FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 10, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison: We can now keep our Commitment to Iraq with Fewer Troops because of Surge’s Success
Petraeus Report Shows Encouraging Military Accomplishments, Urgent Need for Political Reconciliation
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R–TX), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, released the following statement today on the progress report issued by General David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker:
“We’ve seen many challenges in Iraq, made many mistakes, and sacrificed many lives, but our goal of a stable Iraq which can be an ally in the Global War on Terrorism must never be diminished.
“We cannot walk away from our goal of a stable Iraq because of political expediency. Instead, we can now keep our commitment to Iraq with fewer American forces, because the surge provided an improved security environment which allowed us the time to focus attention on the training of Iraqi troops.
“Gen. Petraeus is now able to recommend a drawdown of troops because conditions on the ground merit such action. His testimony is another reason why Gen. Petraeus and our senior military commanders should advise the President about our force structure based on the events in Iraq, not on timetables determined in Washington by politicians micromanaging a war 6,000 miles away.
“While improvements in security are clear, more must be done to achieve political reconciliation in Iraq to achieve long-term stability. I believe the best way forward on this point would be to recognize the cultural and sectarian divisions that have existed in Iraq for 14 centuries and create at least three separate, semi-autonomous regions in which local law enforcement, commerce, security and education would be managed by local authorities.”
Sen. Hutchison is a member of the Senate Leadership as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, and is the Ranking Member of Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee.
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