Madam Speaker, today marks a sad and tragic day in American history. Today is the fifth anniversary of the House joint resolution which authorized the use of American Armed Forces against Iraq.

I was among the 133 Members of the House who voted ``no'' on that resolution. But our voices could not be heard over the deafening spin machine of fear and misinformation that came from the administration.

We were told about mushroom clouds, yellow cake, and weapons of mass destruction. They all turned out to be fairytales. But they became the rationale of something America should never, never do: wage a war of choice.

But now the American people know that our involvement in Iraq is folly, and in 2006 they sent us to Congress to end the occupation.

Iraq is not the American people's war; it is the administration's war. And it goes on because the administration has turned a deaf ear to the will of the people. The administration looks to our involvement in South Korea as the model for Iraq. That means a permanent occupation that may last half a century or more.

Who wants this? The American people don't want it. The Iraqi people don't want it. The people of the Middle East don't want it. Our allies don't want it. The world does not want it.

Iraq is the symptom of a foreign policy that is fatally flawed. We have turned our backs on the structure of international cooperation and agreement that is the best way to stop terrorism, ensure our national security, and keep the peace.

Our leaders have told us to wait for history to judge the wisdom of our involvement in Iraq, but we don't have to wait; 5 years is long enough to judge. And we already know what the occupation has done; it has shattered the lives of millions through death, injury, and displacement. It has wrecked our moral leadership, it has wrecked our standing in the world. It has distracted us from fighting the poverty and hopelessness that give rise to terrorism, and from working with other nations to dismantle terrorist networks. It has made us foreign occupiers in the eyes of the people of the Middle East, making it virtually impossible for us to be partners for peace in that very volatile region.

The occupation broke faith with our brave troops. We told them they were going to fight America's enemies, and then we left them to police a civil war that has nothing to do with America. The occupation has undermined our commitment to civil liberties and human rights. America should be known as the great champion of democracy; instead, we are known for Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, illegal wiretapping, and the PATRIOT Act.

The occupation has squandered nearly half a trillion dollars from our Treasury, robbing money from domestic needs. And the occupation has not made our Nation safer. Our intelligence community has warned us that al Qaeda is using the occupation to recruit operatives for attacks on the United States.

So how should we mark this fifth anniversary day? Let us use October 10, 2007 to correct the mistake this House made on October 10, 2002. Let us use this day to commit ourselves to a bold new course of action. Congress must rescind the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq. Congress must use its power of the purse to defund the occupation and, instead, fully fund the safe, orderly, and responsible redeployment of our troops and withdrawal of all military contractors now. And Congress must resist the new drumbeat of war, this time against Iran.

The occupation of Iraq represents a failure of national policy. America's true strengths lie in our commitment to moral action, lies in our compassion for the people of the world, and a government based on the rule of law. Let us use this day to return to those values and ensure the safety of our country and our people. And let us be committed to bring our troops home from Iraq.