WASHINGTON - June 16 - As the debate over the war in Iraq continued on the House floor today, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) gave the following floor speech.

“Our soldiers are killing insurgents.  Insurgents are killing our soldiers.   Iraq’s Prime Minister is said to have considered amnesty for the growing number of insurgents, ‘as long as their hands weren’t stained by Iraqi blood.’  This kind of talk will only encourage more aggression against US troops, more US casualties, more US deaths. 

“Our soldiers are sitting ducks in a shooting gallery. If we really cared about them we would bring them home.

“Iraq’s leaders will ultimately seek peace and reconciliation with its diverse armed groups through renouncing the US presence.

“Yet, we are building permanent bases in Iraq.

“It is time for our nation to seek truth and reconciliation over 9/11 and the war in Iraq.  Otherwise our national agenda will continue to be held captive in Iraq.

“The Bible says, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’.

“The truth is Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction.

“The truth is in the name of fighting terrorism we are creating more terrorists.

“You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. We must free ourselves from this war. We must reconcile with those who wrongly took us into Iraq.

“We must seek the truth.”

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