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Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Cornyn Resolution Outlining Consequences Of A Failed Iraq

Cornyn Resolution: "The Senate should commit itself to a strategy that will not leave a failed state in Iraq"

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment today to the Defense Authorization bill offered by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which puts every Senator on record acknowledging the consequences of a vote for or against a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq. Following passage by a vote of 94-3, Sen. Cornyn made the following statement:

“It’s encouraging that nearly all Senators agree that a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would harm America’s national security and stability in the Middle East. This has been one of the critical elements missing from the debate. Each and every one of us wants to bring our troops home as soon as possible, but the essential question remains: Will we allow Iraq to become a safe haven for terrorists who want to attack our country and our people?

“In supporting this resolution, nearly every Senator is now on record in acknowledging that a failed state in Iraq would do just that. The question before the Senate now is: Will some Senators bow to political pressure and vote for a precipitous withdrawal of our troops, before the mission is completed?

“The National Intelligence Estimate report released today indicates that al Qaida is cultivating attacks from what they see as the central front in their war against freedom—Iraq. This is further evidence that openly stating a politically-driven withdrawal date from Iraq both undermines our military’s efforts to address this threat and assists our enemies in their planning. We must continue taking the fight to the enemy, rather than broadcast a premature withdrawal date that would signal weakness and increase the threats here at home.” 

Background:

• The Cornyn amendment, in the form of a Sense of the Senate resolution, in part says, “A failed state in Iraq would become a safe haven for Islamic radicals, including al Qaida and Hezbollah, who are determined to attack the United States and United States’ allies.” Further, the resolution acknowledges, “The Iraq Study Group report found that a chaotic Iraq could provide a still stronger base of operations for terrorists who seek to act regionally or even globally.”
• The Cornyn amendment concludes by stating that “the Senate should commit itself to a strategy that will not leave a failed state in Iraq; and the Senate should not pass legislation that will undermine our military’s ability to prevent a failed state in Iraq.”

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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