Press Stakeout with Senate Republicans Following the Senate Republican Policy Luncheon

Statement

PRESS STAKEOUT WITH SENATE REPUBLICANS FOLLOWING THE SENATE REPUBLICAN POLICY COMMITTEE LUNCHEON
SUBJECT: GENERAL PETRAEUS' REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE TROOP SURGE
PARTICIPANTS: SEN. JON KYL (R-AZ); SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX); SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R-TX)

SEN. KYL: Both Leader McConnell and Senator Lott are on their way to the White House for a meeting there, and I wanted to start quickly here because Senator Cornyn's also going to have to get to his meeting with General Petraeus.

I just wanted to begin by noting that this is a very important day, September 11th. It was a Tuesday six years ago when the attack occurred. And we've thought about the significance of that date, not only to remember the people who lost their lives, but also what it means to us today. And when you have testimony from as credible a person as General Petraeus in the House yesterday and in the Senate today talking about al Qaeda Iraq as the primary enemy that we're facing there, directly affiliated with al Qaeda that attacked the United States six years ago, it just brings home what the responsibility of the United States Senate is here -- to listen very carefully to General Petraeus and, hopefully, to follow the recommendations that he and the president will make to us.

In January this year, I believe it was, the majority leader -- let me make sure that it's correct -- it was in January. The majority leader said that he hoped that President Bush would listen to the generals on the ground. And I lay that challenge before all -- all of our colleagues today.

We do need to listen to the general on the ground and to his troops about what they believe is actually happening in Iraq, as well as to the comments of Ambassador Crocker. Republicans have listened to that testimony this morning and again this afternoon, and we're looking forward to the recommendations both of General Petraeus and of President Bush. I hope that our Democratic colleagues are listening with an open mind as well. If they do, I believe that we -- this could be a very fine moment for the United States Senate to come together as we have not so far, and to represent the American people in what is a direct challenge to our security today. And perhaps, most of all, to demonstrate to our troops and their officers in Iraq that we are willing to listen to their report.

SEN. HUTCHISON: (To Sen. Cornyn.) I'm happy for you to go first, if you need to leave.

SEN. CORNYN: Okay.

Even by the standards of the poisonous atmosphere in Washington, this ad is out of bounds. It's character assassination of the first order of a general that the United States Senate confirmed unanimously just in January of this year -- and bought and run on Sunday in an effort to undercut the credibility of this general, who's come back to report to us on what the status is of the surge in Iraq. He's not the only one that's done that, because the National Intelligence Estimate as well as the Jones Commission have come back and done exactly the same thing.

But MoveOn.org has -- has bought and run this ad, to the cost of $167,000. And I have introduced a resolution by which I hope the whole United States Senate, regardless of how you feel about the war -- and we understand there are people that have good-faith differences of opinion on that -- that we would rise up unanimously and condemn this sort of character assassination of a patriot and somebody who is just merely trying to do his duty.

SEN. HUTCHISON: Well, this is September 11. It is a day that will live in American history and one in which we will always remember those who lost their lives in that horrendous attack. Moving forward, and in order to assure that we never again have a 9/11 attack on America, I think General Petraeus' being in the Senate today is a very important time as well.

What has impressed me so much about what General Petraeus is saying is that we have been able to buy the time, in the eight months that we have had the surge, to allow more Iraqi security forces to be trained. That means, from his vantage point, fewer Americans are going to have to be on the ground, and the Iraqis will be able to take more of the security fight.

But what is most important to me is that we never lose sight of our purpose, never, ever walking away from Iraq before it is secure. That we can secure Iraq with fewer Americans is absolutely the right way to go. And that's what General Petraeus is trying to do with his strategy of a surge that will eventually be able to be drawn down, but keeping our mission, keeping our purpose, and never taking our eye off the important part of this, which is that we are protecting American lives by keeping Iraq stable and keeping al Qaeda and the terrorists over there where they are operating and looking for a base, and not allow them ever to come back and kill Americans again.

SEN. KYL: Any questions? Thank you very much.

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