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Washington, D.C. - Like many of you, my support for our troops in Iraq is strong and unwavering. I believe we are on the brink of the creation of a democratic state where a brutal dictator once ruled a nation built on fear. On December 15, the Iraqi people will once again head to the polls to determine their future. This time they will be voting to elect a new government under the Constitution they approved in an October referendum. With this vote, we are one step closer to a free and more secure and Iraq.
Many Americans will be showing their solidarity with freedom loving Iraqis by inking their fingers on December 15. This idea stemmed from a photo taken earlier this year of an Iraqi woman leaving the polls after she voted holding up her fingers in a ‘V’ to symbolize victory. Her finger was stained purple by poll workers to show that she voted, and it has now become a symbol of defiance to the terrorists, and a symbol of freedom and pride.
Some people think our work in Iraq is taking too long. But we have to remember that the quest for freedom takes time. Consider our own American history: it took years to move from independence to the Constitution. In 1776, we got our independence but it was 1788 before we had our first election under the Constitution. Today, our nation’s framework for governing serves as a model for the rest of the world.
To fully understand where we are headed in Iraq, we have to understand where we have been. In just over two-and-a-half years, much has been accomplished in Iraq, including the removal of Saddam’s tyranny, negotiation of an interim constitution, restoration of full sovereignty, holding of free national elections, formation of an elected government, the drafting of and ratification of a permanent constitution, introduction of a sound currency, the equipping of Iraqi security forces, and the increasing capability of those forces to take on the terrorists and secure their nation.
The good news doesn’t stop there, but we don’t hear enough about the positive stories. Did you know that more than 80,000 terrorists are no longer a threat to the world? Have you heard about how our brave soldiers have built thousands of schools, municipal buildings, and hospitals, and many Iraqis have electricity and running water in their homes for the first time? I wish more people knew about the tremendous progress and positive impact we are making in Iraq. In the next few weeks, I am headed to Iraq and you will hear from me when I am there. I plan to do everything I can to tell you exactly what is going on there.
While we have many proud accomplishments in Iraq, we are not without big challenges ahead. We have to remember what we are up against – decades of vicious tyranny, where authority stemmed from fear, terror and brutality.
Some have suggested pulling our troops out of Iraq. But pulling out our troops before they have achieved their goal is not a plan for victory. Withdrawing our troops would send a message to the rest of the world that the United States is a weak and unreliable ally. Not to mention the message it would send to our troops. Further, it would vindicate the terrorists’ tactics of suicide bombings and mass murders – and invite new attacks on U.S. soil. We must not retreat and give them victory.
Our troops have not failed us. We must not fail them.
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