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Leading to Consensus on Iraq
Published May 20, 2007, The Greenville News
America is in Iraq offering lessons from over 200 years of freedom and spending almost $2 billion dollars a week. These things we give freely. The money we can make again, and the freedom is inexhaustible.
The lives of our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen we do not give freely. They are America’s best. Their souls and stories are bound too closely to ours for us to give them freely.
Iraqis should not misperceive the determination they see in the eyes of the Americans surging into Iraq’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Those eyes see the better that could be in Iraq, but mostly they see people and places far away from Iraq.
Back in those places, the people are discussing and partisans are debating the vision, goals, strategies and tactics for America’s involvement in Iraq. If we tune in to the peoples’ discussion and turn down the volume on the partisans’ debate, we can find an American solution to an American challenge.. . .more
Inglis Chronology on Iraq |
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June 19, 2008 |
Inglis votes for $161.8 billion in troop funding for FY08 and FY09, and an expanded GI benefit. President Bush signs the bill into law on June 30, 2008. |
May 19, 2008 |
Inglis votes for $164 billion in troop funding for FY08 and FY09, but against attaching domestic spending or a timeline for withdrawal to an Emergency War Supplemental Appropriations bill. President Bush threatens to veto the combined bill because of non-emergency items added to the bill. |
April 9, 2008 |
Inglis questions General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker at a House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing about whether the United States should be the supporter or guarantor of Iraq’s democracy. |
September 26, 2007 |
Inglis sends a letter to House Foreign Affairs Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) suggesting a hearing on the concept of “success checkpoints,” a series of specific rewards for success and consequences for failure in reaching political benchmarks in Iraq. |
September 10, 2007 |
Inglis issues a statement following General David Petraeus' and Ambassador Ryan Crocker's testimony before a joint hearing of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee on the latest progress and situation in Iraq. |
August 30, 2007 |
The Greenville News publishes article entitled “Inglis: Troop surge working” |
August 29, 2007 |
Inglis issues press release saying "Military surge a success; political progress still needs accountability" |
July 12, 2007 |
Inglis issues press release saying "Simple Withdrawal from Iraq Still a Bad Idea." |
May 25, 2007 |
Inglis issues press release saying "Iraq supplemental benchmarks add accountability." |
May 24, 2007 |
Inglis votes in favor of Emergency War Supplemental (HR 2206). Bill funds troops through September 30 without mandatory withdrawal deadlines. Bill includes benchmarks that Iraqi government must meet in order to continue receiving US economic support for rebuilding projects. [President signed into law on May 25, 2007.] |
May 20, 2007 |
The Greenville News publishes op-ed from Inglis entitled “We can find American Solutions to challenge in Iraq.” |
May 10, 2007 |
Inglis votes against HR 2237, a measure that would have required the Secretary of Defense to begin a precipitous withdrawal of US Armed Forces from Iraq. Inglis also votes against HR 2207, the Democrats’ second Emergency Supplemental proposal. According to Secretary Gates, “The bill asks me to run the Department of Defense like a skiff, and I am trying to drive the biggest super tanker in the world. And we just don’t have the agility to manage a two month appropriation very well.” |
May 2, 2007 |
Inglis votes to sustain the President’s Veto of Emergency War Supplemental. |
April 19, 2007 |
Inglis and five others brief President Bush on their April 9-16 trip to Middle East. |
April 9-16, 2007 |
Inglis joins two other Republicans and three Democrats on a seven-day fact-finding trip to the Middle East that includes stops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey and Jordan. |
March 23, 2007, March 26, 2007 & May 1, 2007 |
Inglis votes against conference reports on Emergency War Supplemental but bill passes through Congress and is subsequently vetoed by President Bush. |
March 22, 2007 |
Inglis makes Floor Statement in opposition to Democratic Withdrawal Supplemental. |
March 19, 2007 |
Inglis issues press release saying "Democrats' timetable for withdrawal is unacceptable." |
March 6 & 8, 2007 |
Inglis holds 3 and 4 hour conference calls with constituents who had written or called about surge resolution. |
February 26, 2007 |
Inglis sends letter to President Bush suggesting a schedule of “success checkpoints”; issues media release, "Iraqis must win this phase of the war; Surge in troops appears to offer little advantage." |
February 16, 2007 |
