WASHINGTON - July 19 - Before introducing legislation seeking a peaceful resolution to the current conflict in the Middle East, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) gave the following speech:

"The Book of Ecclesiastes says there is a time for war and a time for peace.

"Now is the time for peace.

"Now is the time to stop the disintegration into a world-wide conflict.

"Now is the time to show the world that the United States is strong enough to be the leader in peace, not war.

"Now is the time to commit United States diplomats to multi-party negotiations with no preconditions.

"Now is the time to reaffirm our support for Israel by showing leadership in diplomacy.

"Unilateralism breeds unilateralism. And then the awful dialectic of conflict moves as a force beyond our control, and takes its deadly toll: 100 civilians a day killed in Iraq, war breaking out everywhere. Things are spinning out of control. The war on terror has become a war of errors.

"We must bring a halt to this "March of Folly."

"Communication is the controlling factor.

"Diplomacy is the controlling factor.

"There is a time for war and a time for peace.

"Now is the time for peace."

Kucinich's resolution calls "upon the President to appeal to all sides in the current crisis in the Middle East for an immediate cessation of violence and to commit the United States diplomats to multi-party negotiations with no preconditions."

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