http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tn09_ford/pr_050628_iraqstrategies.htmlTuesday, June 28, 2005
CONGRESSMAN HAROLD FORD
CALLS ON PRESIDENT FOR NEW IRAQ STRATEGIES
AS PRESIDENT PREPARES FOR NATIONAL ADDRESS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In preparation for President George Bush’s televised national address tonight, Congressman Harold Ford released the following statement today:
“As President Bush prepares for a national address tonight about our efforts in Iraq, I will suggest a few things to him based on the feedback I’m getting from Tennesseans and what I saw on the ground in Iraq over the Memorial Day weekend.
“Progress is being made in Iraq at a much slower pace than the Bush Administration would have us believe. There is plenty to be proud of in Iraq, but our progress is overshadowed by a lack of candor from Secretary Rumsfeld and his political team at the Pentagon. If the American people continue to lose confidence in our efforts in Iraq, we could end up with an undesired outcome there. We must achieve stability in Iraq and begin bringing our troops home. To do this, some new ideas and directions are needed in Iraq.
“Here are my suggestions:
”First, the President should be frank with us about the grim and tough situation on the ground. The leadership of General Petraeus, Commander of the Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq and the person charged with training the Iraqi military and police forces, is inspiring. General Petraeus and General Abizaid, Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command, represent the best our country has to offer. They are experienced, honest, respected, tough and creative leaders who should be given all the resources required to finish the effort in Iraq honorably. Unfortunately, President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Rumsfeld too often undercut our senior military leadership with rhetoric inconsistent with realities on the ground in Iraq. For example, last week Vice President Cheney asserted that the insurgent activity in Iraq was in its final stages. Later the same week, General Abizaid, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, was forced to contradict the Vice President’s declaration. When asked pointedly if Vice President Cheney was incorrect, General Abizaid said, in short, yes. To fix this, the President should ask his subordinates in Washington to defer to the senior military serving on the ground to provide all progress assessments much like General Franks and General Abizaid did while combat operations were underway in Iraq.
“In addition, some new strategies are needed to help General Petraeus train the Iraqi military and security forces. I have recommended that consideration be given to sending Iraqi trainees to police and military training academies in Europe and the United States. To instill the character, discipline and integrity in soon to be Iraqi military officers, a very focused and tested training must take place. I, of course, would defer to Generals Abizaid, Casey and Petraeus on this proposal.
“Second, the President must pledge to do more to train and equip our soldiers for the missions they will be assigned in Iraq, so many of them are performing in areas with insufficient training. We unnecessarily put soldiers in harm’s way and curtail chances of success if soldiers are not properly trained and lack the equipment for success. Moreover, the President should urge the Pentagon to rescind any contract it may have signed with a private contractor to collect confidential data on high schools students to improve targeting recruitment efforts for the military. The reason the Army’s recruitment efforts are consistently down has more to do with the need for better and more honest policies in Iraq than it does with the need for better marketing plans.
“Finally, more help is needed to help build Iraq’s water, sewer and electricity infrastructure. The Iraqi people are measuring our military’s progress by two things: reduced insurgent activity and restoring - and in some cases starting - electricity and water. I urge the President’s attention to these matters.
“I will be watching the President closely on Tuesday night to hear him address these and other concerns about our failing policies on the ground in Iraq. This country is the greatest in the world because of our history of and willingness to defend freedom and defeat foes of it anywhere and at anytime. Iraq is a great test of that. And to pass this test, and we will pass, it is time to acknowledge that our strategy in Iraq is no longer working effectively and offer new approaches. I’ve given some ideas and so have others. It is now time that the President tell the American people, especially the families with loved ones serving in Iraq and those with loved ones on their way back to Iraq soon, his ideas on how we will win there.”
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