Jul 24, 2006- ESCALATING CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

HON.MARCY KAPTUR
 OF OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2006

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to discuss the escalatingconflicts in the Middle East, and bearing inmind that the answer to real stability throughout that region is a resolutionto the half century old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a two-State solutionwith negotiations ongoing. That has not happened during the lifetime of thisadministration. In fact, they have ignored that completely.

The second solution is to decouple U.S.foreign policy from our reliance on the oil regimes in the MiddleEast which supply the largest share of this country's dependenceon imported petroleum.

Those are the two answers. We are getting distracted by a lot of otheractivities in the region, but without a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinianconflict and a two-State solution, and this country being able to stand on itsown two feet again, and not have to beg any repressive society for oil, we willnot find a solution for security for the American people at home nor abroad.

The situation is worsening. War is an abandonment of reason, and it iscritical for Members of Congress to stand for a path to peace, especially at atime that we witness and the world witnesses more killing, more death, morecarnage escalating around us, escalating around those directly involved in the Middle East.

It is especially essential to be a voice for peace when others believe thatescalating the military option without serious and equal emphasis on politicaland diplomatic efforts will yield calm and resolution.

Ghandi instructed us that an eye for an eye will leave the world blind, andphysics reminds us that to every action there is an equal and oppositereaction. I think in this latest conflagration between Lebanon and Israel there will be more than anequal and opposite reaction.

Indeed, I predict, and it is happening already, escalating violence willreap more radical extremism throughout the region as moderate voices aremuffled by the bombs and the escalation of the rhetoric and the escalation ofthe violence.

Please notice, as a result of U.S. policy already in countryafter country, radical extremes are gaining political edge in the halls ofgovernment. The Muslim brotherhood of late has made major inroads in Egypt's parliament, rising from a level ofcouple dozen seats out of around 450 seats to nearly 100, and Egypt has signed a peace treaty with Israel.

In Pakistan,orthodoxy is being elected at the provincial level over and over again.

In Iraq, the Shi'iamajority is aligning with Iran,and indeed, the prime minister who is to address the Congress, this Congressthis Wednesday, has come out full bore along with the parliament for theHezbollah, condemning the actions of Israel, our ally.

In Lebanon,Hezbollah has gained a toehold in parliament and enormous and growing sympathyon the street. Lebanon'swartorn areas from the last invasion by Israel beginning in the 1980s andits need for rebuilding were neglected by the world community, including thiscountry, and Hezbollah took root for over two decades now.

I am one of the few Members of this Congress that tried to go beyond theusual lip service paid to Lebanon to help it rebuild its wartorn areas andrebuild its civil society so that it could function at the point where Syriawould withdraw, and the government of the United States, the State Department,the U.S. Agency for International Development, every single instrument of thisgovernment stopped us every step of the way. We could take such tiny littlesteps.

Is it any wonder that Hezbollah gained footing in the southern area of Lebanon? No oneelse took an interest, and violence displaced the opportunity over the 2 1/2decades for the development of civil society. No one in our country reallycared, and major political opposition in Congress existed to helping Lebanon at all.How do you build a peaceful path? How do you secure Israel with enemies on every side?

Iran'smoderate voices have been silenced by extremism and decades of lack ofengagement by any sitting President of this country. Even backchannels were letatrophied.

And so the world is poised for more hatred and more mass killings. I willnot associate myself with lopsided policies that ripen hatred toward thiscountry, annihilate prospects for peace and threaten both Israel's and Palestine's ultimate existence.

Mr. Speaker, I place in the RECORD at this point Bob Herbert'sarticle, ``Find a Better Way,''from The New York Times today. It is superb.

(From the New York Times, July 24, 2006)

Find a Better Way

(By Bob Herbert)

It's too late now, but Israelcould have used a friend in the early stages of its war with Hezbollah--afriend who could have tugged at its sleeve and said: ``O.K We understand. Butenough.''

That friend should have been the United States.

It is not difficult to understand both Israel's obligation. to lash backat the unprovoked attacks of Hezbollah, and the longstanding rage andfrustration that have led the Israelis to attempt to obliterate, once and forall, this unrelenting terrorist threat. Israelis are always targets forterror--whether they are minding their own business in their homes, or shoppingat the mall, or taking a bus to work, or celebrating the wedding of loved ones.

(A quick example from a seemingly endless list: An Israeli security guardprevented a Palestinian suicide bomber from entering a mall in the seaside townof Netanya lastDecember. The bomber detonated his explosives anyway, killing himself, theguard and four others.)

But the unnecessary slaughter of innocents, whether by Hezbollah, Hamas, AlQaeda, American forces in Iraqor the Israeli defense forces, is always wrong, and should never be tolerated.So civilized people cannot in good conscience stand by and silently watch ashundreds of innocents are killed and thousands more threatened by the spasm ofdestruction unleashed by Israelin Lebanon.

Going after Hezbollah is one thing. The murderous rocket attacks into Israel must bestopped. But the wanton killing of innocent civilians, including babies andchildren, who had no connection at all to Hezbollah is something else.

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Congresswoman Kaptur is an original co-sponsor of this bill which callls for astabalization to the middle east crisis.