Senate Proceeding on Sep 19th, 2007 :: 6:08:45 to 6:21:55
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6:08:45 to 6:08:54( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: mr. cardin: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. mr. cardin: i would ask unanimous consent

6:08:45 to 6:21:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Benjamin L. Cardin
Bill: H.R. 7022: To reform the financing of House elections, and for other purposes

6:08:54 to 6:09:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. cardin: mr . president, i take this time first to thank senator webb for bringing forward his amendment that ii strongly

6:09:06 to 6:09:20( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: support. i believe it is in the best interest of our troops, their families, our military readiness and the proper deployment of our troops. i also, mr. president, want to thank senator levin and senator

6:09:20 to 6:09:34( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: reid for their efforts in allowing us the opportunity to try to change our mission in iraq, which i believe is in the best interest not only of the united states to do that, but also the iraqi people.

6:09:34 to 6:09:47( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: i also want to compliment senator biden for his efforts toor bring forward an amendment that would give us a more realistic and achievable political game plan in iraq. as has been recently reported, the

6:09:47 to 6:10:04( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: iraqi government is dysfunctional and the only way that we're going to be successful in iraq is that we can have a political solution to their problems. mr. president, on september 3, 2007, president

6:10:04 to 6:10:14( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: bush told troops at al-assad air base that the troop build-upui strengthened security and military successes are paving the way for economic progress in iraq. when iraqis feel safe in their homes

6:10:14 to 6:10:24( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: and neighborhoods, said presidentid bush, they can focus their efforts on building a stable civil society. i believe that the last part of that statement, when iraqis can walk into the streets without

6:10:24 to 6:10:37( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: fear of being attacked, blown up or bribed or having family harmed, his house or his business taken, when he's confident that his children will have enough food and water and be able to attend schools in

6:10:37 to 6:10:50( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: peace, he will be able to focus on building a more stable civil society. but what i don't see is any independent evidence that the increased u.s. troop presence has, as promised, led to greater civilian

6:10:50 to 6:11:04( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: security, let alone paved the way for political and economic success. the 2007 emergency supplemental appropriations bills required president bush to report to congress and the american people in july and september

6:11:04 to 6:11:18( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: on the progress in iraq and making to achieving certain critical benchmarks put forward by the iraqi government and affirmed by president bush in january. this was not benchmarks established by congress.

6:11:18 to 6:11:31( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: these were benchmarks established by the iraqis and this administration. the same legislation is that an interpent government accounting office study to undertake the same investigation and charter the

6:11:31 to 6:11:45( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: independent commission on the forces in iraq and nd investigate the progress those institutions are making towards independence. we now have these reports. not even president bush claims substantial

6:11:45 to 6:11:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: progress towards political benchmarks occurred. as reported by his administration there has been little progress on de-baathification reform, provincial elections or amnesty laws. the g.a.o. reports

6:11:56 to 6:12:10( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that the iraqi government has met only one of the eight legislative benchmarks: the rights of the minority party, political parties in the iraq legislature are protected, though the same is not true

6:12:10 to 6:12:25( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: for the iraqi population whose rights have been often violated. any prospect for further progress towards these goals have been dashed by the withdrawal of 15 of the 37 members of the iraqi government.

6:12:25 to 6:12:36( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: the congressional research service reported that the boycott has left the iraqi government in essential cole -- collapse. anotr reason why we need the biden amendment, more importantly for us to moveo

6:12:36 to 6:12:48( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: forward in implementing a new political strategy in iraq. just as importantly, there is no independent evidence that increased troop presence has created the security necessary to foster future political

6:12:48 to 6:12:59( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: and economic progress in iraq. the g.a.o. reports that it's not clear whether sectarian violence has been reduced and the average number of daily attacks against civilians has remained about the

6:12:59 to 6:13:11( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: same. the august national intelligence estimate reports that the level of overall violence in iraq, including attacks and casualities among csuivilians remains high and will remain high for the next

6:13:11 to 6:13:25( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: 6 to 12 months. according to the figures compiled by the associated press, the iraqis are suffering double the numberdo of war-related deaths throughout the country compared to the same time last year.

