Mr. KAGEN. Mr. Speaker, we must begin to think differently in America, because the path we are on now is morally unacceptable. More than 3,000 brave Americans have perished in Iraq and more than 650,000 Iraqi civilians are dead. President Bush’s newest war proposal is not a complete and comprehensive plan, and more importantly, it is not based on realities on the ground and in the region.

The President believes that 20,000 additional U.S. troops will change the outcome in Iraq. He was wrong to invade Iraq, and he is wrong now. Instead of decreasing the violence, last night’s proposal will increase the risks to everyone in Iraq and the surrounding region, and it will not bring an end to the Iraqi civil war. Clearly it was bad judgment to have invaded Iraq. It will be even worse judgment to remain. Simply put, we do not belong in Iraq, and we are still headed in the wrong direction. We all support our troops, but we must not support the administration’s policy of more of the same poor judgment. We must begin to withdraw our forces and allow the Iraqis to take control of their own future.

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