Essential Estrogen

The following are the statements distributed by Iowa's congressional delegation in relation to the testimony of Gen. David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Congressman Leonard Boswell, 3rd District (added 4/9/08, after the House hearings):

"After two days of testimony, it's clear that the Administration still has no end game. The purpose of the surge was to move towards a political reconciliation, but this still has not occurred. It's unfortunate that our brave young men and women in uniform are being put at risk, without any clear strategy.

"I, along with others have repeatedly asked for their 'plan' for an orderly withdrawal of our troops, but none exists, nor does there appear to be any strategy to do so. This Administration seems determined to participate in what has become an internal Iraqi civil war."

Sen. Tom Harkin:

“I, along with millions of Americans, waited today to hear General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker propose a clear strategy for our nation’s mission in Iraq - something we have been waiting to hear from this Administration for years. Unfortunately, we heard more of the same.

“The simple truth is that keeping our brave soldiers mired in the Iraqi civil war is breaking our military, bankrupting our treasury, and making our country less safe. Iraq needs a political solution, which only Iraqis can provide, to bring real stability and security to their country.

“There will be more troops in Iraq this summer than when the temporary surge began more than a year ago. Even General Petraeus admits there is no military solution in Iraq, so keeping 142,000 troops there is not the answer. The current strain on our troops is unsustainable – we simply do not have enough trained and ready troops to indefinitely sustain such high troop levels in Iraq. Pentagon officials have acknowledged that the great demand on our forces has diminished our military readiness and hindered our ability to respond to any new crisis.

“We have lost more than 4,000 of our men and women, with almost 30,000 injured, many severely. Brigades are not being allowed sufficient time to regroup and retrain, placing enormous strains on our soldiers and their families. Last year, suicides among active-duty soldiers reached their highest level since the Army began keeping records 28 years ago.

“While the American taxpayer continues to pour $12 billion a month into Iraq, the Iraqi government’s oil revenues are skyrocketing due to soaring oil prices. When the war in Iraq began, the cost of a barrel of oil was $33.51 and the Bush Administration claimed that the Iraqis would pay for most of the reconstruction and basic needs of its people. It has been estimated that Iraq will earn $100 billion in oil revenue in 2007 and 2008. Yet the Iraqi government has billions of dollars sitting in bank accounts collecting interest, while American taxpayers are being forced to foot the bill.

“If we pursue the Bush stay-the-course mentality, we will quickly reach the decade mark for our military occupation in Iraq. I stand with the millions of Americans who are ready for a new direction.”

Congressman Bruce Braley, 1st District

“While there have been recent security gains on the ground in Iraq, we are no closer today to a political solution for Iraq than we were last September when General Petraeus first testified before Congress. General Petraeus himself acknowledged as much last month when he said that ‘no one’ felt there had been ‘sufficient progress’ at Iraqi national reconciliation.

“Like he did last fall, General Petraeus today asked for more time for the President’s surge to work. But all the time in the world won’t get the Iraqis to come together and reach a political solution for their country unless they are willing to commit to it.

“General Petraeus also expressed concern with setting a timetable for redeployment. But we can’t stay in Iraq forever: our troops are spread thin across the globe, our military readiness is dangerously depleted, and we have lost our focus on the war on terror in Afghanistan.

“It’s time to show the Iraqis that we are serious about them taking control of their own country. We need to follow the advice that the Iraq Study Group gave long ago: it’s time to set a timeline to redeploy our troops and turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.”

Congressman Dave Loebsack, 2nd District

“I have twice visited our troops in Iraq, and am always inspired by their service, sacrifice and commitment. However, after today’s hearing I continue to be troubled over the Bush Administration’s inability to provide a clear definition of success in Iraq and what conditions it believes must be met in order to bring our men and women in uniform home. These are the questions I will seek answers to when General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker testify in front of me and my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee tomorrow.”