Jim Langevin: “I rise today as a proud American to commend the brave men and women of our armed services who are carrying out the…”

“I rise today as a proud American to commend the brave men and women of our armed services who are carrying out the mission to provide hope and freedom to the Iraqi people held captive by Saddam Hussein and his regime. I also join my colleagues in praying for the continued safety of the Prisoners of War from the United States: five members of the 507th Maintenance Company, taken from their convoy during the confusion of war, and the two pilots of an Apache helicopter shot down while on a mission. Sadly, the fates of several others are still unknown. I am disgusted by the Iraqi regime's blatant disregard of the Geneva Conventions implemented after World War II to protect soldiers on either side of any conflict. The regime of Saddam Hussein, which rules over a signatory nation of the treaty, is responsible for the safety of our soldiers. If they ignore this serious responsibility, they will bear the consequences when they are prosecuted as Prisoners of War after this conflict. The United States will not allow Iraq's failure to abide by international law go unpunished. Finally, I wish to add my voice to those commending all our men and women in uniform, praising them for their efforts and praying for their swift and safe return to us.”