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Congressman
Paul Ryan
Although we have been successful in warding off another terrorist attack for over six years since September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda and its allies remain intent on killing innocent people and spreading an ideology of violence and hatred around the world. We must never lose sight of this grave threat to our American ideals, and we must remain vigilant in our defense of freedom and democracy, even as we face difficult challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on other fronts in the War on Terrorism.
Moving Toward a New Strategy.
After three successful elections in 2005, and the formation of a permanent government consisting of Sunnis, Shi’as, and Kurds, political progress in Iraq stalled following boycotts of the Iraqi Parliament by Sunnis and Shi’as. At the same time, violence increased significantly, allowing al-Qaeda terrorists, Shi’a death squads, and Sunni militias to carve up neighborhoods in cities and villages across Iraq. Terrorists and insurgents further disrupted the political process by engaging in daily attacks against innocent Iraqis and coalition forces throughout much of 2006 and 2007, testing the commitment of US and coalition forces.
The pre-Surge period highlighted the fact that there can be no political progress in Iraq until Iraqis take control of their country. I believe it is our responsibility and within our national interest to aid Iraqis in achieving this goal. Our forces have made significant progress in this area with the training of the Iraqi Security Forces. As of November 2008, the number of trained and equipped Iraqi Security Forces has increased to 558,279. Furthermore, there are 153 Iraqi Ministry of Defense combat battalions, four Special Operations battalions, and seven Infrastructure battalions leading operations in their areas of responsibility. Additionally, Iraqi Security Forces lead operations in 11 of Iraq’s 18 provinces. It is essential that Iraqis assume full responsibility for defeating the insurgency and securing their country. We must continue to provide training to Iraqis so that they can shoulder the responsibility of securing of their country, allowing us to bring our troops home as quickly as possible.
Surge Establishes Concrete Security Gains.
On January 10, 2007, President Bush announced his decision for a new way forward in Iraq. Stressing the need to secure Baghdad and its surrounding area, the President increased the number of U.S. troops in Iraq by approximately 30,000. These troops are currently imbedded within Iraqi army and police units in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. Their mission is to help to hold areas cleared by Iraqi and American forces, ensuring that insurgents do not move back into cleared areas.
The Surge has already shown dramatic signs of success in making Iraq’s security, turning the tide against al-Qaeda terrorist attacks, breaking apart Shi’a death squads, and reducing the need for local militias. Since June of 2007, attacks across the country have declined dramatically, falling to levels not seen since 2004. In addition, ethno-sectarian deaths and attacks are holding steady at the lowest levels since the beginning of the war, and overall civilian deaths have decreased by 75% since their peak in 2007. These encouraging signs show that the Surge has allowed Iraqi and coalition forces make concrete security gains against terrorists and insurgents.
An even more encouraging sign of the Surge’s success can be seen in the stand Iraqi citizens are taking against the terrorists and insurgents. Inspired by the Anbar Awakening, local and tribal leaders in 12 of Iraq’s 18 provinces have entered into agreements with Iraqi and coalition forces to form Concerned Local Citizen groups (CLCs). CLCs provide security in their neighborhoods by establishing checkpoints, conducting patrols, providing intelligence, and accompanying Iraqi and Coalition forces on combat missions. Over time, the Government of Iraq hopes to integrate many of these individuals into the Iraqi police forces.
The Department of Defense is completing a comprehensive review of conditions in Iraq. Once this assessment is completed, our commanders will provide troop-level recommendations to the President. If the enhanced security provided by the Surge is maintained, Iraqi Security Forces will continue to take on increased responsibility for their country and American troops will be in a better position to return home with honor and in victory. I oppose calls for sudden retreat, without regard for the conditions on the ground or the ability of the Iraqis to defend themselves. We cannot forfeit the progress our troops have already achieved.
I support bringing our troops home from Iraq as quickly as possible. However, any redeployment of U.S. forces in Iraq must be based on the assessments of U.S. Commanders and negotiations with the Government of Iraq. Arbitrary surrender dates that are not conditions-based only encourage the enemy to wait-out our presence. This policy does a disservice to the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in defense of our freedom and puts victory in Iraq out of reach.
Modest Political Progress.
So far, the Surge has been successful, and I believe it is providing a real chance for victory in Iraq. This strategy has helped secure Baghdad, accelerated the turn-over of security responsibility to Iraqis, and given the Iraqi people a reason to believe in their government. While I am confident that our troops will continue to keep the terrorists and insurgents on the run, my apprehension remains concerning whether the Iraqi government can deliver on the political promises they have made. Facing a heavy legislative agenda, Iraqi political leaders must put aside sectarian interests and begin compromising on several key legislative initiatives.
