Congressman Pete Hoekstra Radio Address
April 20, 2007

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Transcript:

Hi, I'm Congressman Pete Hoekstra from Michigan's Second Congressional District and the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee.

Our nation today is engaged in a conflict with cold-blooded, ruthless radical jihadists.

As the struggle takes place halfway around the world, another debate is raging in our nation's capital.

It is a debate as to whether we confront a deadly enemy and whether, as Democrat leader Harry Reid said, the war is already lost.

Let's look at what our enemies say:

In 2005, al-Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri outlined their strategy: "It is my humble opinion that the Jihad in Iraq requires several incremental goals. The first stage: Expel the Americans from Iraq. The second stage: Establish an Islamic authority ... then develop it and support it until it achieves the level of a caliphate."

In recent days, a Sunni insurgent coalition announced an 'Islamic cabinet' for Iraq, naming the head of al Qaeda in Iraq as its 'Minister of War.' As Zawahiri's letter stated, establishing a militant jihadist Iraqi government is the second step in their long-term strategy, which should signal to us that they believe they have already succeeded in expelling Americans from Iraq.

Senator Reid has already confirmed as much by saying that the conflict is lost. Does he believe that the United States has lost in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Algeria and Morocco? What message does he send to our troops, their families and our allies? What message has he sent to al-Qaeda? It is clear. He believes that al-Qaeda has won and that America has been defeated. Conceding defeat to al-Qaeda and leaving Iraq will only create a safe haven for followers of their radical ideology to prepare for their next attacks.
Where does Senator Reid expect to engage and defeat radical jihadists if not in Afghanistan, Iraq or northern Africa? Will he engage only when the threat is even more real in Europe or in the American homeland?

The conflict against radical jihadists cannot be described as a traditional war. It gives our enemies too much credit. We are fighting murderers and thugs who are willing to drive a car bomb with children through a military checkpoint and detonate the car with the children inside and target as many innocent bystanders as possible. They are not soldiers of the same caliber as the sophisticated men and women of the U.S. military and Intelligence Community.

Congress needs to become serious about confronting the very real threat from radical militant jihadists. Conceding defeat is not an option when the lives of our families and the future of this great nation are at stake.

Thank you for listening.