FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2006

 

 

Contact: Chris Johnson
(202) 225-1510

 

U.S. Congressman Melvin L. Watt
 
Serving North Carolina's 12th District
2236 Rayburn House Office Building  
Washington, DC 20515-3312  

WATT STATEMENT ON IRAQ RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Melvin Watt (D-NC) made the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House during an 11-hour debate on a Resolution (H.Res.861) about Iraq:

“During consideration of the Rule this morning, our Republican colleague who was controlling the time for the Rules Committee encouraged us to review the Resolution and vote based on whether we agree or disagree with the content of the Resolution. I have reviewed the Resolution and, as our colleague suggested, I intend to vote against it based on the fact that there are several things therein with which I strongly disagree.

“First, on page 2 the Resolution states as follows: “Whereas by early 2003 Saddam Hussein and this criminal Ba’athist regime in Iraq…constituted a threat to global peace and security…” I think the only way one could conclude this would be to conclude that there were, in fact, weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I did not vote for the war resolution because I never believed the President’s assertion that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. I didn’t believe it then, it was subsequently proven not to be the case and I most certainly can’t support a resolution that asserts it now.

“Second, the Resolution asserts that “the terrorists seek to destroy the new unity government because it threatens the terrorists’ aspirations for Iraq and the broader Middle East.” There’s probably some truth to that. However, what’s probably a lot more true is that the war in Iraq has increased, not decreased, terrorism and the resolve of terrorists. It has created conditions in Iraq that allow terrorism to thrive. Terrorists didn’t think much of the United States before the war in Iraq and they think even less of us now.

“Finally, the Resolution asserts that “Iraqi forces are, over time, taking over from United States and Coalition forces a growing proportion of independent operations and increasingly lead the fight to secure Iraq.” If that were true, we would have started bringing our troops home by now. At some point we’ve got to make Iraq assume responsibility for itself and its own people. I just don’t believe they or we have come to grips with that.

“There obviously are a number of things in the Resolution with which I agree. But we were given no opportunity to amend the Resolution to strip out the things that are untrue and/or offensive or, for that matter, to add to the things with which we agree. My Republican colleagues have, once again, chosen to politicize a matter that should be above partisan politics. I cannot vote for the Resolution in this form and will, therefore, vote “no”.”

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