Some legislative steps have been made to help alleviate sectarian grievances. In November 2007, the Iraqi Government enacted key pension reform law that grants pension payments to most lower-to-mid level civil service employees whose pensions had previously been denied as a result of their service with the Hussein regime. Recognizing the service of the Hussein regime’s lower level employees, who did not commit any crimes, was a critical step toward national unification. I hope the Government of Iraq can build on the legislative momentum provided by this important sectarian compromise.
Key reforms are also needed to correct the injustices of de-Baathification law enacted by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) after the fall of Saddam. Early on, the CPA assumed that nearly everyone in the upper echelons of Saddam’s Baath party acted in compliance with many of the crimes attributed to the regime. De-Baathification was intended to purge all Saddam loyalists from the new Iraqi Government, denying them a chance to sabotage the young democracy. This controversial initiative drove thousands of Iraqis from their jobs, alienating them from the political process and causing much of the anger that fuelled early Sunni insurgencies. In January 2008, the Iraqi Council of Representatives passed crucial de-Baathification reform legislation which corrects some of these injustices. The law is now being considered by the Presidency Council, which will likely have further input. While the fate of this legislation is uncertain, the agreement reached by the Iraqi Council of Representatives reflects important political progress. I hope a final version of this legislation can be worked out very soon.
Unfortunately, there is little progress to report on three other key legislative initiatives. A package of four Hydrocarbon Framework laws are floundering in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, with significant disagreements on how to pursue development of Iraq’s domestic oil industry. Proposals establishing provincial powers and election law are also stuck in the Council of Representatives. In these cases, sectarian differences have prevented real compromises from being forged. These critical laws must be passed in order to achieve national unification and allow the survival of the young Iraqi democracy.
While I am glad that some achievements have been made on critical legislative initiatives, the overall progress of the Iraqi Government still leaves much to be desired. The Iraqi Government must seize the opportunity provided by the increased security of the Surge and hammer out compromises to the remaining items on their legislative agenda. If the Iraqi government is able to accomplish the tasks being asked of them, a safe and democratic Iraq will provide needed stability to the region.
The Need for Success in Iraq.
As we move forward with the President’s new strategy, we must bear in mind the consequences of failure in Iraq and its implications for the American people. It is crucial that we not withdraw before Iraqi Security Forces, who already control nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces, are able to capitalize on the Surge’s security gains and permanently deny al-Qaeda terrorists safe haven. If we withdraw too quickly, al-Qaeda’s diminished ranks would rematerialize, taking advantage of Iraq and its oil wealth to plot and fund new attacks against the citizens of the United States and free people throughout the world. As a father of three young children, I realize the importance of ensuring Iraq does not become the new base for world-wide terrorist operations.
In addition, if our troops begin withdrawing prematurely, the deteriorated security situation in Baghdad seen in the pre-Surge period would likely return and devolve into unrestrained sectarian genocide. Without fear of reprisal from U.S. forces, the bloody struggle between Sunni insurgents and Shi’a death squads would increase dramatically in scope and expand far beyond Baghdad. Our commitment to the vast majority of Iraqi citizens, who want nothing more than to live in peace, precludes a hasty departure of our troops before the Iraqi security forces are given the best opportunity we can offer in this situation to take control of their country and prevent the impending genocide.
Finally, if Iraqi security forces are left suddenly without support from U.S. forces, Iraq’s neighbors would have an even greater opportunity to expand their influence in that country. Iran, whose leadership continues to support the development of nuclear power and advanced missile technology, would only be emboldened by their expanded influence in the region. Unchecked aggression by an Iran inching ever-closer to nuclear weapons capability could lead to an arms race among nearby Arab nations, directly threatening the fragile peace that exists throughout the Middle East and the very existence of Israel. All three of these nightmare scenarios could be likely outcomes if the Iraqi government does not succeed in maintaining stability in Iraq. I believe that we must give the Iraqis this best, last chance to succeed before conceding victories to our enemies.
Fulfilling our Commitment to our Troops.
The President signed the Fiscal Year 2009 Consolidated Appropriations Act into law on September 30, 2008. While passage of this law did provide much needed funding for our troops in Iraq, I was dismayed by the approach taken by House leadership on this issue. Given the success of the Surge in providing the security necessary for political progress in Iraq, I think it is irresponsible for Members of Congress to hamstring our commanders in the field by only providing six months of war funding at a time. It is very important that our military receives the funding necessary to continue building on the security gains already realized by the Surge, and I will continue to focus my efforts on providing our troops with the best possible equipment so they are able to complete their mission safely, effectively, and quickly, and return to their families as soon as possible.
Additional Information.
For more information on the war on terrorism, please refer to the following
web sites:
U.S.
Department of Defense: www.defenselink.mil
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Our Troops - How You Can Help: http://www.americasupportsyou.com/americasupportsyou/help.html
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