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| Wilson Disappointed in ‘Lost Opportunity’ |
February 14, 2007 |
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Urges Focus on Vital Interests
Washington, DC – Speaking on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today, Congresswoman Heather Wilson said the non-binding resolution on Iraq is a “lost opportunity” and announced her opposition.
“The words in these two brief sentences are vague enough to allow people with quite different views on what we should do to feel satisfied with whatever way they vote,” Wilson said. “The language in this resolution is clever. But this isn’t a time for clever. We are better than this.”
Wilson urged the House to say what the nation’s vital interests are, what the House’s recommendations are, and whether or not it will fund the bullets and the body armor for the troops.
Wilson said her concern is the House chose to “punt” rather than do the hard work of building consensus and leading the way. For that reason, Wilson said, “this resolution represents a lost opportunity.”
Wilson is particularly concerned that the resolution clearly implies that Congress will not fund the troops slated to go to Iraq.
“The resolution intentionally leaves unanswered the question of whether we will fund the bullets and body armor for troops who are not there yet but are going. I believe a majority of this House would vote to equip and support the men and women being sent there, even if they question the President’s strategy,” Wilson said. “In this war on terrorism, the greatest burdens have fallen on the shoulders of a relatively small number of Americans who have volunteered to take great risks on our behalf. We must make clear to them that they will have the equipment they need to do the job we are asking them to do.
Wilson is skeptical that increasing U.S. forces in Baghdad in the quantity and with the mission and tactics described by the President and his military commanders will quell the sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni, and does not think it is vital to America’s national interests to do so. She has also supported increasing forces in al Anbar province to fight al Qaeda.
“The Iraqis must resolve their sectarian rivalries. The President believes the Baghdad security plan is the most realistic path forward. I disagree with the President on this point and I have told him so directly.”
Wilson serves as a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a graduate of the U.S. air Force academy and served on the staff of the National Security Council during the administration of the 41st President of the United States. |
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