Sessions Responds to Testimony of General Petraeus

Statement

Sessions Responds to Testimony of General Petraeus

U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) issued the following release today in response to the testimony of General David Petraeus, the U.S. Commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, before a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

"Today, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker provided an accurate, untainted, and authoritative assessment of the security and political situation in Iraq. While the situation in Iraq remains unquestionably challenging, I am pleased to hear of significant decreases in violence, increases in cooperation among Iraqis, and uprisings against terrorism as many former insurgents are turning against Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

According to the testimony of General David Petraeus and supported by respected data, the troop surge has yielded definitive progress, including the following advances since December 2006:

• Civilian deaths (less natural causes) have declined by 45 percent nationwide and by 70 percent in Baghdad.
• Ethno-sectarian deaths have been reduced by over 55 percent nationwide and by over 80 percent in Baghdad.
• Al-Qaeda has been weakened as Coalition Forces have detained the senior leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and killed or captured 100 other key leaders and nearly 2,500 rank-and-file fighters.
• Coalitions Forces have increased trained Iraq Security Forces up to 140 battalions.

Based on the progress made since the full implementation of the surge, I am pleased to hear of General Petraeus' recommendation to gradually draw down troop numbers to a pre-surge level and revisit additional troop withdrawal in the coming months.

Today's testimony clearly outlined the consequences of immediate troop withdrawal, which risks emboldening Al-Qaeda, jeopardizing the progress made by our troops, further destabilizing the region, and resulting in a humanitarian crisis.

Additionally, Ambassador Crocker also highlighted the significant political needs in Iraq, and Iraqis must stand up and work together to achieve self-governance. Political progress appears slow but gaining as key ethnic groups begin denouncing sectarian violence and working with the Iraqi government.

Unfortunately, MoveOn.org, an anti-war organization, chose to distort the facts and engage in character assassination in a cynical and futile attempt to tarnish General Petraeus and his important testimony today. In a full-page advertisement released, MoveOn.org disrespectfully refers to General Petraeus as "General Betray Us," questioning his commitment to our nation and his truthfulness about improvements in Iraq.

With a decorated military career as a four-star commanding general and experience on the ground in Iraq, General Petraeus has proven integrity, leadership, and expertise, and he has earned the right to be heard. MoveOn.org's appalling smear campaign should be denounced, and I join my colleagues in calling on Democrats in Congress to distance themselves from this ad and the organization that produced it.

I thank both General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker for their service to our nation and the honest assessment they provided to Congress of the progress and challenges in Iraq."

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