Inglis joins 16 Republicans and 229 Democrats in voting for resolution that says this (printed here in its 10-line entirety): "Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--
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February 15, 2007 |
Inglis Floor Statement on surge resolution. |
February 14, 2007 |
Inglis meets with White House legislative contact who asks, “Any chance I could get you to vote ‘no’ on the resolution disapproving the surge?” Inglis responds, “I’m pretty staked on the issue, having done a press release, having emailed my position on the surge to my campaign database, having held two campaign lunches on the topic, having answered a number of media inquires.” White House legislative contact, “How are you on funding?” Inglis: “I’m with you on that. One of the clear lessons of Vietnam is that you don’t cut off funds for troops in the field.” White House legislative contact: “Good. That’s the one that matters." |
February 13, 2007 |
Inglis and other members of Congress meet with National Security Advisor Steve Hadley. |
February 12, 2007 |
Inglis asks White House to include him if the President plans to meet with members of the House. White House responds that no such meeting is planned; suggests that Inglis meet with President Bush’s National Security Advisor Steve Hadley. |
January 15 & January 22, 2007 |
Inglis holds “Let’s Talk” discussions in which he expresses opposition to the surge (House rules prohibit us from providing a link to the Inglis for Congress website which carries a description of these events.) |
January 10, 2007 |
News accounts feature Inglis position on surge of troops in Iraq.
Inglis opposes troop surge (January 10, 2007) |
January 9, 2007 |
Inglis issues press release saying, "Iraqis must win this phase of the war; Surge in troops appears to offer little advantage." |
January 6, 2007 |
Inglis speaks to Departure Ceremony for 218th Infantry Brigade (click here to read). |
September 14, 2006 |
President Bush, speaking to House Republican Conference meeting, corrects himself and changes “Stay the course” to “We insist on progress.”
Bush says to Inglis afterwards: “I changed what I said, did you notice?” “Yes, sir, I did notice,” Inglis replies, “And I thank you very much.” Bush to Inglis: “It was good advice, and I took it.” |
September 12, 2006 |
Inglis meets with President Bush at White House. Tells President, “‘Stay the course’ is not good enough.” Urges President to push the Iraqi leadership for decisions on oil, Baath Party members and pluralism. |
August 29, 2006 |
Inglis issues press release saying "'Stay the course' not a good enough answer for Iraq." |
August 2006 |
Inglis visits Iraq for second time. Frustrated by lack of urgency on part of Iraqi leadership to divide up oil fairly among them; to let Baath Party members return to positions of public trust; and to develop working model of pluralism. Tells Iraqis, “You don’t have forever.” Hears presentation from General Casey on Operation Together Forward—block-by-block clearing of Baghdad that started in August 2006 and ended unsuccessfully in December 2006. Casey says no additional troops are needed; may be counterproductive. |
June 2006 |
Inglis votes for $72.4 billion in supplemental funding for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
May 2005 |
Inglis votes for $82 billion in supplemental funding for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
February 2005 |
Inglis visits Iraq for first time. Overwhelmed by “America’s best” serving in Iraq, he comes home and pens a narrative called “Freedom’s Children and the Work of Significance in Iraq.” |
November 2004 |
Inglis elected to Congress again (after 6 year break). |
September 2001 |
Congress authorizes use of force in Iraq.
Inglis wasn’t in Congress at the time but says, “Had I been there, I would have voted for the use of force because our intelligence indicated a credible threat to our national security.” |
Freedom's Children and the Work of Significance in Iraq
This is a series of articles describing a congressional delegation trip to Iraq between Feb. 24-28, 2005, by Sens. Jim DeMint (SC), Sam Brownback (KS), and Reps. Rob Portman (OH-2) and Bob Inglis (SC-4).
Day 1 Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Comments
Todd Yeomans (6/7/07)
I hear the mixed rhetoric of wanting to cut and run veiled as support for our troops. We're in a Global War on Terrorism, with Al-Qaeda as the enemy and the front line is Iraq. We leave, they win, and the front line moves HERE. It would certainly be a stronger possibility than it is now. We engage the enemy with the fight they brought us because it's the only thing that's effective against them. Our losses are real and dear, but we can't turn back time with hindsight knowledge of how the war played out. We cannot leave Iraq now, unless we want to be responsible for placing the Iraqi people under a new regime that will undoubtedly take over and put them in a worse position than they are now. That isn't the American way. Or, maybe it is and I just don't want to admit it yet.
