Mike Conaway: “this resolution that we are debating, I would like to focus on point four of the resolution that declares that the…”

“this resolution that we are debating, I would like to focus on point four of the resolution that declares that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq. I think it is helpful for us to look back at some milestones over the last year or so to help us understand how far we have actually come. We went there to take Saddam Hussein out of power. He is now in jail and on trial for his life. We got that done. In January of 2005 we held the first election for a transitional government. That got done. Their job was to write a Constitution. At each and every one of these steps there was great anxiety that the Iraqi people couldn't get it done. They got their Constitution written in August of 2005. The next step was a referendum on that Constitution. They got that done. Then we held national elections under that Constitution in December of 2005. Again, ahead of that election there was grave concern that the Iraqis couldn't do it. But they went to the polls and elected that government. When I was there in April, the concern at that point in time was that they couldn't pick a prime minister, the next big step to the road to democracy in Iraq. That got done. Two weeks ago when I was there, the final point was they couldn't find a minister of defense or a minister of interior to lead those very important ministries, but they have gotten that done.…”