Published: 04-09-08
Says Conditions on the Ground Not Politics at Home Should Guide Security Decisions
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas Vice-Chair of the Senate Republican Conference and a member of the Armed Services Committee made the following statement today regarding the testimony of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker before Congress:
“General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker made clear that the military surge is showing tremendous progress in reducing violence in Iraq and that there has also been a surge of Iraqi political success. Two-thirds of the benchmarks have been met but some people insist on seeing the glass as half empty.
“The one word that I think most people want to hear is progress -- are we making substantial progress in both the military and political areas? Even more importantly are the Iraqis making progress toward governing and defending themselves? The answer to both of these questions based on today’s testimony is a resounding yes.
“The final question we need to be asking ourselves as a country is -- what are the consequences of failure in Iraq? Both Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus testified that if we were we to leave Iraq before the Iraqis are able to govern and defend themselves it would increase the likelihood that Iraq would become a failed state. This would be much like Afghanistan was following the exit of the Soviet Union in 1989 which as we all know gave rise to the Taliban and al-Qaeda. We saw the consequences of that breeding ground for terrorism on September 11 2001.
“So instead of ‘suspending our disbelief’ as my Democratic colleague from New York suggested to General Petraeus last September I believe we need to listen to our commanders on the ground and support our men and women on the front lines. General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker outlined a path to success today -- one that will eventually allow us to bring our troops home in victory. But if we let decisions be dictated by the conditions on the ground and not politics here at home America will be made a safer place in the process.”
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General Texas Supreme Court Justice and Bexar County District Judge.