6:13:25 to 6:13:38( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: in an august op-ed, seven noncommissioner officers wrote the most important front in the counterinsurgency is itemproving basic, social and economic conditions is the one in which we have failed most

6:13:38 to 6:13:53( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: miserably. cities lack regular electricity, telephone service and sanitation. even if we assume a decline in violence in certain parts of iraq, it is far from clear that the increased u.s. troops are

6:13:53 to 6:14:06( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: responsible. there are over two million iraqis who have left iraq. the internally displaced persons are estimated at two million, and increasing by 80,000 to 100,000 each month. at that rate washington,

6:14:06 to 6:14:18( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: d.c. would be empty by march. the united nations high commissioner for refugees found that 63% of those displaced moved because of threats to their security. 69% left homes in baghdad. baghdad is

6:14:18 to 6:14:30( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: undergoing sectarian cleansing. if the death tolls in the sunni districts fall because its residents have fled, the resulting reduction in violence is not attributable to increased traopts, and -- troops,

6:14:30 to 6:14:42( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: and that's not the kind of development that is progress. the bottom line the g.a.o. report found that the iraqi government has not eliminated militia control over local security or political intervention. the

6:14:42 to 6:14:55( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: military operations. it has not ensured even handed enforcement of the law or increased the number of army units capable of independent operations. our iraqis more secure? for me, the 100,000 people fleeing

6:14:55 to 6:15:07( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: their homes each month in fear of safety answer the question. truth as everyone acknowledges is that the security that the iraqi man wanted instead of free food will only come with political reconciliation.

6:15:07 to 6:15:20( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: president bush told us that the surge policy would bring down violence. and by bringing down violence, we could have a government in iraq for national reconciliation. and having a government in iraq that

6:15:20 to 6:15:32( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: has confidence in -- of its people, we could remove our troops. what h happened? violence is still high. the iraqi government is dysfunctional by our own analysis. the president is telling us that

6:15:32 to 6:15:42( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: ten months from now we can have the same troop levels we had a year ago. that's not progress. the reports before us in september like the reports before us in july, show us that president bush's troop

6:15:42 to 6:15:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: escalation is ineffective and failed to make iraq more secure, failed to stem the civil war going on i n iraq and failed to lead to political reconciliation. that failure was clear when i last came to the floor

6:15:56 to 6:16:11( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: to discuss this issue in july. and it's clear today. since july, 150 more american soldiers have died. nearly 5,000 more 5 have been wounded. and in my home state of maryland, we have lost three more

6:16:11 to 6:16:26( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: of its bravest citizens. one of those seven whose wisdom i have quoted was shot through the led and last week two others were killed. every month in 2007, there have been more casualty than the same

6:16:26 to 6:16:40( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: months in 2006. six years after 9/11 our policies if iraq have distracted us from confronting the weaknesses those athats revealed -- those attacks revealed. terrorist attacks rise around the world with noo

6:16:40 to 6:16:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: progress on the arab-israeli conflict and our military is stretched thin. the recent intelligence announces that al qaeda in pakistan is stronger than any time since september, 2001. iran is as dangerous

6:16:56 to 6:17:10( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: as ever. the cochairs of the 9/11 commission wrote "we face a rising tide of radicalism, rage rin the muslim world, a trend which our own actions have contributed." senator warner asked general petraeus

6:17:10 to 6:17:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: whether continuing the strategy the general laid before congress would make our country safer. general petraeus responded "sir, i don't actually know." he didn't know because he has been focused

6:17:23 to 6:17:39( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: on how to accomplish the mission of the multinational forces if iraq. that's what he should be focused on. that is his job. but the people -- but the people focused on our fission's safety and

