i thank the chairman for yielding .  as a member of the international relations committee , i rise in strong support of this resolution and take a moment to express our prayers and good wishes to the author of this resolution , who labors at the side of his namesake at this very hour in a hospice in illinois .  it is extraordinary day today , mr. speaker , as a member of congress that has had the privilege to travel to operation iraqi freedom on three different occasions , the news that 11 million iraqis , with iraqis on point handling the security during these elections , 70 percent of iraqis turned out .  it was , in no uncertain terms , a victory for democracy in iraq .  and it is my privilege and honor to rise this morning on this floor in support of the rule and the underlying resolution that confirms this great day in the history of freedom , december 15 , 2005 , when millions of iraqis defied terrorists to say `` yes '' to democracy .  i stand also in support of the affirmative statements in this resolution that this house of representatives is committed to achieving victory in iraq and sees this election as a crucial victory for the iraqi people and a defeat for the terrorists in that country .  it is also in this resolution an effort to state emphatically the rejection of the wisdom of an artificial time line and also to recognize the extraordinary sacrifices made by members of the united states armed forces and their families .  it is about them that i rise especially today , mr. speaker .  this week at my office in muncie , indiana , a group of the citizens that i have the privilege of serving came to protest our military presence in iraq , to urge the withdrawal , as some have done and continue to do , of our forces from this nation .  and while it is their right to do so , let me say emphatically , it is my duty to stand with our commander in chief , to stand with our soldiers in the field , and to stand with the good people of iraq until we achieve a total victory for freedom in this nation .  i derive that sense of duty from seven names that i felt obligated to mention today .  they are the names of the soldiers that i represented until they stepped into eternity , who fell in operation iraqi freedom , from eastern indiana .  lance corporal matthew smith .  private shawn pahnke .  specialist chad keith .  staff sergeant frederick miller , jr .  sergeant robert colvill , jr .  specialist raymond white .  lance corporal scott zubowski .  these seven men did n't leave their post , and this congressman wo n't , either .  it is them and to their credit and to their grieving families that i rise in support of this resolution today .  it is the sacrifices of over 2 , 000 american soldiers who laid down their lives for the freedom that we saw demonstrated in the streets of every corner of iraq yesterday that i support this resolution .  