[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            WINNING IN IRAQ

  (Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, yesterday General 
Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker updated members of the House Armed 
Services Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the 
conditions on the ground in Iraq. Noting successes on the military and 
political fronts, both indicated reasons to be optimistic about the 
progress being made.
  Having recently visited Iraq, I am not surprised to hear about these 
successes. Violence is down and reconciliation is happening. But the 
progress is fragile, a sentiment echoed by both Ambassador Crocker and 
General Petraeus.
  During the hearing, many of my Democrat colleagues asked about the 
cost of the war. Is it expensive? Yes, the cost is expensive. My 
question to them is, what will be the cost of defeat, and are you 
willing to pay for it?

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