Press Conference With Senator Jack Reed

Statement

NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SENATORS CARL LEVIN (D-MI); JACK REED (D-RI); GORDON SMITH (R-OR); CHUCK HAGEL (R-NE); JOHN KERRY (D-MA); AND OLYMPIA SNOWE (R-ME)
SUBJECT: THE LEVIN-REED AMENDMENT

SENATE RADIO AND TV GALLERY, WASHINGTON, D.C. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2007

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SEN. REED: Thank you very much.

Today we're facing a critical juncture regarding our operations in Iraq. The Bush administration's current policy is straining our military, inhibiting our ability to fight the war on terrorism, diminishing our standing in the international community and rapidly losing the support of the American public. In sum, it is a policy that cannot be sustained.

We have put forth a plan that is in the best interests of the United States and offers the Iraqi people the best chance to move forward as they seize the reins of their own country and deal with the fundamental problems that only Iraqis can solve. Our amendment calls for the beginning of an American reduction in force 120 days after passage of the legislation. The president is able, just as he always has been, to choose the precise moment and the precise number of forces and their departure date. I'm sure that our military is capable of doing this safely and smartly.

And then it calls for a transition to specific missions by next spring, and those missions would include counterterrorism operations, since we can never give up in our attempt to preemptively attack and destroy terrorist cells not just in Iraq but, frankly, throughout the world; and second, it would allow American forces to continue training Iraqi security forces, and clearly states that we will protect our forces wherever they are, particularly in Iraq.

It also talks about a very comprehensive diplomatic effort. One of the dramatic failings of this administration has been a one- dimensional policy since day one: military force alone, and in most cases, unilateral military force. That one-dimensional policy defies strategic logic. It defies the operational techniques of counterinsurgency because, as all of our commanders have told us repeatedly, military operations alone will not lead to success. These operations may buy time, they might provide some political space, but they will not lead to success unless hard political decisions are made by the Iraqi leaders. They are a complement, these military actions, to economic, to political and to non-military forces that are essential to prevail in a counterinsurgency operation.

We recognize that we must embrace a bipartisan approach to this problem. We must work together. That is what the American people want and that is what we are attempting to do here. We have bipartisan support, based on the reality in Iraq, the needs of our military and the best interests of the United States and Iraq. We have a choice -- the same choice we have had since October of 2002. We can choose a realistic strategy in our national interests, or we can continue to stay the course. This is truly a bipartisan effort. We hope to pick up more bipartisan support as we move forward.

Last week I was in Iraq. I had the chance to talk to General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker. I think they understand the huge strain as this effort is being put on American forces and they, I think, are ready sooner, rather than later, to make it a recommendation. We should continue and act today in that same spirit, to move this debate forward and change the course in Iraq.

Senator Smith.

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