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It Is Time To Bring Them Home
All of Iraq must know that Iraq is free. Free from United States
occupation.
By Rep. John Murtha
11/17/05 "ICH
" -- -- The war in Iraq is not going as
advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American
public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops
have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in
direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is
at risk. We can not continue on the present course. It is evident
that continued military action in Iraq is not in the best interest
of the United States of America, the Iraqi people or the Persian
Gulf Region.
General Casey said in a September 2005 Hearing, "the perception of
occupation in Iraq is a major driving force behind the insurgency."
General Abizaid said on the same date, "Reducing the size and
visibility of the coalition forces in Iraq is a part of our
counterinsurgency strategy."
For 2 1/2 years I have been concerned about the U.S. policy and the
plan in Iraq. I have addressed my concerns with the Administration
and the Pentagon and have spoken out in public about my concerns.
The main reason for going to war has been discredited. A few days
before the start of the war I was in Kuwait--the military drew a red
line around Baghdad and said when U.S. forces cross that line they
will be attacked by the Iraqis with Weapons of Mass Destruction--but
the US forces said they were prepared. They had well trained forces
with the appropriate protective gear.
We spend more money on Intelligence than all the countries in the
world together, and more on Intelligence than most countries GDP.
But the intelligence concerning Iraq was wrong. It is not a world
intelligence failure. It is a U.S. intelligence failure and the way
that intelligence was misused.
I have been visiting our wounded troops at Bethesda and Walter Reed
hospitals almost every week since the beginning of the War. And what
demoralizes them is going to war with not enough troops and
equipment to make the transition to peace; the devastation caused by
IEDs; being deployed to Iraq when their homes have been ravaged by
hurricanes; being on their second or third deployment and leaving
their families behind without a network of support.
The threat posed by terrorism is real, but we have other threats
that cannot be ignored. We must be prepared to face all threats. The
future of our military is at risk. Our military and their families
are stretched thin. Many say that the Army is broken. Some of our
troops are on their third deployment. Recruitment is down, even as
our military has lowered its standards. Defense budgets are being
cut. Personnel costs are skyrocketing, particularly in health care.
Choices will have to be made. We can not allow promises we have made
to our military families in terms of service benefits, in terms of
their health care, to be negotiated away. Procurement programs that
ensure our military dominance cannot be negotiated away. We must be
prepared. The war in Iraq has caused huge shortfalls at our bases in
the U.S.
Much of our ground equipment is worn out and in need of either
serious overhaul or replacement. George Washington said, "To be
prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving
peace." We must rebuild our Army. Our deficit is growing out of
control. The Director of the Congressional Budget Office recently
admitted to being "terrified" about the budget deficit in the coming
decades. This is the first prolonged war we have fought with three
years of tax cuts, without full mobilization of American industry
and without a draft. The burden of this war has not been shared
equally; the military and their families are shouldering this
burden.
Our military has been fighting a war in Iraq for over two and a half
years. Our military has accomplished its mission and done its duty.
Our military captured Saddam Hussein, and captured or killed his
closest associates. But the war continues to intensify. Deaths and
injuries are growing, with over 2,079 confirmed American deaths.
Over 15,500 have been seriously injured and it is estimated that
over 50,000 will suffer from battle fatigue. There have been reports
of at least 30,000 Iraqi civilian deaths.
I just recently visited Anbar Province Iraq in order to assess the
conditions on the ground. Last May 2005, as part of the Emergency
Supplemental Spending Bill, the House included the Moran Amendment,
which was accepted in Conference, and which required the Secretary
of Defense to submit quarterly reports to Congress in order to more
accurately measure stability and security in Iraq. We have now
received two reports. I am disturbed by the findings in key
indicator areas. Oil production and energy production are below
pre-war levels. Our reconstruction efforts have been crippled by the
security situation. Only $9 billion of the $18 billion appropriated
for reconstruction has been spent. Unemployment remains at about 60
percent. Clean water is scarce. Only $500 million of the $2.2
billion appropriated for water projects has been spent. And most
importantly, insurgent incidents have increased from about 150 per
week to over 700 in the last year. Instead of attacks going down
over time and with the addition of more troops, attacks have grown
dramatically. Since the revelations at Abu Ghraib, American
casualties have doubled. An annual State Department report in 2004
indicated a sharp increase in global terrorism.
I said over a year ago, and now the military and the Administration
agrees, Iraq can not be won "militarily." I said two years ago, the
key to progress in Iraq is to Iraqitize, Internationalize and
Energize. I believe the same today. But I have concluded that the
presence of U.S. troops in Iraq is impeding this progress.
Our troops have become the primary target of the insurgency. They
are united against U.S. forces and we have become a catalyst for
violence. U.S. troops are the common enemy of the Sunnis, Saddamists
and foreign jihadists. I believe with a U.S. troop redeployment, the
Iraqi security forces will be incentivized to take control. A poll
recently conducted shows that over 80% of Iraqis are strongly
opposed to the presence of coalition troops, and about 45% of the
Iraqi population believe attacks against American troops are
justified. I believe we need to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.
I believe before the Iraqi elections, scheduled for mid December,
the Iraqi people and the emerging government must be put on notice
that the United States will immediately redeploy. All of Iraq must
know that Iraq is free. Free from United States occupation. I
believe this will send a signal to the Sunnis to join the political
process for the good of a "free" Iraq.
My plan calls:
To immediately redeploy U.S. troops consistent with the safety of
U.S. forces.
To create a quick reaction force in the region.
To create an over- the- horizon presence of Marines.
To diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq
This war needs to be personalized. As I said before I have visited
with the severely wounded of this war. They are suffering.
Because we in Congress are charged with sending our sons and
daughters into battle, it is our responsibility, our OBLIGATION to
speak out for them. That's why I am speaking out.
Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the
U.S. can not accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. IT IS
TIME TO BRING THEM HOME.
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) is a former Marine, a Vietnam Veteran and
the former Chairman of the House Committee on Defense
Appropriations.
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