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| Iraq |
January 11, 2007 |
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Read some of the news coverage
Read Rep. Wilson`s Speech
Read the letter to the President
Dear Friends,
On October 24 there was a news report out of Baghdad that was a red flag. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had intervened with U.S. troops who were hunting down leaders of Shiite militias in Baghdad and told them to stand down. Let the guy go.
Operation Together Forward, the late summer effort to reduce sectarian violence in Baghdad didn`t work and had rolled into Operation Together Forward II. That didn`t look like it was working either.
I decided to spend a good chunk of time in November and December reading widely, talking to experts inside and outside of government, talking to military commanders and intelligence experts and looking at options in Iraq and the capacity and intentions of the Maliki government. Between Christmas and New Years I went to Iraq, including to locations that members of Congress had not previously visited.
At the same time, the Iraq Study Group released its report. It was disappointing -- a missed opportunity in my book. And then the President, with his new Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, announced that he was doing a strategy review and welcomed input.
I told the President, his advisors, and my colleagues in the House and Senate what I thought before the President made his speech this week. Our e-news this week has links to my speech on Iraq and various other statements.
I worked on the National Security Council Staff for President Bush`s father. I serve on the Intelligence Committee in the House. I`ve had dozens of conversations with colleagues on Iraq over the course of the last week. They have all been serious conversations among serious people who serve this country and want to do what is right for it.
Wish you were here,
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