[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9766-S9767]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FOUR-PART PRESIDENTIAL PLAN FOR IRAQ

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Presidential campaign is heating up 
and after considerable flipping and flopping, Senator Kerry claims to 
have finally presented the American people with something resembling a 
firm position on Iraq. It is a four-part plan, and frankly it resembles 
the plan President Bush has been pursuing for the last year and a half. 
I call it Senator Kerry's ``too little too late to gain credibility'' 
plan.
  Although Kerry has characterized the administration's policy as a 
failure, perhaps he simply believes it would be a success were he the 
one implementing it. I wonder. Let us take a look.
  The first part of Senator Kerry's plan is to ``internationalize 
because others must share the burden.'' Let's leave aside the 
inconvenient fact that Senator Kerry has denigrated the 19 countries 
that participated in the liberation of Iraq or the 34 helping to secure 
and rebuild that country today as a ``trumped up and so-called 
coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought and the extorted.''
  This from the man who is so confident of his diplomatic skills.
  Senator Kerry fails to understand that no amount of diplomacy will 
convince the countries whose interests compete with ours, or the 
nations that share our interests but lack our will or capacity to act, 
to join our efforts to bring security and freedom to the Middle East 
and the terrorists to their knees.
  Senator Kerry wants to bring U.S. troops home within the first 6 
months of his administration. So his plan is not to share the burden; 
it is to pass the buck. But to whom would he pass the buck?
  The Financial Times reported yesterday that Germany and France will 
not send troops to Iraq even if John Kerry is elected. Indeed, how 
could Senator Kerry convince any nation to send troops to a conflict he 
himself has called ``the wrong war at the wrong time''?
  It would be nice to see the United Nations pulling its own weight 
once in a while, but one would have to be living in a fantasy world to 
believe that it will do so. If it continues to allow tyrannies like 
Sudan to chair the Human Rights Commission, the U.N. will follow the 
League of Nations into permanent and deserved irrelevance.
  The second part of Kerry's plan is to ``train Iraqis because they 
must be responsible for their own security.'' Adding further confusion 
to his inconsistent claims that, first, the U.S. needs more troops in 
Iraq, that he would bring them home within the first 6 months of his 
administration, and that this would make America stronger at home and 
more respected in the world, Senator Kerry now claims the U.S. is not 
doing enough to train Iraqis to provide for their own security.
  Well, about a year ago I traveled to Iraq and I stood with GEN David 
Petraeus in Mosul where I witnessed the graduation ceremony of an Iraqi 
security force, a unit trained by the 101st Airborne. I recall being 
impressed that so many Iraqis were willing to risk their lives to help 
secure their newly free country.
  Petraeus completed his tour as the commanding general of the 101st 
Airborne in February of this year. After making sure his soldiers 
returned safely to Fort Campbell, KY, Dave Petraeus received his third 
star and went back to Baghdad, where he assumed responsibility for 
training Iraq's army and security forces. He is the right man for the 
job and, for me, his views carry enormous weight. He had an op-ed in 
the Washington Post this past Sunday that I would commend to my 
colleagues, in particular the junior Senator from Massachusetts. In it, 
he notes:

       Approximately 164,000 Iraqi police and soldiers . . . and 
     an additional 74,000 facility protection forces are 
     performing a wide variety of security missions.
       Equipment is being delivered. Training is on track and 
     increasing in capacity. . . . Most important, Iraqi security 
     forces are in the fight, so much so that they are suffering 
     substantial casualties as they take on more and more of the 
     burdens to achieve security in their country.

  But he cautions that:

       Numbers alone cannot convey the full story. The human 
     dimension of this effort is crucial. The enemies of Iraq 
     recognize how much is at stake as Iraq reestablishes its 
     security forces. Insurgents and foreign fighters continue to 
     mount barbaric attacks against police stations, recruiting 
     centers and military installations. . . . Yet despite the 
     sensational attacks, there is no shortage of qualified 
     recruits volunteering to join the Iraqi security forces.

