Kucinich introduces Resolution of Inquiry,demands documents from WHIG-Questions Iraq Reconstruction

Kucinich Uses Resolution Of Inquiry To Demand Documents From White House Group That Developed Strategy To “Sell” War To The Public And Press

Washington, Oct 20 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) today introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to demand the White House turn over all white papers, minutes, notes, emails or other communications kept by the White House Iraq Group (WHIG).

“This group, comprised of the President and Vice President’s top aides, was critical in selling the Administration’s case for war,” stated Kucinich. “We now know that the Administration hyped intelligence and misled the American public and Congress in their effort to ‘sell’ the war. After over 1,900 American troops have been killed in Iraq, it is long past time for this Congress to ask serious questions about WHIG and its role in the lead up to the war.”

A Resolution of Inquiry is a rare House procedure used to obtain documents from the Executive Branch. Under House rules, Kucinich’s resolution is referred to committee, and action must be taken in committee within 14 legislative days.

“For two-and-a-half years Congress has sat on the sidelines neglecting its oversight responsibility when it has come to Iraq,” continued Kucinich. “We owe it to the American people to hold this Administration accountable and to find out the truth.”
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Washington, Oct 18 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), Ranking Member of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, gave the following open statement today at a Subcommittee hearing on Iraq Reconstruction:

Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and good morning to all of the witnesses here today.

It is tempting for some to tout the successes of this past weekend’s referendum on the draft Iraqi constitution, as there were early reports of high voter turnout and for the orderly conduct of Iraqis at the polls. But yesterday the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq stated that it would audit the “unusually high” numbers in results coming from most provinces. The commission’s statement came after Sunni lawmaker, Meshaan al-Jubouri claimed fraud had occurred in the vote - including instances of voting in hotly contested regions by pro-constitution Shi’ites from other areas.
Democracy will not be successful in Iraq unless it is proven to be without fraud. Furthermore, democracy will not succeed unless the reconstruction efforts that underpin democracy are realized and sustainable. The Iraqi people need statecraft, not just stagecraft.

The Bush Administration has claimed that economic reconstruction would contribute to stability in Iraq, that goods and services would help the Iraqi people. On the surface, it appears there is much activity. Congress has allocated some $30 billion in assistance for reconstruction efforts. We are helping to restore water, sanitation, and other infrastructure. We are rebuilding schools and communities, providing medicine and foods, helping to restore ports and vital sectors of the economy - efforts that are eerily parallel to those so desperately needed in our own country in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Yet more than two years after our troops entered Iraq, the truth is that most Iraqis still do not have reliable electricity throughout the day. They still do not have adequate healthcare or clean water and sanitation. Childhood malnutrition is on the rise and so is disaffection with U.S. companies receiving the bulk of the reconstruction contracts.

This doesn’t seem like much progress to me, and as the chorus of inspectors general and auditors will attest to today, the reality on the ground is that the reconstruction of Iraq is dependent on security, not the other way around. It seems to me that we are great at building potemkin villages, but not so good at rebuilding Iraqi society.

The panel of witnesses here today will testify to the enormous obstacles and costs of reconstruction in Iraq. They will illustrate the serious mismanagement, the shoddy recordkeeping, the looting, and the serious cost overruns, constant delays, and underperforming reconstruction projects American taxpayers are footing the bill for in Iraq. In fact, 25-50% of the costs for any reconstruction project in Iraq goes straight towards providing security for the site and workers. In fact, it seems that the only people who are prospering in Iraq are the Halliburtons and Blackwaters of the world. It is truly a Faustian deal that the Administration has struck.

Now we’ve learned that the Pentagon’s own office of Inspector General is MIA - missing in action. The DOD IG Office has not had any auditors in Iraq in over a year. Are we to conclude that nobody is watching the $142 billion worth of military spending in Iraq? Nobody is preventing waste, fraud, and abuse on behalf of the American taxpayers? Halliburton is guarding the henhouse.

Violence is surging. The lives of over 1,900 American soldiers have been lost thus far and there are estimates that over 42,000 soldiers have been wounded. By some counts, 100,000 innocent non-combatant Iraqis have been killed. How much more life will be lost before the Administration gets the message?

Mr. Chairman, as you know, I have never supported the use of force in Iraq, and continue to believe that our occupation in Iraq has become counterproductive. The American people are correct when increasing numbers of them are disaffected from this war. The prospects for a representative Iraqi government remain dim at best; the prospects for the breaking apart of Iraq into separate pieces are rising, particularly without Sunni Arabs buying into the process. Throwing more U.S. money into Iraq or more and more American soldiers into harm’s way will not right the wrongs.

I hope that today’s hearing will shine some light on the truth of the situation in Iraq. Furthermore, I hope that the experts here today will provide a realistic projection of how much it will take to reconstruct Iraq. Thank you, and I yield back to the Chair.
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