First Order Should Be to Stabilize Iraq
By: U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis
Published: February 22, 2007
The Tennessean

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives started its first substantive debate on the Iraq war since President Bush was given the authority to invade in October 2002.

I firmly believe that, if Congress had not abdicated its primary responsibility of oversight and held such debates in previous years, we may have been able to help the president develop a better strategy, enabling the Iraqi people to take more responsibility for their own fate.

As the discussion on Iraq strategy progresses, we cannot let the debate turn into a blame game or a yelling match about who is more patriotic. This does nothing more than stir worsening partisanship. I contend that all members of Congress and President Bush care for America. If all sides discuss the facts without the vitriolic rhetoric and begin analyzing the region with a greater sense of understanding of the sectarian factions, we could alter our strategy in ways that will vastly improve the prospects of a more stable Iraq.

With our soldiers in harm's way, the potential for greater instability and billions of taxpayer dollars on the line, I think it's time we formulate a winning strategy.

Our primary purpose must be stabilizing the country. We need to realign our diplomatic and military capabilities to achieve order and gain new allies. Our allies in the Middle East need to be more involved.

We should put our troops in a position to support the Iraqis when needed. I think our soldiers should be taken out of kill zones and placed on the borders of Iran and Syria to control the borders and prevent insurgents from entering Iraq. We should keep a strong presence in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean, with a rapid strike force capable of targeting insurgent or al-Qaida cells. Our country needs to understand leaving Iraq without stability is not an option. An example of our long-term commitment is our presence in Korea, Germany, Japan and Turkey as well as in the Middle East, where we've been since the first Gulf War. I believe we must have a presence in the area after a peaceful solution is realized in Iraq. I do not support cutting funds for our troops.

I think the partitioning of Iraq into sectarian groups deserves additional scrutiny. However, I am not advocating separate countries, but rather one constitutional government with regional or sectarian autonomy. The Kurds in northern Iraq are an example of how to govern while keeping the peace.

David Walker, the comptroller general, and others who report billions of taxpayer dollars being squandered is disconcerting to me and others in Congress. The Blue Dog Coalition, of which I am a member, has introduced a resolution specifically calling for greater accountability of where the money has been spent so far and transparency for future spending in Iraq.

As Congress continues debating our policies in Iraq, we need to give the Iraqis an ultimatum to govern themselves. The French didn't win the Revolutionary War for us, and we can't win peace for the Iraqis. They have to want it.