  This is David Petraeus.
  So it would seem the training of Iraqis is well underway.
  The third part of Kerry's plan is to ``move forward with 
reconstruction, because that's an important way to stop the spread of 
terror.''
  I agree. When I spoke with General Petraeus in Iraq last year, he 
told me that: ``Money is ammunition,'' and that it was critical to get 
the Iraqi economy working again in order to provide jobs for Iraqis who 
may otherwise turn to violence. I returned to Washington and lobbied my 
colleagues to vote for the $87 billion to supply our troops and for 
Iraqi reconstruction, because I had seen firsthand how important it was 
to get Iraq's economy back on track.
  It is a shame Senator Kerry was not listening to General Petraeus 
when he voted against this $87 billion for our troops. In fact, Senator 
Kerry still does not seem to get it, because he complained just 
recently that too much money was being spent on reconstruction in Iraq 
and too little was being spent in America.
  We won the debate on the $87 billion for our troops and 
reconstruction in spite of Senator Kerry's--and Senator Edwards'--
opposition. And although I am heartened Senator Kerry has come to 
appreciate the importance of this aid, I hope he understands that 
Presidents, unlike Senators, do not often get second chances to make 
crucial decisions.
  The fourth and final plan in Senator Kerry's plan is to: ``help the 
Iraqis achieve a viable government, because it is up to them to run 
their own country.''
  You could call this the ``Do as I say, not as I do'' plan, because 
Senator Kerry may have undermined the credibility of Iraq's Prime 
Minister--who traveled to America to consult with President Bush, to 
deliver a speech to a Joint Session of Congress, and rebut the 
criticism of those who believe Iraq and the world are not better off 
with Saddam Hussein in an Iraqi jail.
  Kerry's wrong-headed criticism of Ayad Allawi--who risks his life 
every day to bring peace and democracy to Iraq--was as repugnant as it 
was undiplomatic. If a President Kerry were to treat foreign leaders as 
disgracefully as he treated Prime Minister Allawi, he would find it 
difficult to live up his campaign promise of being ``more respected in 
the world.''
  Yet, Kerry has already done diplomatic damage, in my view. By 
maligning the judgment of America's most important new ally in the 
Middle East, Senator Kerry has fired a political shot that will be 
heard more loudly in the streets of Baghdad or Tehran than in Boston or 
Orlando. His comments were intended to undercut President

[[Page S9767]]

Bush's standing in the eyes of American voters, but they may have the 
consequence of undermining Prime Minister Allawi's position in Iraq.

  If a potential President of the United States doesn't take the Iraqi 
Prime Minister seriously, why should the terrorists?
  Writing about Iraq's transition from totalitarianism to democracy, 
General Petraeus concluded his op-ed with this line: It will not be 
easy, but few worthwhile things are.
  Bringing democracy and stability to the heart of the Middle East is 
more than worthwhile. It is a critical component of our war against 
terrorists. For if we fail to offer an alternative to the corrupt 
theocracies and dictatorships of that region, we will forever be 
fighting the war against terrorism defensively, making it much more 
likely that we will be fighting terrorists in Chicago and New York than 
in the cities where they live and train.
  We have an opportunity to fight side by side with our new Iraqi 
allies against the terrorists who share goals and tactics with those 
who hijacked planes on 9/11, who murdered hundreds of school children 
in Russia, and who bombed innocent civilians in Bali, Istanbul, Riyadh, 
Madrid, Jerusalem, and elsewhere. And if we fail to win this fight it 
will not be just Prime Minister Allawi's credibility that suffers, it 
will be our own.
  Mr. President, I ask that General Petraeus's op-ed be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

               [From the Washington Post, Sept. 26, 2004]

                           Battling for Iraq

                         (By David H. Petraeus)