6:17:39 to 6:17:50( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: our overall -- on our nation's safety and our overall strategy agree can lee and hamilton. they have argued for accepting more risk in iraq in order to have the necessary forces available to confront

6:17:50 to 6:18:01( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: other potential threats. the joint chiefs have been sympathetic to admiral fallon's view. in order to bolster our military and refocusfo attention on the global terrorism threat the congress has attempted

6:18:01 to 6:18:14( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: to change the mission of our operation in iraq. president bush and the minority have rebuf fed the effort. we cannot wait any longer to change the mission in iraq. the cost of further delay if lives,

6:18:14 to 6:18:29( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: material, treasure, and our standing in the world is too great. president bush's strategy has put this nation at greater risk, a risk that me tab liezs each day -- me tab liezs each day we wait.

6:18:29 to 6:18:45( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: our troops need toro be removed and giving them a realistic mission, counter trim, counterterrorism and training. the independent mission on the security forces shared by general james l. jones and composed

6:18:45 to 6:18:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: of prominent senior military officers and chiefs of police, suggests that coalition forces be adjusted, realigned, to better ensure territorial defense, contraiting on the eastern and west everyone borders --

6:18:56 to 6:19:10( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: western borders. the commission also emphasized the importance of transferring responsibility to iraqis noting that the fine line between assistance and dependence. iraqi citizens turn to our military

6:19:10 to 6:19:23( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: for protection and the basic services that government has failed to provide. viwe want the iraqis to become loyal to their government, not to the local u.s. military commander. we must begin to hand

6:19:23 to 6:19:35( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: responsibility to the iraqis. as the bipartisanar iraqi study group noted there is no action the american military can take that, by itself, can bring about success in iraq. with any effort, it must

6:19:35 to 6:19:46( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: include stepped up diplomacy, a diplomatic surge, if you will. iraqis neighbors have a stake in iraqi's stability. the war in iraq means the spread of fundamentalism, insurrection and sectarian violence

6:19:46 to 6:20:02( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: and increased basic crime and lawlessness and not just in iraq. we must begin to have birthdayer diplomatic and economic visions -- have broader diplomatic and economic visions. currently all neighbors

6:20:02 to 6:20:16( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: are involved but they operate under the table. iran supports the sight militia, saudi supports sunni, turkey plays a role in the north and syria exerts control over the western border.r. the united

6:20:16 to 6:20:27( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: states engaged all neighbors at the highest level and secured cooperation, and bemust engage in that same high level record no matter how much we wish circumstances of the current balance of power in the region

6:20:27 to 6:20:41( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: were different. we need our nation's most senior officials engaged in bringing other nations in international entities supplement as the united nations and the organization for security and cooperation

6:20:41 to 6:20:56( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: in europe to the table. the various agencies, the united nations are well suited to tackle marries of economic and community development and providing electricity, water, and sanitation services. and ass

6:20:56 to 6:21:08( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: ist iraqi with border security, police training, and immigration and and religious tolerance. a movement to engage international entities prepare the best chance of helping the iraqis build a government

6:21:08 to 6:21:24( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: that has the confidence and would strengthen our own national security and military ready if. the world has an interest in a safe and secure iraq. we can no longer ignore the overwhelming evidence or

6:21:24 to 6:21:38( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: recoil from the cold reality that the facts on the ground reveal. it is time to change theng mission: step up dim milk efforts with a real -- diplomatic efforts with a realistic game plan recognizing

6:21:38 to 6:21:55( Edit History Discussion )

Benjamin L. Cardin: limits of deployment of our troops and bring stability to that country and the middle east so much deserves. i thank you for the time and i yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from virginia.

6:21:55 to 6:22:07( Edit History Discussion )

James Webb: mr. webb: mr. president, i p would like to take the opportunity, since it looks like there's no other senators thator wish to speak at this moment, to clarify a few items if this in this amendment

6:21:55 to 6:26:35( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: James Webb