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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Resolving to Win
March 23, 2007
As the U.S. Senate expends considerable time debating resolutions about our mission in Iraq, I am reminded of what Thomas Jefferson said regarding a nation’s commitment: “Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.”
Resolutions that undercut the War on Terror do a great disservice to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Establishing an arbitrary date for retreat would inspire terrorists to increase their efforts to take over Iraq and turn the country into a safe haven from which they could plan and carry out terrorist attacks all over the world. Any premature withdrawal dictated by Congress rather than generals in the field of battle would signal to our allies and our enemies that our will is weak and we consider the War on Terror to be unwinnable.
There is no question that many in Congress are concerned about the mission. Any one of us might have made different decisions regarding the direction of the war, but that does not excuse attempting to pass a nonbinding resolution that says we do not support the commander in chief. Our Constitution wisely provides just one commander in chief, not the 535 members of Congress, to command our military. There can be legitimate disagreements about what is the best approach for finding success, but we must all agree on the need to succeed, and be committed to decisively wiping out terrorism that kills innocent people and threatens freedom in our country.
President Bush acknowledges that we have not yet achieved the ultimate success we hoped for in Iraq, and he has charted a new course. In January, General David Petraeus was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to become the new Commander of the Multi-National Forces in Iraq, and he is leading the effort to provide the additional security that is necessary to support Iraq’s fledgling democratic government. Already there are encouraging signs that the situation is improving. The Iraqi government is strengthening its measures to crack down on insurgents, militias, and murderers who have been killing innocent people.
However, some in Congress continue to insist upon debating nonbinding resolutions, despite the adverse effect they may have on our military. During a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Joseph Lieberman asked General Petraeus if a resolution that criticized our strategy would encourage the enemy and clearly express that the American people were divided. General Petraeus answered, “That is correct, sir.”
Politicians should not be swayed by shifting political winds because what we say has consequences and can be used as propaganda against our troops who are in harm’s way. Most certainly, statements of vacillation and uncertainty will be used to embolden those who are training right now to attack America and freedom. We are fighting to keep terrorists from attacking us again on American soil and threatening our way of life, and we are fighting for our children’s future. As General John Abizaid, former commander of U.S. Central Command, said, “If we leave, they will follow us.”
Despite the challenges ahead, this is a war that must be fought and won – not just for the sake of the Iraqi people but for the sake of America and freedom. We would be wise to remember President Ronald Reagan’s succinct response when asked for his Cold War strategy: “We win, they lose.” There is no substitute for victory; our children’s future depends on it.
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