[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5308]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             IRAQ HEARINGS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, as we speak, there are extremely important 
hearings taking place on Capitol Hill. General Petraeus and Ambassador 
Crocker are here. The hearings started 35 minutes ago. Clearly, the 
eyes of the world will look upon the Senate as General Petraeus and 
Ambassador Crocker testify today before the Armed Services Committee 
and the Foreign Relations Committee. These two committees are chaired 
by two of our most senior Senators and two of our most able Senators, 
Senator Levin and Senator Biden.
  The appearances of these good and honorable men, General Petraeus and 
Ambassador Crocker, are meant to create an open, honest, and productive 
dialogue with Congress on the state of the war in Iraq and the future 
of military operations in Iraq. I hope it does occur in that manner, 
that there will be an open and honest and productive dialogue with us. 
As the American people weigh the testimony and consider the best course 
of action in far-off Iraq, only two questions matter: First, has the 
troop surge brought us closer to the day when our troops can come home? 
Second, is the war in Iraq making America safer? Sadly, by all 
accounts, the answer to both questions is no.
  The stated purpose of the surge, according to President Bush, was 
``return on success,'' meaning that if the surge worked, the troops 
could come home. Now, the President claims success, but where is the 
return? It is clear to anyone that the violence has surged. Eleven 
Americans have been killed since Sunday in Iraq. Dozens and dozens more 
have been gravely wounded, including three dozen in one rocket attack. 
Attacks on the Green Zone have intensified. That is supposed to be the 
safest part of Iraq--the Green Zone. The conflict between al-Sadr and 
al-Maliki shows no signs of progress; in fact, there is deterioration. 
Has the surge brought us closer to the day when our troops come home? 
We have already heard General Petraeus has requested a freeze of troop 
levels and that President Bush is likely to accept that request.
  Has the surge brought us closer to the day when our troops come home? 
Clearly, the answer is no. Has the war made us safer? No.
  Military experts agree our Armed Forces are stretched thin beyond 
sustainable levels. We are taking in--13 percent of our recruits are 
young men and women who have committed crimes: felonies, violent 
crime--13 percent. One out of every eight of the people we are bringing 
into the military today are people who have criminal records.
  Because our manpower and equipment is in Iraq, we are not committing 
the resources to hunt down our No. 1 enemy: bin Laden and his al-Qaida 
network. Because we are bogged down in Iraq, we are not fully engaged 
in the global challenge of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and the Middle 
East, among others.
  The moral authority of our great Nation has suffered grave damage, 
with our former allies refusing to stand with us in even greater 
numbers.
  Has the war in Iraq made America safer? There is no question it has 
not.
  The surge may have provided a temporary window for the Iraq 
Government to make progress, but it is becoming increasingly clear 
every day the Iraq Government has squandered that opportunity. Even 
now, with the war in its sixth year, President Bush has failed to 
articulate an exit strategy.
  A person running for President, Senator McCain, has said we should be 
there another 50 or 100 years.
  President Bush likes to say we will only leave Iraq once victory has 
been achieved. It is time for the President to be honest with the 
American people. What does victory look like to President Bush? How 
does all this end?
  We must not commit our courageous troops to the endless task of 
policing another Nation's bloody civil war. The job of America's Armed 
Forces--a job to which they risk and often give their lives and limbs--
is to protect our country and its interests. It is time to recommit to 
that crucial purpose and begin a responsible end to this war.

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