Mike Honda: “we are on the floor today debating a most serious issue. However, rather than truly addressing solutions, the resolution…”

“we are on the floor today debating a most serious issue. However, rather than truly addressing solutions, the resolution before us is filled with platitudes which seek to vindicate the ill advised policies of the President's war on Iraq. Rather than allowing a meaningful and constructive debate on Iraq, the Republican Leadership decided not to allow any amendments to their resolution. It is a travesty that the elected representatives of the American people are prevented today from offering policy alternatives that might actually affect the shape of U.S. policy in Iraq. This debate had the potential to mark a turning point to the current vacuum of congressional oversight over the Bush Administration as it pursues its misguided and incompetently planned war in Iraq. Rather than offering real solutions, the Republican Majority in Congress has decided to rubber stamp the President's campaign in Iraq. The American people know what has happened, and demand more than just a rubber stamp from their representatives in Congress. Just as in the case of Vietnam, they see a White House which misled our country into war. Using shoddy evidence and insinuations about the connections between Iraq and al Qaeda, the Bush Administration took our country to war to face the ``imminent threat'' of an Iraq with nuclear weapons. Despite claims by the Republicans and the Bush Administration, there was no significant relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda.…”