We Must Encourage the Iraqis to Move Forward

I am pleased that the Iraq Study Group has been able to reach agreement.  They have undertaken a careful, thorough assessment of the situation in Iraq, and I look forward to reviewing their findings with the same level of consideration. The Armed Services Committee should hear testimony from this group, from those involved in the Administration’s own review and others.

We need to look carefully at options that will encourage the Iraqis to move forward politically, engage leaders in the region and allow for the redeployment of American forces as soon as possible.  A significant part of this is the need to more rapidly train and equip the Iraqi Security Forces.  Central to all recommendations must be the Iraqi government making political, economic and national security progress.

Because these recommendations have bipartisan support from the ISG, I am encouraged that bipartisan consensus might be achieved within Congress and with the Administration, as well.