Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Christian Williams of Winter Haven, Florida; Staff Sergeant Tracy Melvin of Seattle, Washington; Lance Corporal Jeremy Long of Sun Valley, Nevada, only 18 years old; Private First Class Colin Wolfe, also an 18 year old, of Manassas, Virginia; and Staff Sergeant Michael Deason of Farmington, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, these are just five of the Americans who have been killed in action in Iraq since this Chamber last convened. You see, Congress gets to close up shop for a month, the entire month of August, even if we haven't completed the Nation's business. But no such luxury for the 138,000 men and women who are stationed in Iraq. Their dangerous work goes on and on. No adjournment, no recess, no end to their mission in sight.

In fact, many who were scheduled to come home were told in August, no, they had to stay in Iraq. And why? Because their commander-in-chief says that people who want our troops to come home don't understand the world in which we live.

I submit, Mr. Speaker, that it is the President himself whose understanding of our world could use some real work.

Does he understand that his clumsy belligerence has contributed to more intense feelings of jihad and anti-American radicalism in the Muslim world?

Does he understand that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has created many more terrorists than it could possibly defeat?

Does he understand that his policy lit the match that engulfed Iraq in sectarian violence and civil war?

Does he understand that at least 40,000 and perhaps as many as 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians have died for what he calls their liberation?

Does he understand that military force is one of the least effective ways of exercising American power?

Does he understand the concept of ``soft power,'' the idea that America can and must lead by example, by demonstrating compassion, by promoting our values, by maintaining global goodwill and credibility?

Does he understand that outside his window today at the National Mall, veterans and their families are launching Camp Democracy, a 16-day anti-war demonstration just like the one they held outside the President's Crawford ranch last August?

He must not understand that he has lost the confidence of the people of the United States of America; that in overwhelming numbers they believe he made a mistake in Iraq and want him to reverse course as soon as possible.

It is clear that he understands none of these things, and, as a result, our Nation is paying the price, all of us; all of us who want to live in a country that is admired around the world; all of us who want to be safe from terrorism; all of us who depend on public investment in education and health care, housing and more, investments that won't be possible because of the $1 trillion cost of the Iraq occupation.

But, of course, no one has sacrificed more than young Americans like Christian Williams, Tracy Melvin, Jeremy Long, Colin Wolfe and Michael Deason, who lost their lives. There is nothing more we can do for them other than honor their memories and take care of their families. But we can save hundreds and perhaps thousands of their fellow soldiers from a similar fate if this ruinous policy continues.

Mr. President, bring our troops home.