Rodney Frelinghuysen: “1 month ago, we gathered in this Chamber to debate what was called a symbolic resolution on the war in Iraq. I never…”

“1 month ago, we gathered in this Chamber to debate what was called a symbolic resolution on the war in Iraq. I never subscribed to the notion it was symbolic because I believe any official act of this body has consequences. When Members speak, the world listens, friends and enemies alike. Two weeks ago after that vote, I traveled again to Iraq and Afghanistan to observe conditions in these two fronts on the global war on terror and to meet again with our soldiers. I was the only Republican on the trip, but I view opportunities like these to travel to war zones with colleagues from the other side of the aisle as invaluable. We all saw that the plans to stabilize Baghdad by reinforcing U.S. troops and integrating them with larger Iraqi units around the city are already under way. Our military commanders in Iraq are already executing their plans to clear, hold, and build; and early reports point towards some progress. And yet tomorrow, in fact, we vote on a bill, portions of which could potentially affect the safety of our brave young soldiers in Iraq, the lives of millions of Iraqis, and damage our national interest in the Middle East and elsewhere. That is why I oppose this bill in its current form. Every Member of this House, Republican and Democrat alike, should be working together to achieve some level of success in Iraq and to give our soldiers the dollars they need.…”