Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Neil Abercrombie today issued the following statement, as General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Baghdad, began briefing lawmakers on Capitol Hill about the state of the war in Iraq:

General Petraeus, the Bush Administration and Senator McCain continue to try to convince us that the “surge” is working; that the surge is a success.

But in fact, the surge of U.S. troops in Iraq is not working, and is certainly not a success.  It is immaterial.  It will not and cannot determine whether Iraq is peaceful and democratic or continues to be torn by sectarian power struggles and violence.  Like the surge of any wave, it will inevitably dissipate in the sand. 

The events of this week are a stark demonstration that the ultimate outcome in Iraq; an end to the sectarian, inter-tribal and inter-militia strife — or its continuation, is completely in the hands of the Iraqi participants.  U.S. troops are reduced to ad hoc “missions,” where they are little more than targets.

What we are witnessing in Basra and Baghdad is nothing less than a civil war among three rival Shi’a organizations: Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army, the Dawa Party of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and the Badr Brigade of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. 

Even with the support of U.S. airpower, British artillery and joint American-Iraqi government forces under Prime Minister Maliki, nothing was resolved.  If anything, the conflict sharpened.

The over-riding reality is that these outbreaks will continue to occur whenever rival militias and power groups feel it is in their interest.  The U.S. Army — any outside military force — cannot stop them; only choose sides—sides with all the cohesion of the sand in which the surge is dissipating.

It is true that many of the Sunni militias have been quiescent.  A year ago, they were shooting and blowing up American men and women.  Some Sunni tribes turned against insurgent violence on their own, in what they call the Awakening. They had enough of the wanton and indiscriminate killing of Iraqis by al Qaeda and al Qaeda in Iraq. 

The U.S. put the Sunni militias on our payroll at $10 per person per day; $24 million a month.  The Bush Administration calls them “Concerned Local Citizens,” as if they were a neighborhood watch group.

But some of these militias are now expressing concern that the U.S. might not keep up the payments.  The al-Maliki regime does not to want to integrate them into the Iraqi military and security forces.  If we stop payments, there is every probability that they will turn on us and al-Maliki.
 
There is no U.S. military solution to this situation.  A scenario for a U.S. military victory simply does not exist.  Yet, we’re told that we’re winning.  And we’re told that since we’re winning, our troops have to police Iraq — perhaps as long as 100 years, according to Senator McCain.

It’s important for us to remember why President Bush said the surge was necessary.  It was to give the elected Iraqi government time to ‘get itself together;’ to unify the Iraqi people: the Shi’a, the Sunnis and the Kurds.  How’s that going?

By any rational measurement, it’s not.  The national government has enacted only four of George Bush’s 18 benchmark measures to promote unification.  Even the United States Senate is faster than that.

If the purpose of the surge is not happening — if the Iraqi government is not using the time bought with American blood and American dollars to build an inclusive, representative government; if Shi’a turf battles can erupt at any time; if we have to pay Sunni militias not to kill Americans — how can anyone seriously claim that the Surge is a success?  How can we justify spending the lives of American men and women and billions more dollars for purposes that are solely political; for a campaign slogan.

If we truly want to support our troops, we will end the surge and bring them home.

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