Washington, D.C. - Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.Res. 921 condemning recent attacks against Israel.  The attacks and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah have precipitated a crisis in the region.  Like any sovereign power, Israel has the right and responsibility to defend herself against unprovoked attacks.
 

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 calls for the dismantling of all independent militias in Lebanon.  That resolution has never been enforced.  Consequently, the Hezbollah militia has been able to operate freely in Lebanon, especially in the southern area bordering Israel, and has amassed a large arsenal of weapons, including an estimated 13,000 rockets.  During the past year, Hezbollah has launched at least four separate rocket attacks into Israel.  The latest round of rockets has fallen indiscriminately on civilians in Haifa and other population centers.

Hezbollah’s terrorist operations not only pose a threat to Israel, but they also threaten the security of Lebanon.  The majority of people in Lebanon strongly resents Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into a conflict with Israel.  It understands that Israel did not initiate these hostilities and has a right to defend herself.  Israel also has a right to destroy the military and terrorist apparatus employed by Hezbollah in its attacks on Israel.  Israel must make it absolutely clear that its efforts are focused on that objective.  Every effort must be made to prevent civilian casualties.  Actions perceived by the people of Lebanon to unnecessarily target civilian infrastructure will have the unintentional consequence of transforming Lebanese anger at Hezbollah into anger at Israel.  The United States and Israel must not unwittingly hand Hezbollah a propaganda victory and unintentionally strengthen the hands of the extremists in the region.
  

Unfortunately, recent American actions in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, especially the war in Iraq, have had the unintentional but very foreseeable consequence of inflaming anti-Western sentiment and strengthening the position of the most radical Islamic forces.  Among the biggest beneficiaries of the situation in Iraq has been neighboring Iran.  Iran has exploited the chaos and instability in Iraq to advance its own radical agenda and expand its influence in the region.  It has also further strengthened its leverage and reach in the region through its continual support of Hezbollah.  The United States must do more to rally the international community to pressure Syria and Iran to end their support for Hezbollah and Hamas.  However, our leverage has been considerably weakened by the situation in Iraq and the perception that the United States is bogged down there.

In a speech delivered at the American Enterprise Institute in February 2003, a few weeks before invading Iraq, President Bush declared that going to war in Iraq would promote democracy and stability in the Middle East, reduce the influx of the hardliners and help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Specifically, the President said, “Success in Iraq could also begin a new stage for Middle Eastern peace and set in motion progress toward a truly democratic Palestinian state.  The passing of Saddam Hussein’s regime will deprive terrorist networks of a wealthy patron that pays for terrorist training and offers rewards to families of suicide bombers and other regimes will be given a clear warning that  support for terrorists will not be tolerated.”

Unfortunately, but predictably, we have seen the opposite result in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq.  The prospects of achieving an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement are far more remote today than they were when we invaded Iraq.  While we engaged militarily in Iraq, this Administration disengaged from any serious effort at re-establishing an Israeli-Palestinian peace process.  This Administration must confront the fact that its failed policies in Iraq and the region are further destabilizing and inflaming an already volatile region.  It is time to begin rebuilding our credibility around the world.