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Deal: It’s critical we see progress in Iraq
By Erik Green
Dalton Daily Citizen News - July 21, 2007
TUNNEL HILL — U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., called last Tuesday’s Democratic-led all-night Senate debate over the war in Iraq “a farce” Saturday during a speech to the Whitfield County Republican Party at Harry Griffin Park.
The debate was over the approval of legislation to withdraw American troops from Iraq by next year, with some troops leaving as early as 120 days. The plan was voted down 52-47 Wednesday.
Deal said the Democrats, who own the majority in Congress, have the power to cut funding for the war, but lack the political courage to do so.
He said they simply want President Bush to kowtow to their demands.
“(And) they are counting on the American people to lose their will, because the Democrats in Congress have lost their will,” he said “They expect the American people to follow.”
Deal said the war isn’t as simple as defeating Saddam Hussein and coming home.
“You cannot expect people who have maybe never had freedom like we know it to automatically assume a self-government,” Deal said. “It does require assistance.”
The debate over withdrawing the troops is not likely over since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid voted no Wednesday, allowing him to bring the matter back up for a vote.
Deal said Congress will hear a report on the war in September and will consider what to do at that time.
“It’s critical we see progress,” he said.
The war was not the only hot potato on Deal’s plate Saturday.
He said to stop illegal immigration, the government must seal the U.S. border with Mexico with a fence, control it with high-tech surveillance and use the National Guard to assist in border patrols.
Diplomatically, Deal said the U.S. should push the Mexican government to help in preventing illegals from crossing the border.
“I’ve learned recently that the second largest (revenue producer) in their economy behind oil is money sent back from the U.S.,” Deal said. “We’ve got to put pressure on them.”
He said it would be impossible for the government to deport the estimated 12 million illegals in this country, but a start would be getting rid of convicted criminals.
“There are one million known felons in the United States here illegally,” he said.
Deal said he would like to see more effort made by the government to give local law enforcement the authority to enforce immigration laws.
Deal, 64, of Gainesville, has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993 representing the 9th District, which includes Whitfield and Murray counties.
Forwarded by: Chuck Payne of Whitfield GOP