in mind, Congressman William R. Anderson had until that time been a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: supporter of the Vietnam war. He wrote a book once, which is one of my
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: favorite books. It was called ``Nautilus 90 North.'' This same Congressman
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Anderson was the first skipper of the first nuclear submarine called the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Nautilus. He was a very famous guy at the time because he was the first one
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: who took a nuclear sub underneath the North Pole and he wrote a book about
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the Nautilus submarine called ``Nautilus 90 North.'' He retired from the Navy;
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: was elected to the House from Tennessee.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: So Congressman Anderson, Congressman Hawkins, and I took off with Don
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Luce. We went out to the islands. I am not going to give you the whole story,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: but armed with the map, we were able to find the tiger camps. And when we
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: found them, we were told by one Red Walton, who was the USAID
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: director--public safety director--that we had no business being there. Oh, I
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: might say, before we got out there, Mr. President, this same Red Walton had
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: told us that these prison camps were more like a Boy Scout camp. So they took
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: us to some of the prison camps and they weren't all that bad for prisons, I
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: guess. But again, armed with a map, we found the tiger cages and the suffering
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: that we saw there, the inhumanity that we saw there, was something you just
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: never shake. I was armed with a camera. I had my camera, so I took pictures.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: And of course, we had two Congressmen, William Anderson and Gus Hawkins,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: there.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: And Armed with that information and coming back to the States, we published
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the pictures and got the story out. It became a worldwide story. The prisoners
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: were released because of the pressure that was put upon the South Vietnamese
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: government. They then began to tell their stories. But there was one picture I
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: took that was in Life Magazine. It was of a young Buddhist monk who looked
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: up through the bars of these tiger cages as we looked down on him, and he
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: said in Vietnamese we had Don Luce as an interpreter he said: I am here for
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: only one reason: Because I speak out for peace, and no matter how long I stay
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: here, I will continue to speak out for peace.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I took a picture of that young Buddhist monk. Yet before the prisoners were all
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: released, he was beaten to death.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: While I have since gone back to Con Son Island and visited his grave, the tiger
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: cages are now a memorial, kind of like a museum for people to see, of all the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: horrors they inflicted on so many hundreds of people. People were shackled
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: there together. Awful conditions--awful conditions.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: This weekend, Mr. President, I was handed a paper done by Vaughan Bagley.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Yvonne Bagley. I visited with her. She was doing a paper on the tiger cages of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Con Son. She wrote a paper about it. She did some very very good research.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Yvonne is a high school student, but she did a lot of great research. She went
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: back and looked at all of the congressional hearings that were held on this, and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: she quoted Representative Hawkins. Representative Hawkins stated at the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: congressional hearings in 1970, quote:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: "Con Son is a symbol of how some American officials will cooperate in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: corruption and torture because they too want to see the war continued and the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: government they put in power protected."
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, as she went on to point out that, she said:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: "Unfortunately, however, in their democratic crusade, America lost the very
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: principles of freedom and equality that they purported to defend, and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: ultimately violated Article 13 of the Geneva Accords of 1949."
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: A former prisoner testified that the clear violation of these principles, quote:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: "No matter what medical problem the prisoner has: TB, Diphtheria, he is still
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: thrown in with all the others who are not sick, all eat out of the same bowl,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: sleep together, shackled to the same rope. I know of no other place on Earth
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: where human lives are so cheap as in Con Son."
