"This Winston Churchill of Iraq"

Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi brings them to their feet at joint congressional session this morning (eat your hearts out, Kerry & Company)

Live blogging joint congressional presentation of "This Winston Churchill of Iraq," former Ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg's term in a FoxNews followup. A rousing welcome greets Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Excerpts (rough transcription):

I have three messages . . . First, we are succeeding in Iraq . . . I have seen some of the images that are being shown on television. They focus on the tragedies.

The second message is quite simple, and one I would like to direct from my people to yours: Thank you, America.

Third, I stand as the leader of a nation emerging from the Dark Ages . . . Even in exile, were not safe from Saddam . . . And as we lived under tyranny at home, so our neighbors lived in fear of Iraq's aggression and brutality. Reckless wars, use of weapons of mass destruction, the needless loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and the financing and exporting of terrorism, these were Saddam's legacy to the world . . . The world is better off without Saddam Hussein . . . Your decision to go to war in Iraq was not an easy one, but it was the right one . . . not the first time that you stood up for freedom . . . I particularly want thank you [the Congress] for your brave vote in 2002.

Now we are determined to honor your sacrifice by putting into practice a stable democracy in Iraq.

But there are the tiny minority who despise the very ideas of liberty and who will kill and destroy anything to make our country the main battleground against freedom and democracy . . . In Iraq we confront both insurgency and the global war on terror . . . They will not succeed . . . They have no political agenda . . . Iraqi citizens know better than anyone the horrors of dictatorship.

Now let me turn to our plan . . . three parts . . . establish democracy, defeat insurgency and improve the quality of life . . . I am a realist.

Let me turn no to our military strategy . . . to take over and shoulder all the military burdens of our country as quickly as possible . . . The government has accelerated the establishment of Iraqi special forces . . . our intelligence is getting better every day.

Homes, schools and hospitals are being rebuilt.

The next major milestone will be holding of free elections . . . Elections will occur on time in January because Iraqis want elections on time . . . We proved the doubters wrong . . . We know terrorists will do all they can to disrupt these elections. We will do all we can to ensure the elections take place.

This is our strategy . . . But Iraq cannot accomplish this alone . . . The Iraqi government needs the help of the international community . . . Already Iraq has many partners . . . More than 30 countries are represented . . . But our opponents also understand this is an international effort, and that is why they have targeted members of the coalition . . . The coalition must stand firm. When governments negotiate with terrorists, everyone in the free world suffers.

There will be many more setbacks to overcome, but the doubters underestimate Iraq . . . We are made strong by our Islamic faith, which teaches us tolerance, respect, love and duty . . . the dreams of our families are the same as the dreams of the families here in America . . . We want to enjoy the fruits of liberty . . . When given the choice, people around the world will choose the rule of law, not the rule of the secret police. [standing ovation]

For the first time in our history, the Iraqi people can look forward to controlling our own destiny. This would not be possible without the help of this great country and the coalition . . . As stalwart as you have been, we will stand with you too.

A hard act to follow, and the tin-eared John Kerry just happens to follow Allawi's brilliant and inspiring words with some lame ones of his own:

We are not making progress in Iraq . . . We need a summit . . . I have a plan to make us successful.

"Is he [Allawi] living in the same fantasy land as the President?" asks a reporter: "I think the prime minister is obviously contradicting his own statement of a few days ago when he said that terrorists are pouring into the country," replies the King of Self-Contradiction.

Allawi transcript.

Comments

[goomp]

Thank you for the fair and balanced coverage of Allawi's inspirational address to Congress. Most heartening to one who was unable to hear it live.

[dom]

whilst your bias is obvious, second only to your ignorance, america has done a grand job of fucking iraq over in every way. no al qaida before the invasion, but theres plenty now.
at least now they can vote, hey? pity many cant work or feed their children.
whilst there were few regimes as morally reprehensible as saddam's, i do not see the US steaming in to liberate other repressed peoples around the globe.
democracy, by its very definition, cannot be enforced, and america has caused the beginning of the end of its supremacy with this worthless venture.
At least the 'coalition of the willing' is holding together.

[Sissy Willis]

Two things, Dom. 1. Open your eyes and notice how Democracy is breaking out all over. You've heard of the "domino effect"? 2. Try pressing the "Shift" button on your keyboard when you start a new sentence.