IRAQ today Above:
IRAQ today Above: Congressman McCotter (center) poses with members of the Michigan Air National Guard, which flew the Congressional Delegation into Iraq. Right: Thaddeus McCotter plays for the troops at Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait. Band Aid: Rep. McCotter’s recent visit to Iraq BY KEN MARTEN U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter’s recent visit to Iraq was a mix of business, pleasure and duty. The Livonia Republican, whose 11th District encompasses western Oakland and western Wayne counties, traveled to the Middle East with the Second Amendments, a bipartisan five-piece band of congressmen that plays rock and country music. The Second Amendments — so named because a preceding congressional band was called the First Amendments — played six holiday concerts for U.S. troops on military bases in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kuwait, and at a military hospital in Germany. The band left the U.S. on December 26 and returned January 3. While the trip’s main purpose was to entertain the troops, it was no picnic. The congressmen endured an insurgent mortar attack just before the concert in Iraq, as well as Mother Nature’s wrath. “The weather over there is a little fickle,” said McCotter, the band’s guitarist. “We got snowed in in Afghanistan. We got fogged in in Pakistan.” The congressmen visited with foreign dignitaries, including Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and members of Iraq’s newly elected parliament. Band members also inspected relief efforts in the Pakistani region that was devastated by an earthquake in October, which killed nearly 80,000 and displaced an estimated 2 million people. The visit to Iraq was McCotter’s third. He said Chaldeans living in the country have hope, tempered with some trepidation. While there’s no question that an elected form of government is better than the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, McCotter said Chaldeans are concerned about being under-represented in the parliament that was elected in December. “Overall, I think the situation is going to be sorted out by the end of 2006,” said McCotter, who is serving his second term. “It doesn’t matter what we say in Washington. What I find optimistic about it is that the Iraqi people think it’s going to get better. All of the indications within Iraq itself are that things are going to get better.” McCotter said he prepared for his Middle East trips by gleaning information from Chaldeans living in Metro Detroit. He said he met with leaders from the Chaldean community to learn about Iraq’s history and tensions between various Iraqi factions. “You have such a resource and wealth of information, it seems to me they’ve been underutilized, and I try to rectify that every chance I get,” McCotter said of the Chaldean community. “That type of information and insight is critical. If you know of people with that kind of insight and knowledge about a country, you should avail yourself of that knowledge.” McCotter, who serves on the congressional Budget Committee, International Relations Committee and the Small Business Committee, said his past trips to Iraq were concerned with the role of Iraqis in rebuilding the country. He said it’s critical for Iraqis to have a stake in creating their nation’s post- Hussein physical and social infrastructure. “My big issue was to see that Iraqis were part of the reconstruction process, that reconstruction contracts were given to Iraqis,” McCotter said. Awarding contracts to foreign companies is “akin to a bunch of corporations taking Michigan jobs and sending them overseas.” McCotter, age 40, is a lifelong resident of southeast Michigan. He and his wife Rita, a registered nurse, have three young children — George, Timothy and Emilia. ONE-ON-ONE continued from 26 economy. Are you convinced that this plan will help with Michigan’s high rate of unemployment? What else can be done? Is there opportunity in this program for small businesses (those with less than 100 employees)? JG: Absolutely. The 21st Century Jobs Fund will create thousands of new, good-paying jobs that won’t be outsourced and that will encourage our children to build their futures in Michigan. The investments will be focused in areas where we see real promise for growth: the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy and homeland security. These four areas will develop the new technologies that will help drive Michigan’s economy into the future. The Jobs Fund will focus on entrepreneurs and help start-up companies succeed by providing funding to reestablish the Capital Access Program. This program helps small businesses secure necessary financing to create a healthy business. And as we create new jobs in one sector, a ripple effect will occur and lead to new jobs being created in other small business sectors. Having strong small businesses is vital for the economic well-being of our state and I am committed to helping them succeed. CN: The Chaldean community is not well represented in the local, state and federal government. You have made one full-time appointment and several volunteer appointments of Chaldeans in your administration. Are there still opportunities for additional appointments? JG: I am committed to the idea of One Michigan and I make every effort to ensure there is diverse representation in my office, in the state departments, and with my appointments. I have appointed Nida Samona as Chair of the Liquor Control Commission and several other appointees from the community serve the state as well. We are always looking for qualified citizens to serve on the many boards and commissions in the state and I encourage interested members of the Chaldean community to submit their applications to my office. CN: We have seen record high gas prices greatly affecting Michigan businesses and residents. What can you do as the governor, if anything, to prevent these price hikes? JG: I have worked hard to protect consumers at the pump. I, along with four other governors, called on President Bush to cap oil profits and I spoke with executives from Marathon ONE-ON-ONE continued 30 28 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2006
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