Issue Position: Iraq

Issue Position

On September 10, 2007, U.S. Army General David Petraeus, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq, briefed Congress on the situation in Iraq. In this report, General Petraeus told Congress:

"As a bottom line up front, the military objectives of the surge are, in large measure, being met."

"Iraq's problems will require a long-term effort. There are no easy answers or quick solutions. And though we both believe this effort can succeed, it will take time. Our assessments underscore, in fact, the importance of recognizing that a premature drawdown of our forces would likely have devastating consequences."

Having traveled to Iraq on multiple occasions, including my most recent visit last May where I assessed the operations and security situation being managed by U.S. Marines in western Iraq, I agree with General Petraeus' military assessment. Our armed forces continue to do an outstanding job under difficult circumstances and have important accomplishments to show for their efforts. As an example, Al Qaeda forces in Anbar province are being routed by the combination of successful allied military operations and an Iraqi populace that has turned on these foreign fighters and extremists.

Work advancing national reconciliation amongst Iraq's different social and religious factions, however, has fallen short of expectations. The Iraqi people have endured horrors and atrocities at the hands of Saddam Hussein's regime that have left them with bitter divisions and a difficult legacy to overcome. I cannot overstate the difficulty of achieving reconciliation between those who profited under the rule of Saddam and those who lived in fear of torture and murder as a tool of political control.

Reconciliation, however, is essential for the future of a secure and prosperous Iraq. Improving security for Iraqis is a prerequisite for this political process to succeed.

I have been vocally critical of the current Administration for the many mistakes made in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. In my current assessment, however, the risks and dangers posed to America by a precipitous withdrawal, or "redeployment" as some would term it, far outweigh those of maintaining security for the reconciliation process and the training of professional Iraqi security forces.

With a new U.S. President taking office in January 2009, Iraqi leaders know that America's commitment is not open-ended and that the status quo is not acceptable.

I agree with General Petraeus that failure in Iraq would have disastrous consequences. America, over the last century, has time and again been drawn into major world conflicts we initially sought to avoid. While we are already conducting significant operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must soberly assess the dangers accompanying alternative solutions to our current course of action in the region.

The dangers of a culture in the Middle East that discounts the value of human life and respect for human rights has been seen in the actions of Al Qaeda, many past and current regimes in the region, and Iraqi society. This culture, which has killed thousands of Americans at home and abroad and taken many more innocent Arab lives, pre-dates the 1991 Gulf War, the 9/11 attacks, and the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Leaving Iraq will not neutralize the threat this culture poses to America, the region, and fundamental freedoms of democratic societies.

Creating a stable Iraq, while elusive, remains possible. While we cannot expect Iraq's many problems to disappear quickly, steady progress on the political level will result in Iraqis taking responsibility for their own day to day security. America has a military presence in Germany dating back to World War II, a military presence in Korea dating to the Korean War, and I expect America will continue to maintain a military force in the Middle East for the foreseeable future.

Success is not leaving the Middle East, but creating an Iraq that embraces a different culture, different values, and transforming the role of our military in Iraq to a much smaller force that does not face the day-to-day dangers they do today. As a Member of Congress serving on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, I will continue my efforts to actively evaluate the situation in the Middle East and to meet with military leaders, diplomats, and foreign leaders about our best course of action.

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