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Iraq

America’s war in Iraq is now in its sixth year. Since the war began, Minnesota soldiers and airmen, National Guard Members and Reservists, have continued our state’s proud tradition of military service to the nation. Thousands of Minnesotans in uniform have already served in Iraq, and many are still there. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

Sen. Klobuchar meets with Minnesota troops in Fallujah

I have been opposed to this war from the beginning, and I have long advocated a responsible change of course in Iraq, with the redeployment of our combat troops and a policy that requires the Iraqi government to take responsibility for the security and destiny of the country. My own visit to Iraq in 2007 only reaffirmed my commitment to this change in course. Given our current economic challenges, our nation cannot continue to spend $10 billion each month in Iraq while critical domestic priorities go unmet.

Our men and women in uniform have done all we have asked of them, and while they continue to perform their duties bravely and honorably, it is clear that a change of course is necessary. Stability in Iraq cannot be achieved solely through military means; we must develop a strategy that focuses on ending the violence through political and economic solutions as well. This point has been echoed by top military commanders in Iraq, by U.S. officials in Washington, and by the Iraqis themselves.

Since coming to the Senate, I have focused on these priorities for Iraq:

• Ensure that our troops have the resources and support they need to do their jobs and remain safe. In 2007, I traveled to Iraq to see firsthand the service and sacrifices of our brave Minnesota soldiers in the field, and to meet with U.S. and Iraqi military commanders and political leaders. I was overwhelmed by the courage and fortitude our forces are showing in the face of this difficult challenge. I came home more determined than ever to push for a strategy that compels the Iraqis to stand up and take responsibility for their country, and allows us to begin bringing our soldiers home. But I also came home with a commitment to give our troops the equipment and resources they need while the conflict continues. In the Senate I have supported funding increases for better and safer equipment, including an additional $1.2 billion to give our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan mine-resistant combat vehicles, $1.6 billion for individual troop body armor, and $1 billion to address shortfalls in critical National Guard equipment.
• Push for a new strategy that calls for a responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and the transition of the U.S. military mission to limited operations in support of the Iraqi government. I am committed to working for a responsible and realistic strategy that signals to the Iraqis that our commitment is not open-ended, and that will allow our soldiers to return home to their families.
• Demand accountability for American funds. There have been disturbing revelations that billions of dollars in American taxpayer money have been lost in Iraq to corruption, fraud, and waste. There must be accountability for reconstruction funds that are intended to provide the Iraqi people with the meaningful economic assistance they need to rebuild their country. These illegal and unethical practices not only undermine reconstruction efforts, they hurt our troops in the field and impair their ability to carry out critical missions. In 2007, I co-sponsored a bipartisan provision in the Defense Authorization bill establishing an independent commission to increase transparency and accountability in wartime contracting. The commission, modeled after the famous Truman Commission during World War II, would also address systematic problems with defense contracting by studying and investigating the impact of the government’s growing reliance on civilian contractors to perform wartime functions. In early 2008, the provision passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by the President, yet the Administration has delayed the implementation of the commission.

As Minnesota’s U.S. Senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Continue to push the Administration for a responsible withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq. I will maintain pressure to produce a shift in strategy that will allow us to begin bringing our soldiers home.
• Protect our troops. As I press for a responsible withdrawal of American forces from Iraq in the weeks and months ahead, I will only advocate for actions that protect our troops in the field. Congress must continue to fulfill its Constitutional duty to exercise oversight of American policies in Iraq.
• Transition to Iraqi authority. The Iraqi government must stand up and assume responsibility for military and political stability in Iraq, and must shoulder a greater burden for the economic costs of reconstruction. An open-ended commitment of U.S. forces inhibits the capability of Iraqi leaders and Iraqi security forces to operate independently, and increases their dependency on us.
• Ensure a civil national debate that makes America proud. As we in Congress, as well as citizens across the country, continue to debate the best strategy in Iraq, we must remember that open discussion of diverse and divergent viewpoints is the foundation of our democratic system. Although we may disagree on tactics and strategies, in the end we all want what is best for our troops and best for our nation.

Links

• Department of Defense Report: Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq
  http://www.defenselink.mil/home/pdf/9010_March_2007_Final_Signed.pdf
• Prospects for Iraq’s Stability
  The National Intelligence Estimate (De-Classified)
  http://www.odni.gov/press_releases/20070202_release.pdf
• Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security
  Congressional Research Service
  http://www.congress.gov/erp/rl/pdf/RL31339.pdf