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| Funding the Troops |
June 01, 2007 |
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Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago, I told you where I thought Congress needed to go to fund the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. First, provide the money they need for bullets, body armor, pay and chow without timetables and micromanagement. Second, set out clearly our expectations of the Iraqi government, possibly including consequences that would reduce economic aid to the Iraqi government if they did not make needed progress.
On Thursday just before the District Work Period, that`s what we did. It was the right thing to do.
I remain skeptical about whether the current surge in Baghdad will be effective. The size of the force is small for counterinsurgency operations in a city of 6 million people. More importantly, the Iraqi central government is weak and has lacked a sense of urgency about moving forward with reconciliation.
To their credit, the Iraqi Army did show up in Baghdad when ordered there. Last summer they did not. If they hadn`t, the surge would have been over before it started. Shiite militias are laying low, but the Sunni and al Qaeda mass casualty bombings continue.
I supported increasing forces in Anbar -- the Sunni region where local tribes were turning against al Qaeda elements. It is vital to our national interests to make sure Iraq does not become a safe haven for al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is a radical Sunni movement and the tribes of Anbar are critical to this fight. That effort seems to be making progress.
We need to do the same in Diyala, a smaller Sunni region on the outskirts of Baghdad where some insurgents have moved when pressed out of the Capitol.
So far, results are mixed.
The next three months will be critical for the Iraqis. We are giving them time and space, purchased through the service and sacrifice of young Americans, to pull their country together, quell sectarian violence and govern. As I have said many times before, we cannot do for the Iraqi`s what they will not do for themselves. I hope they sieze this opportunity.
The far left failed to cut off funding for our troops or set a deadline for their withdrawal last week.
The challenge going forward will be for American leaders to build on common ground we found last Thursday. We must focus on securing America`s vital interests in the Persian Gulf, realistically assess Iraqi government progress over the next three months, and refrain from reaching beyond our vital interests. That is the responsible and difficult path forward.
Wish you were here,
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