Lynn C. Woolsey: “once again this House has passed a resolution celebrating the manner in which the war in Iraq has been fought, and the…”

“once again this House has passed a resolution celebrating the manner in which the war in Iraq has been fought, and the burgeoning democracy it has ostensibly established. In reality, H. Res. 691 speaks to the profound failure of the Bush Administration's Iraq policies and the lack of an appropriate rationale for invading another country: The war was fought because President Bush's desire to take down Saddam Hussein, not out of a desire to fight global terror; it was about a highly ideological plan to extend America's reach in the Middle East, not about ridding the world of nuclear weapons. In short, the war was about the Bush Administration's priorities--not Iraq's. This resolution also expresses unequivocal support for our Armed Forces. We must be sure to honor the brave men and women who put themselves in harm's way; already 833 American soldiers who have died during the course of this conflict. Accordingly, I hope we will honor future veterans when they return home, as thousands of them will require prosthetic arms and legs, physical therapy, and years of health care for injuries incurred during the war. H. Res. 691 is not without its merits. This resolution contains important language expressing condolences to the families of the innocent Iraqis who have been killed or wounded during the conflict. In fact, an estimated 12,000-14,000 unarmed, innocent Iraqi civilians have died since the United States invaded the country last year.”