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Hawkins argued, Congressman Hawkins argued: Con Son is the type of not
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: looking at our own faults and atrocities that endangers our American prisoners
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of war held by the Communists.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, Vaughan Bagley did a great job on her research. What she pointed out in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: her paper was that in our pursuit of democratic ideals and democracy around
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the world, we can't condone, harbor, or support places like the tiger cages of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Con Son Island, Abu Ghraib, or Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: So, Mr. President, I tell this story because now I think you get some idea of why
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I feel so strongly about Guantanamo. It has for me the same smell, the same
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: awful vision of Con Son Island. You see, in both cases these prisons were off on
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: remote islands. Why? Well, to keep away the press, keep people from asking
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: questions, what was going on. Once you were taken off the island, chances are
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: you were never seen again.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: And that's what has happened at Guantanamo. Guantanamo has become the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: United States Con Son Island. It has become like the tiger cages on Con Son
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Island. And the more the world knows about it, the harder it is for us to argue
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: from a kind of a morally high standpoint of supporting the Geneva Conventions
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, Mr. President, at the time of the discovery of the tiger cages, the U.S.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: or the rule of law.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Government had been insisting that the North Vietnamese abide by the Geneva
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Conventions. Yet here we were condoning, funding, and supervising the torture
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: not only of Vietnamese prisoners of war but of civilians. People like this young
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: guide who was caught up and held by the Taliban as a cook, who escaped, who
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: probably didn't want to fight for anybody--clear violation of the Geneva
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Conventions.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: There are disturbing parallels between what transpired on Con Son Island
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: nearly four decades ago and what's happened at Guantanamo in recent years.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: As I said in both cases, prisons were deliberately set up on remote islands,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: clearly with the intention of limiting scrutiny and restricting access. In both
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: cases, detainees were not classified as prisoners of war, expressly to deny them
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the protection of the Geneva Conventions. In both cases, detainees were
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: deprived of any right to due process, judicial review, or a fair trial. They were
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: simply held indefinitely in isolation, in legal limbo. In both cases, when the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: mistreatment of detainees was exposed, the United States stood accused of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: hypocrisy and of betraying its most sacred values and violating international
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: law.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Mr. President, We need to reverse the damage that Guantanamo has done to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: our reputation and to our ability to wage an effective fight against the terrorists
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: who attacked us on September 11 of 2001. The essential first step must be to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: close the prison at Guantanamo as expeditiously as possible. The legislation
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: that Senator Feinstein, Senator Hagel, and I have would accomplish this within
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: 1 year of the date of enactment.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Under the provisions of our legislation, one, the President shall close the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. All detainees shall be removed from the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: facility. No detainee shall be transferred to a detention facility under U.S.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: custody located outside the United States.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Now we heard all about all these other little prisons around the world that,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: well, maybe they are held by other countries, but they are supervised by us.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Our legislation says it can't be transferred there either. No later than 3 months
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: after enactment, the President shall submit a report to Congress describing
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: plans for closing Guantanamo and removing the detainees, and the President
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: shall keep Congress currently informed of steps taken to implement the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: legislation.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: That is basically our legislation. Very clear, very straightforward. As I said, we
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: were going to offer it on the Defense authorization bill. We have all agreed not
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: to do so, but that we definitely will be seeing this coming up on the Defense
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: appropriations bill.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: In closing, Mr. President, on this issue, the United States has lost its way both
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: in Iraq and at Guantanamo. We need to wage a smarter, more focused, and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: more effective fight against the Islamic terrorists who threaten us, and we must
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: do so in ways that do not give credence to their anti-American propaganda and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: do not rally more recruits to their cause. To that end, we must close the prison
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: at Guantanamo as soon as possible. Our amendment has won the enthusiastic
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: endorsement of Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Amnesty
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: International, the American Civil Liberties Union. We currently have 14
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: bipartisan cosponsors here in the Senate. I urge our colleagues to join us in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: cosponsoring this legislation.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Mr. President, before I yield the floor, I also wanted to talk for a moment on the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: bill--the Levin-Reed amendment--because I think it offers the best prospect for
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: accomplishing the goals of a more focused and effective campaign against the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: terrorists.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: For four long years, President Bush has said that as the Iraqis step up to their
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: responsibilities, the United States will be able to step down. Today it is
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: painfully clear that the opposite is the case. The Iraqi military and Government
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: will only step up to their responsibilities once it is clear that the United States