Bob Kazian (6/6/07)
The war in Iraq has everything to do with the terrorism battle against Radical Islamic Terrorism. If the United States fails in Iraq, we will be fighting these Islamic Terrorists in our streets. Congressman Inglis' vote against the troop surge was a disgrace that will ultimately cost him his right to represent the people of the 4th District. The congressman apparently thinks that "consensus" with the Democrats, whose goal is to lose the war and disgrace our president, is something to take pride in. When Bob Inglis sides with liberal Democrats like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi he definitely does not represent the people who elected him. It's time for a military victory to destroy the terrorists before they destroy us.
Charles Ketchen (6/6/07)
Representative Inglis' Op Ed comment, "Others, like me, think that there’s no future in fighting someone else’s civil war", is indicative of the cut and run approach to this conflict. Let us all remember that the United States invaded Iraq. There should be measures by which progress toward initiating troop withdrawl can be judged. To walk away after destabilizing Iraq and allowing innocent civilians to be slaughtered would be irresponsible. War is not like Burger King. It is neither quick nor always the way we would like it. Its time to put on your big boy pants Bob. Stop looking for a way to take someone elses side. Try leading for a change.
William Walsh (6/6/07)
I am deeply suspicious of an admimistration that has the same answer but admits that the factual premises on which the war was based were wrong. First, we must fight the war because Sadam has weapons of mass destruction or we must fight the war because Sadam supported the terrorists or we must fight the war to promote democracy in the Middle East. Now the most common rationale is we must fight the war because the consequences of not fighting the war would be too great.
Wendell Rector (6/5/07)
I respectfully disagree with Rep. Inglis on many of his views concerning Iraq. We need benchmarks AND a timetable for withdrawl. For those who say that there will be a sectarian bloodbath if we leave now - there IS a sectarian bloodbath now in spite of our presence and there will be one whenever we leave. We went into Iraq when it was in a stable if, for the Shia, an unfortunate state. It is anything but stable now. This is not a traditional war that can be won or lost. We need to bring our troops home ASAP. Let us not prolong a mistake.
Rubye C. Danley (6/5/07)
From the beginning I was against the war..Reason being there has been no peace in the Middle East since records have been kept. Having said that, when we did go to war we took a stick and hit a hornets nest. If instead we had gone in and taken care of business it would all be over and we could spend the money putting the place back together instead of paying billions on a lost cause and burying our young men and women everyday. The mentality of the people in this area is so different from the American people when it comes to respect for life and freedom. I recently went to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan...the people there were quite candid discussing how we are perceived. One person said how could we be surprised at the consequences of civil war.
Gloria Lee (6/5/07)
I do not think that the senators and politicans in Washington should decide anything concerning this war. We are in the war. They should supply our armed forces with whatever it takes to get the job done. If not, it will have another Vietnam and Korea. God only knows enough men die during those two. And they were not even called wars, but peacing action. If we remove our men, the United States will suffer... If a civilan like myself can see this, why can't the politicans see it.
Debra Track (6/5/07)
I am glad to finally see concrete benchmarks articulated regarding the War in Iraq. Like you, I do not wish to see our military continue to fight someone else's civil war and die in the process. However, there is not an endless bag of money for this effort. The recent troop surge is not working, as of early May, attacks were up 5% since deployment of additional troops. Congress needs to flex its muscle with the President and force troop withdrawal immediately. Playing the President vs. Republicans vs Democrats is not working either. Congress needs to set party politics aside and put forth a bill to resolve the Iraqi Civil War Fought By American Troops sans pork. Now.
Wesley Walker (10//07)
The ill-conceived war in Iraq has been a disaster. Ultimately, the present administration will be remembered for its' misguided and deceptive policies regarding the Iraqi war and the abandonment of the "Republican" principles of fiscal responsibility. Of course the "surge" was effective from a military standpoint; however, the goal was to achieve "political progress".."mission unaccomplished"...it's time to bring the boys home Bob!