Congress Must Come Together to Succeed in the Middle East

Today, the Iraq Study Group (ISG) released its report about our progress and challenges in Iraq.  Congress chartered the Iraq Study Group to advise the administration on our course of action in Iraq and I am satisfied that we have received thoughtful recommendations from the panel.  From the start of our engagement in Iraq, I have said I wanted to see the United States troops out of Iraq as soon as a stable democratic government has been established.  Today’s report confirms our successes and highlights what challenges lie ahead for the Middle East.  Bringing democracy and freedom to an area which has only known tyranny and oppression is not a mission which can be taken lightly but it is a goal which must be achieved.

I intend to consider and take every proposal seriously.  While all may not agree with each of the proposals made by the commission, they mark a historic moment of bipartisanship and real discussion about the course of our nation.  This is a time for Congress to come together as one body- not as Republicans or Democrats- to move forward with a strategy for success in the Middle East.