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: is stepping down. The Levin-Reed amendment says that the U.S. will begin
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: troop redeployment within 120 days and remove most American combat forces
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: from Iraq by April of next year. This acknowledges what has long been obvious
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: to our commanders: There can be no military solution to the mess in Iraq. At
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the same time, by signaling our intention to redeploy by next spring, we will
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: create powerful incentives to force compromise within the deadlocked Iraqi
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Government and to compel Iraq's neighbors to play a more active and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: constructive role in pacifying that country.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Now again, I say this only of myself, but there's no guarantee that this
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: approach will work--will succeed. There is no guarantee that the Iraqis will be
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: willing or able to compromise and come together in a genuine government of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: national reconciliation. However, the only certainty is that our current force is
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: a formula for more failure, more deadlock within the Iraqi Government, more
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: death and destruction for both Iraq and America.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Mr. President, new developments this past week have driven home the urgency
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: of the change of course proposed by the Levin-Reed amendment. Last week, we
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: learned we are now spending an astronomical $10 billion a month in Iraq. Last
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: week, the administration issued the required progress report on the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: benchmarks for Iraq. And what did it show? It showed that the Government in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Baghdad has failed to meet any of the benchmarks for political and economic
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: reform. The Iraqis have failed to make progress in passing a law governing the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: sharing of oil revenues.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: They have failed to make progress in allowing former Baath Party members to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: return to their jobs. They have failed to make progress in disarming the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: militias. They have failed to make progress in organizing new provincial
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: elections. Indeed, the only thing that the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds have
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: agreed upon in Parliament is that they will go on vacation during the month of
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: August.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Now, there was one glimmer of good news in the report. That was the U.S.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: military has had some success since January in improving the security
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: situation, although the overall levels of violence and mayhem are unchanged.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Well, limited success should come as no surprise to anyone. We all appreciate
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the professionalism, courage, and capability of our Armed Forces. It would be
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: astonishing if an additional 30,000 troops didn't see at least some small
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: improvement in security.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Now there's one unfortunate thing about this. These modest gains are all being
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: accomplished by U.S. troops, not Iraqis. And because the surge is not
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: sustainable, even these modest gains are ephemeral.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Meanwhile, a new report by the National Counterterrorism Center concludes
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: that al-Qaida has grown stronger than at any time since 911. In other words,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: while the U.S. military and intelligence assets have been massively sidetracked
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: in Iraq over the last 4 years, al-Qaida has been able to regroup elsewhere, with
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: most in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence told
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: a House committee:
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: We see more training, al-Qaida training, more al-Qaida money, and more
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: al-Qaida communication.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Indeed, the U.S. invasion of Iraq has been the gift that keeps on giving to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: al-Qaida. There was no al-Qaida presence in Iraq before the invasion. Now a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: home-grown organization, loosely affiliated with al-Qaida, calling themselves
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: ``al-Qaida in Mesopotamia,'' has emerged. What's more, as previous intelligence
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: reports have concluded, America's ongoing occupation of Iraq has been a
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: powerful recruitment tool not only for al-Qaida, but for many new extremist
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: organizations, some of them sprouting up spontaneously in western countries,
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: including Britain and Spain.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: So, Mr. President, we have reached an extraordinary juncture with regard to
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: the current failed policy in Iraq. We have reached the point, frankly, where
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: either you side with the President and his demand that we stay the course in
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: pursuit of what he calls victory--although the President has never really
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: defined what that victory is--or you side with the American people and our
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: military commanders who have concluded there is no military solution in Iraq.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: You either support this endless, pointless war or you support a smarter, more
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: focused campaign against the terrorists who truly threaten us. Those are the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: choices in the current Senate debate.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: On our side of the aisle, we Democrats and the American people have made the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: choice to chart a new direction. I am confident that as more and more of our
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: friends on the other side of the aisle make that choice in the days and weeks
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: ahead, we will ultimately prevail.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: The conflict in Iraq can only be solved through political compromise and
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: reconciliation in Baghdad and through aggressive diplomatic engagement with
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Iraq's neighbors and across the Middle East. So it's time to chart a new course.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: The approach embodied in the Levin-Reed amendment offers us our best hope
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: for extricating ourselves from this quagmire in Iraq and retaking the offensive
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: against al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: I am proud to be a cosponsor, and I urge all my colleagues to support the
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: Levin-Reed amendment.
HARKIN, SEN. TOM: 4:34:09