Douglas Alexander: “the challenge described by the Senator from North Carolina is immense: Restructuring the economy and government of a…”

“the challenge described by the Senator from North Carolina is immense: Restructuring the economy and government of a country that has borne decades of neglect by a tyrannical regime. If we fail, the consequences could be a disaster. A fractured, failed Iraq could become a safe haven for terrorists, a caldron for fomenting extremism, and a destabilizing force to its neighbors, throwing the entire Middle East into chaos. If we succeed, the results could be extraordinary. A democratic and economically vibrant Iraq would be a shining example to her neighbors that Islam and democracy can coexist. More important, such an Iraq would be a friend to the United States. I have often come to this floor to talk about the importance of teaching our children American history and civics so they grow up learning what it means to be an American. Former President Harry Truman put it this way. He said: The only thing new is the history you've forgotten. Let me look at history. I am reminded most about the choices we made when dealing with postwar Germany, after World War I and World War II. At the end of World War I, we made a grave mistake. We punished Germany for its actions. The Treaty of Versailles, which formally declared the end of the war, ordered Germany to repay its debt to other European countries and denied any aid for reconstructing war-torn Germany.”