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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Winning in Iraq
September 21, 2007
Our mission in Iraq is among the most important in our nation’s history. As the central front in the Global War on Terror, Iraq is where the forces of freedom, tolerance and democracy are fighting to defeat the tyranny and oppression of Al-Qaeda and radical Islam. We know from our troops in the field that if we allow the terrorists to win in Iraq, they will surely follow us home. This war has been costly for America in both lives and dollars, but the consequences of failure would be catastrophic.
On September 10th, Congress received a revealing report from General David Petraeus, commanding officer of the international coalition in Iraq. Gen. Petraeus led the 101st Airborne with distinction and served in Iraq for three years before he was unanimously confirmed to this position by the U.S. Senate. His report detailed encouraging signs of progress and offered clear, achievable goals. But, as our military success continues, we will increasingly rely on Iraqi political leaders who have thus far failed to make adequate progress.
Earlier this year, our generals on the ground proposed, and President Bush approved, a surge of 30,000 troops deployed to Iraq. These expanded forces shipped out with the objective to stabilize Baghdad and embattled regions, and return home. As Gen. Petraeus reported, he is now able to recommend a drawdown of the surge because conditions on the ground merit such action.
For example, Al-Anbar was once an Al-Qaeda stronghold. Thanks to the renewed focus of the surge and cooperation with local sheiks, progress in this province is reported to be remarkable. Young Iraqis, once disillusioned and eager to join the ranks of the insurgency, are now enlisting in the national army. In Baghdad, the number of violent civilian deaths has fallen by 80 percent, and nationwide, car bombings are down 50 percent. As Gen. Petraeus said in a letter to the troops, “We are, in short, a long way from the goal line, but we do have the ball and we are driving down the field.”
Despite clear progress, some of my Senate colleagues continue to disregard the advice of our military leaders and call for precipitous withdrawal of our entire force. We’ve seen many challenges in Iraq, and mistakes have been made, but our goal of a stable Iraq that can be an ally in the Global War on Terror must not be diminished. We cannot endanger American security because of political expediency. Instead, we can now keep our commitments with fewer American forces, because the surge provided a safer environment for the training of Iraqi troops. President Bush recently announced that 5,700 American servicemembers should be home by Christmas, and tens of thousands more by next summer.
The achievements outlined in Gen. Petraeus’ testimony demonstrate that our military strategies must be determined by events in theatre, not timetables set by micromanaging politicians 6,000 miles away.
While the security improvements are apparent, more must be done to achieve long-term political reconciliation. The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, also testified last week, and described a somewhat fractured and ineffective Iraqi government. As we aid in the establishment of stable leadership, we must recognize the cultural and sectarian divisions that have existed in Iraq for 14 centuries. We should allow Iraqis to create semi-autonomous federal regions, sharing in national oil revenues, and each responsible for local law enforcement, commerce, security and education. Such a solution helped to stem the tide of violence in the Balkans in the 1990s, and would facilitate peace in Iraq. We should also expect more constructive involvement from neighboring countries in the region, which have a large stake in a stable Iraq.
Whatever course our continued progress in Iraq takes, it must not include abandonment of our principles, nor disregard for the gains already made by our armed forces. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guards have sacrificed greatly to keep us safe and free, and we must support them as they complete their mission. Although some may call for surrender, I remain dedicated to winning the Global War on Terror, so that future generations may experience the same freedom past generations gave to us.
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