Just for your reading pleasure, here is some text from the House of Representatives debating the Iraq war resolution.
Note that only two Republicans ( Howard Cole, Ric Keller ) did not use the " will hurt the moral of our troops and embolden the enemy " line of lies.
FromBBC
REPUBLICAN JOHN BOEHNER
This battle is the most visible part of a global war against terrorists.
If we leave, they will follow us home. It's that simple.
DEMOCRATIC SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI
A vote of disapproval will set the stage for additional Iraq legislation, which will be coming to the House floor...
Thousands of new troops... will apparently not have the armour and equipment they need to perform the mission and reduce the likelihood of casualties.
REPUBLICAN KAY GRANGER
The Balints [whose son was killed in Iraq in December] asked me to bring a message back to Washington. They said to tell you to stay firm because we need to finish the job in Iraq.
DEMOCRAT JOHN CONYERS
We must end the senseless deaths of service members like Marine Tarryl Hill [who was killed in Iraq last week].
I do not want to see one more promising life like his extinguished on the altar of this administration's arrogance.
REPUBLICAN MARSHA BLACKBURN
[The resolution] sends a message of no confidence and no support to our troops in the field, weakening their morale while encouraging and emboldening the enemy.
DEMOCRAT JOHN MURTHA
This country needs a dramatic change of course in Iraq and it is the responsibility of this Congress to consummate that change.
REPUBLICAN SAM JOHNSON
The enemy wants our men and women in uniform to think their Congress doesn't care about them.
We must learn from our mistakes. We cannot leave a job undone like we left in Korea, like we left in Vietnam, like we left in Somalia.
DEMOCRAT JAMES CLYBURN
The victory we seek is earned through the restoration of America's role as peacemaker, not warmonger.
REPUBLICAN HOWARD COLE
I am personally very high on President Bush, but on the matter of troop escalation, I am not in agreement.
I insist that we do not maintain an eternal presence in Iraq, if for no other reason than the cost to the taxpayers, which has been astronomically unbelievable.
DEMOCRAT RAHM EMMANUEL
The time has passed for accepting this administration's assurances at face value. The human cost of its repeated assurances is too great.
REPUBLICAN STEVE CHABOT
There are serious consequences to our national security if we fail in Iraq.
Cutting off funding, limiting military options or pushing for immediate withdrawal will only make our future more dangerous. It is time to stop the politics, stop the games, stop the finger-pointing and do what is best for America.
DEMOCRAT DAVID OBEY
We are told if we oppose the president's intensification of the war, we are giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Well, I, for one, am tired of those who've been consistently wrong about this war lecturing those of us who've been right.
REPUBLICAN RIC KELLER
Interjecting more young American troops into the cross-hairs of an Iraqi civil war is simply not the right approach.
DEMOCRAT PATRICK MURPHY
We stand together to tell this administration that we are against the escalation, and to say with one voice that Congress will no longer be a blank cheque to the president's failed policies.
REPUBLICAN GEOFF DAVIS
This non-binding resolution serves no purpose other than pacifying the Democrats' political base and lowering morale in our military.
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