Gregory Meeks: “I have nothing but praise for our warriors in Iraq, but I oppose the President's Iraq war. If this was a resolution…”

“I have nothing but praise for our warriors in Iraq, but I oppose the President's Iraq war. If this was a resolution praising our warriors instead of using them as a pretext for applauding the President's after-the-fact arguments for going to war, I would vote for it. If this was a resolution proposing ways in which Congress and the President will raise our soldiers' pay, improve their housing at home and abroad, ensure quality health care for their families and survivors, I would vote for it. If this was a resolution guaranteeing the greater benefits, job training, educational and employment opportunities for returning veterans, I would vote for it. If this was a resolution demanding that the President develop a real foreign policy agenda instead of a doctrine of preemption and preventative war, I would vote for it. If this was a resolution calling on the President and the Intelligence Community to come clean on why no weapons of mass destruction have been found, I would vote for it. If this was a resolution condemning the no-bid contracts by which private military companies like Halliburton have enriched themselves and whose contributions have fattened the President's campaign war chest, I would vote for it. But since this resolution is none of the above, I am compelled to vote against it.”