Gentlemen, for your leadership, and for the dedication of all who serve with you, our Nation is eternally grateful.  

As the wife of a Vietnam veteran who was severely wounded in combat, I understand the sacrifices that you and all our men and women defending our nation’s security interests in Iraq and beyond, have made, and continue to make, on a daily basis. 

I experienced the anxiety of having one’s children in harm’s way, as my stepson Douglas, and daughter-in-law Lindsay, both Marine captains, served in Iraq and now, Lindsay, is serving in Afghanistan.

I take comfort listening to them defend the importance of our mission in Iraq for our broader regional interests and strategic priorities, including our efforts to protect our homeland.

They understand what is at stake, and remind me that we cannot yield a victory to the radical Islamists.
 
Their words resonate so profoundly today, on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the horrific events of September 11th.

Douglas and Lindsay were in Iraq during the historic elections, and describe the sight of Iraq families lining up to vote for the first time, bringing their children as witnesses, despite the al-Qaeda threat that: “the streets would run red with the blood of anyone who voted.”

They said it was nothing less than “awe-inspiring.”

They will never forget that sight, and ask Congress not to ever forget it.

They believe those Iraqi voters deserve our continued assistance.  They believe the Iraqis are worth it.

I do also. 

General Petraeus, Ambassador Crocker, do you think so too?

It is also significant that on the eve of this grim anniversary, we would be holding a hearing, highlighting the contrast between those of us who are inspired by this new Greatest Generation and believe that we must confront and defeat al-Qaeda and other jihadists on the Iraqi battlefield, and those of us who believe that we should simply retreat.

I am distressed by the accusations leveled by some in the media and made by some Members during hearings, calling into question the integrity of our military-- accusing our military of “cherry-picking” positive numbers to reflect a dramatic decline in sectarian violence.

The personal attack launched today by Moveon.org against Gen. David Petraeus, calling this man of honor and courage—“General Betray US”—in a full page ad in the New York Times, is outrageous and deplorable.
 
It has been widely reported that Moveon.org has been closely coordinating its efforts in the last few months with members of the Democratic Party to derail the strategy spearheaded by General Petraeus.

In an interview in the Politico published just last Friday, an anonymous Democratic Senator was quoted saying: “No one wants to call [Petraeus] a liar on national TV.  The expectation is that the outside groups will do this for us.”

This cannot be tolerated. 

I urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to publicly denounce the ad by Moveon.org and to apologize to General Petraeus for casting doubt upon his integrity.

I have more respect for the military and for military leaders’ regard for the men and women in uniform whom they lead, than to believe that you would misrepresent facts and alter conclusions to serve partisan purposes.

I trust your reporting and that of our troops on the ground regarding the levels of sectarian violence, over those compiled by individuals and entities who wish to discredit the information to justify an immediate withdrawal.

General Petraeus, does this report reflect your knowledge and conclusions regarding the facts on the ground in Iraq?  Do you stand behind it?

Today’s hearing must focus on answering fundamental questions:

• How do we achieve critical U.S. strategic objectives? 
• What policies will help us defend and advance our nation’s security interests?

The development of viable, stable, representative governments, with economic development and political freedoms for their citizens is a key element of our broad strategic approach to the war against Islamist militants.

And this is considered by radical Islamists as the greatest threat to their aims, which is why Islamist jihadists, including al-Qaeda, are blocking the development of such institutions in Iraq.
Radical Islam sees Iraq as a central front in their war on freedom.

The enemies of the emerging Iraqi representative government are the enemies of democracy everywhere.  They are our enemies.

Do we fight and defeat this enemy?

We must not fool ourselves into believing that we can accommodate our enemies and thereby secure their cooperation.

Accommodation has been tried in the past with catastrophic consequences.

Chamberlain genuinely believed that he had brought “peace in our time,” by washing his hands of what he believed to be an isolated dispute, in “a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing.”

Chamberlain only ensured that an immensely larger threat was unleashed.

Many speak of national reconciliation and granting amnesty, as if the Mahdi army, other Islamist jihadists, al-Qaeda in Iraq, would lay down their arms, simply because the Iraqi central government or the U.S. Congress asked them to.

Our military presence and strategy in Iraq is critical to progress on the political front, which helps enable long-term security goals.

Iraq has taken significant steps toward building a representative government but does it have a long way to go on this difficult road.

Our own history informs us of how truly difficult is that road but, also, how worthy is the goal.

Yet, rapid withdrawal from Iraq would transmit to the radical Islamists that America has little real commitment to this goal and will abandon its stated core beliefs for temporary short-term relief.

There could be no greater confirmation of radical Islam’s indictment of the “decadent West” --and its “great Satan”, America – which, in their view, is weak and unreliable.

The last National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq said:

• “Perceptions that the Coalition is withdrawing probably will encourage factions anticipating a power vacuum to seek local security solutions that could intensify sectarian violence and intra-sectarian competition.” 

Precipitous withdrawal plays into the Islamist terrorist agenda. 

Al-Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri has affirmed:

“…Jihad in Iraq requires several incremental goals: The first stage: Expel the Americans from Iraq.

The second stage: Establish an Islamic authority…

The third stage: Extend the jihad wave to the secular countries neighboring Iraq.

The fourth stage:…the clash with Israel...”

The enemy, however, did not count on the U.S. regaining the initiative and going on the offensive through the strategy behind the surge.

This strategy driven a wedge between Al Qaeda and the Sunni population and will help drive a similar wedge between the Shia extremists, particularly those in Sadr’s Mahdi militia. 

The Jones Report suggests that the Iraqi Security Forces have made progress, with the exception of the National Police, which are not to be confused with the Iraqi Police.

The report concluded that: “there should be increasing improvement in both their readiness and their capability to provide for the internal security of Iraq.”

As President Reagan would remind us:  “the ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas—a trial of spiritual resolve..”

For all who have served and died defending what out nation holds dear, I hope we, too, rise to the occasion and not let them down by precipitously withdrawing from the fight before the mission is completed.