Issues > A New Direction in Iraq
The Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, which was published in December 2006, contains several key strategies that I believe need to be implemented in Iraq as soon as possible. As you may know, the most important recommendations from the ISG call for new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region, and a change in the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq that will enable the U.S. to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 2574, legislation to fully implement these bipartisan recommendations, because I believe this is an important part of moving forward in Iraq.
Militaries are built to fight and win wars, not bind together failing nations. We saved the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein, but we cannot save the Iraqi people from the Iraqi people – if they are not able and willing to put aside centuries of religious and political differences and fashion a political solution and support their government.
That’s why I’ve supported legislation to prevent the establishment of any permanent military installation or base for United States Armed Forces in Iraq. As long as U.S. military personnel will remain in Iraq, however, I will do everything I can to ensure that they, and their families back home, have the protection and support they deserve.
I hope that Congress and the President will work together to develop a new mission and strategy in Iraq; one that supports our troops and simultaneously holds the Iraqi people responsible for their own country. Ultimately, though, I hope that we can bring our involvement in Iraq to a responsible end and shift our focus and resources to Afghanistan, where our efforts to fight terrorism have floundered.
That’s why I recently joined with 27 other members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, to create the Bipartisan Compact on Iraq Debate, which puts forth eight fundamental statements about how members of Congress must approach this debate so that so we can reasonably and responsibly define our involvement in Iraq.
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