John Shimkus: “I wanted to thank the Latvian government for extending their troop commitment to Iraq for another year. Last January…”

“I wanted to thank the Latvian government for extending their troop commitment to Iraq for another year. Last January, 8.5 million Iraqis voted. Last October, more than 10 million voted. In both of these elections, the Iraqi people refused to be cowed by terrorist threats. A week from today, Iraqis will, once again, defy terrorists and go to the polls a third time this year. They will choose their first 4-year parliament since Saddam Hussein was removed from power. More than 300 parties and coalitions are registered for this election, and even those who opposed the October constitutional referendum have organized for this vote. In his speech last week, President Bush mentioned Marine Corporal Jeffrey Starr who died fighting in Iraq. In a letter found after his death he wrote, ``I don't regret going, everybody dies, but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not for me. I'm here helping these people, so they can live the way we live.'' Mr. Speaker, it is because of soldiers like Corporal Starr that Iraqis will one day live like we live, under freedom and democracy. ____________________”