HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Boehner, House Republicans Witness Iraqi Progress Firsthand

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) led a six-member delegation of House Republicans to visit Iraq yesterday just a week after provincial elections were held successfully and without significant violence.  House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), Armed Services Committee Ranking Republican John McHugh (R-NY), Intelligence Committee Ranking Republican Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), and Reps. Tom Latham (R-IA) and Jo Bonner (R-AL) joined the trip.  

First and foremost, the Iraqis should be congratulated on last week’s successful provincial elections — which were held without any major violence.  Each opportunity Iraqis have to participate in the political process in a peaceful manner increases Iraq’s stability and marginalizes terrorist organizations, like al-Qaeda, and Iranian-linked extremist groups.  It is yet another positive sign that the Iraqis are taking greater control of their future, and it was evident in the briefings members held throughout the day with Iraqi political leaders and our commanders on the ground.

While last week’s success is another important milestone, as General Odierno and Ambassador Crocker reminded the members yesterday in our meeting, the gains created by the surge and the political reconciliation process are fragile and reversible.  Al Qaeda is still looking to wreak havoc where it can, and while violence is down sharply throughout the country, the mission is not yet complete.

The members also met with President Jalal Talabani and discussed the recently-signed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the blueprint for ensuring Iraq stays on the current successful path.  They also discussed the future of the Middle East, the Iranian influence, and the Iraqi economy.  Boehner thanked Talabani for his leadership and commitment to the future of his country.

Lastly, the members had an eye-opening visit with Major General John Kelly (USMC) at Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province.  The “Anbar Awakening” has turned into a model for the rest of the country.  Major General Kelly reported that Anbar Iraqi Security Forces have assumed full lead in protecting the population, and that the provincial elections occurred last week without any violence.  He reported that while the insurgency has largely been defeated (the first 90 yards of the field), the last 10 yards must be won by the government of Iraq.  All signs indicate they are on the right track.

The visit also had significance as members visited with troops from their local districts.  The Greenville, Ohio national guard unit is stationed at the air base, and Leader Boehner visited with them after the briefing yesterday.

American troops have made remarkable progress in Iraq under the leadership of General Petraeus, General Odierno, and Ambassador Crocker over the last two years. Now is not the time to let our guard down, all of the members agreed.  One more thing they agreed on: The resolve, commitment and sacrifice shown by our military forces each and every day is nothing short of amazing and humbling to watch, and it was evident at every stop.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, February 7th, 2009 at 5:17 am and is filed under Iraq. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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