Issue Position: War in Iraq

Issue Position

The Iraq war affects all of us. Everyday our country faces many challenges and young men and women fight to bring a level of stability to Iraq. America has endured extreme fiscal costs throughout this war and there is no way to put a price on the over 4,000 Americans lives lost and almost 30,000 injured in Iraq.

As a member of the Foreign Affairs committee, in March 2008 I was given the opportunity to lead a delegation of three Republicans and three Democrats to Iraq and discuss the current situation with Prime Minister Maliki.

In my talks with the Prime Minister, I expressed that we cannot be successful in this effort with military effort alone; there needs to be political and diplomatic solutions as well. I believe the leaders in Iraq need to come to an agreement on how they will share the political power and the oil revenues, using those monies for the reconstruction of the provinces. In addition, I feel strongly that Congress needs to engage Iran and Syria in its diplomatic dialogue, as recommended in the Iraq Study Group Report.

It is imperative the next Administration and Congress develop a bipartisan strategy for the Middle East. We must acknowledge what parts of our strategy have failed in the past and be frank with ourselves that the U.S. will have a significant presence in the region for the interim, as our interests in the Middle East require it.

As we end the 110th Congress, we here in Washington must be honest with our constituents. Learning from and admitting to our past mistakes is the only way we can begin with a fresh start for the next Administration and Congress. Please know that as we go on, I will strive to ensure that the views of the Valley are heard.

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