Congressman Cohen Speaks on codel to Iraq and Troop Redeployment

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just had the opportunity to travel in a bipartisan codel to the Middle East, particularly to Baghdad.

Robin Williams had an album at one time, ``Reality, What a Concept.'' I thought about it while I was there. I saw a lot of reality. I saw our soldiers in life-and-death situations and doing it in a heroic fashion. They told me about their need to be redeployed over there not every 15 months, but every 12 months because the pressure is wearing on them and on their personal lives. The divorce rate is high, and it really takes a toll on their lives. They see the people working for the private companies over there making so much more money than them, the contractors, and they say, why should we re-enlist. But they do it because they are proud Americans.

But then we met with Prime Minister Maliki, and he said the sectarian war was over. Well, Prime Minister Maliki, it's not, and until the Iraqis deal with reality and deal with the Sunni and Shiite differences, there won't be peace in Iraq and our soldiers will be working for a group that doesn't understand the problem, which is their own internal politics.

The Iraqis must resolve their differences. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.