       Baghdad.--Helping organize, train and equip nearly a 
     quarter-million of Iraq's security forces is a daunting task. 
     Doing so in the middle of a tough insurgency increases the 
     challenge enormously, making the mission akin to repairing an 
     aircraft while in flight--and while being shot at. Now, 
     however, 18 months after entering Iraq, I see tangible 
     progress. Iraqi security elements are being rebuilt from the 
     ground up.
       The institutions that oversee them are being reestablished 
     from the top down. And Iraqi leaders are stepping forward, 
     leading their country and their security forces courageously 
     in the face of an enemy that has shown a willingness to do 
     anything to disrupt the establishment of the new Iraq.
       In recent months, I have observed thousands of Iraqis in 
     training and then watched as they have conducted numerous 
     operations. Although there have been reverses--not to mention 
     horrific terrorist attacks--there has been progress in the 
     effort to enable Iraqis to shoulder more of the load for 
     their own security, something they are keen to do. The future 
     undoubtedly will be full of difficulties, especially in 
     places such as Fallujah. We must expect setbacks and 
     recognize that not every soldier or policeman we help train 
     will be equal to the challenges ahead.
       Nonetheless, there are reasons for optimism. Today 
     approximately 164,000 Iraqi police and soldiers (of which 
     about 100,000 are trained and equipped) and an additional 
     74,000 facility protection forces are performing a wide 
     variety of security missions. Equipment is being delivered. 
     Training is on track and increasing in capacity. 
     Infrastructure is being repaired. Command and control 
     structures and institutions are being reestablished.
       Most important, Iraqi security forces are in the fight--so 
     much so that they are suffering substantial casualties as 
     they take on more and more of the burdens to achieve security 
     in their country. Since Jan. 1 more than 700 Iraqi security 
     force members have been killed, and hundreds of Iraqis 
     seeking to volunteer for the police and military have been 
     killed as well.
       Six battalions of the Iraqi regular army and the Iraqi 
     Intervention Force are now conducting operations. Two of 
     these battalions, along with the Iraqi commando battalion, 
     the counterterrorist force, two Iraqi National Guard 
     battalions and thousands of policemen recently contributed to 
     successful operations in Najaf. Their readiness to enter and 
     clear the Imam Ali shrine was undoubtedly a key factor in 
     enabling Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani to persuade members of 
     the Mahdi militia to lay down their arms and leave the 
     shrine.
       In another highly successful operation several days ago, 
     the Iraqi counterterrorist force conducted early morning 
     raids in Najaf that resulted in the capture of several senior 
     lieutenants and 40 other members of that militia, and the 
     seizure of enough weapons to fill nearly four 7\1/2\-ton dump 
     trucks.
       Within the next 60 days, six more regular army and six 
     additional Intervention Force battalions will become 
     operational. Nine more regular army battalions will complete 
     training in January, in time to help with security missions 
     during the Iraqi elections at the end of that month.
       Iraqi National Guard battalions have also been active in 
     recent months. Some 40 of the 45 existing battalions--
     generally all except those in the Fallujah-Ramadi area--are 
     conducting operations on a daily basis, most alongside 
     coalition forces, but many independently. Progress has also 
     been made in police training. In the past week alone, some 
     1,100 graduated from the basic policing course and five 
     specialty courses. By early spring, nine academies in Iraq 
     and one in Jordan will be graduating a total of 5,000 police 
     each month from the eight-week course, which stresses 
     patrolling and investigative skills, substantive and 
     procedural legal knowledge, and proper use of force and 
     weaponry, as well as pride in the profession and adherence to 
     the police code of conduct.
       Iraq's borders are long, stretching more than 2,200 miles. 
     Reducing the flow of extremists and their resources across 
     the borders is critical to success in the counterinsurgency. 
     As a result, with support from the Department of Homeland 
     Security, specialized training for Iraq's border enforcement 
     elements began earlier this month in Jordan.
       Regional academies in Iraq have begun training as well, and 
     more will come online soon. In the months ahead, the 16,000-
     strong border force will expand to 24,000 and then 32,000. In 
     addition, these forces will be provided with modern 
     technology, including vehicle X-ray machines, explosive-
     detection devices and ground sensors.
       Outfitting hundreds of thousands of new Iraqi security 
     forces is difficult and complex, and many of the units are 
     not yet fully equipped. But equipment has begun flowing. 
     Since July 1, for example, more than 39,000 weapons and 22 
     million rounds of ammunition have been delivered to Iraqi 
     forces, in addition to 42,000 sets of body armor, 4,400 
     vehicles, 16,000 radios and more than 235,000 uniforms.
       Considerable progress is also being made in the 
     reconstruction and refurbishing of infrastructure for Iraq's 
     security forces. Some $1 billion in construction to support 
     this effort has been completed or is underway, and five Iraqi 
     bases are already occupied by entire infantry brigades.
       Numbers alone cannot convey the full story. The human 
     dimension of this effort is crucial. The enemies of Iraq 
     recognize how much is at stake as Iraq reestablishes its 
     security forces. Insurgents and foreign fighters continue to 
     mount barbaric attacks against police stations, recruiting 
     centers and military installations, even though the vast 
     majority of the population deplores such attacks. Yet despite 
     the sensational attacks, there is no shortage of qualified 
     recruits volunteering to join Iraqi security forces. In the 
     past couple of months, more than 7,500 Iraqi men have signed 
     up for the army and are preparing to report for basic 
     training to fill out the final nine battalions of the Iraqi 
     regular army. Some 3,500 new police recruits just reported 
     for training in various locations. And two days after the 
     recent bombing on a street outside a police recruiting 
     location in Baghdad, hundreds of Iraqis were once again lined 
     up inside the force protection walls at another location--
     where they were greeted by interim Prime Minister Ayad 
     Allawi.
       I meet with Iraqi security force leaders every day. Though 
     some have given in to acts of intimidation, many are 
     displaying courage and resilience in the face of repeated 
     threats and attacks on them, their families and their 
     comrades. I have seen their determination and their desire to 
     assume the full burden of security tasks for Iraq.
       There will be more tough times, frustration and 
     disappointment along the way. It is likely that insurgent 
     attacks will escalate as Iraq's elections approach. Iraq's 
     security forces are, however, developing steadily and they 
     are in the fight. Momentum has gathered in recent months. 
     With strong Iraqi leaders out front and with continued 
     coalition--and now NATO--support, this trend will continue. 
     It will not be easy, but few worthwhile things are.

  Mr. REID. What is the time left for the majority?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is 3 minutes. The Senator from 
Mississippi.

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