Evan Bayh: “I thank all the cosponsors on both sides of the aisle for their support and say to my colleagues, all of us are…”

“I thank all the cosponsors on both sides of the aisle for their support and say to my colleagues, all of us are committed to the success in Iraq. To achieve that success we must have the help of the rest the world and the help of the Iraqi people on their own behalf. Several arguments have been offered in opposition to our amendment. Let me address them. First, there is no government in power to take on these obligations. Really? Was Saddam Hussein in power to burden the Iraqi people with these loans? I suggest the current council has at least as much legitimacy as Saddam Hussein. If his loans were legitimate, so are the actions of the council. It is said this is a test of our resolve. That is true. But the surest way to assure the resolve of the American people is to do what is just and fair and right. How can we possibly say to the American people the French, the Germans, and the Russians may get repaid, those who propped up Saddam Hussein, but those who paid to liberate the country receive nothing. Is that fair? That would undermine the resolve. There is a perception this is all about the oil. That is a lie. We know it is a lie. It is a demonstrable lie. I say to my colleagues, no great power, including our country, can base its policy upon falsehoods and lies. We must base our policy upon the truth and the facts. We know why we are in Iraq.”