Washington, Apr 8 - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) released the following statement today on the testimony of General David Petraeus before Congress:

“While there have been recent security gains on the ground in Iraq, we are no closer today to a political solution for Iraq than we were last September when General Petraeus first testified before Congress.  General Petraeus himself acknowledged as much last month when he said that ‘no one’ felt there had been ‘sufficient progress’ at Iraqi national reconciliation. 

“Like he did last fall, General Petraeus today asked for more time for the President’s surge to work.  But all the time in the world won’t get the Iraqis to come together and reach a political solution for their country unless they are willing to commit to it. 

“General Petraeus also expressed concern with setting a timetable for redeployment.  But we can’t stay in Iraq forever: our troops are spread thin across the globe, our military readiness is dangerously depleted, and we have lost our focus on the war on terror in Afghanistan.

“It’s time to show the Iraqis that we are serious about them taking control of their own country.  We need to follow the advice that the Iraq Study Group gave long ago: it’s time to set a timeline to redeploy our troops and turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.”