Senator Reed Calls for Change of Policy in Iraq

Written by: Aaron M. Watkins
(amwphilos@yahoo.com)

7/16/07
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), speaking from the Senate floor today talked of the “one dimensional” approach the current administration has taken on Iraq.

Military action, being the only course of action the Bush Administration has taken toward the resolution of conflict in Iraq, has failed to bring about a resolution in the war torn country. Reed also spoke of the “strategic deficit” in which the military is currently working under, citing the failure of the Bush administration to garner regional support in Iraq.

Reed said that he doesn’t think that Congress should wait for the progress report in September to make a decision on the American military strategy in Iraq.

He says the conflict between Sunni and Shia factions in Iraq is such that the Shia led government has largely been ineffectual.

Reed stated that “ultimately, only the Iraqis can provide the solutions to these political problems, these sectarian divides. We can suggest what they should do but unless they do it, these divides will continue to paralyze the country and to continue to undermine our efforts to help them stabilize their own country.”

Responding to the assertion that Congress should wait until the September progress reports to begin any talks on Iraq, Senator Reed noted that “it has been suggested by many Congress commentators that the ability of the Iraqi government to function even to participate over the next several weeks is limited.”

He continued with a message to his colleagues who favor waiting until September saying that he “hoped they’re not suggesting that these profound political problems will be somehow, miraculously cured in the next six weeks.”

Rallying for a change of policy, Senator Reed talked of the increasing ineffectiveness of the current military strategy and the need for a new strategy shying away from the troop surge in favor of a smaller force trained to deal with political factions within Iraq.

“Public support is a critical and necessary element of any national security threat. You can only go so far and so long without it.”

Senator Reed acknowledges the waning support of the American people for the war in Iraq and their distrust of Bush’s policy, and notes that the new strategy needs to be implemented in a way as to gain American’s support.

“[American] tolerance for any significant engagement in Iraq might erode completely by next spring, leaving us with fewer options then, than we have today.”

As the cost of this war continues to mount, it remains financed largely through “deficit spending, which means we are passing on to the next generation of Americans a huge bill.”

Senator Reed continued by asking “how are we going to reestablish our military…, [when this effort is completed] how are we going to provide for the next generation of military equipment, for the next generation of military tactics and techniques, and support personnel?”

Furthermore, Senator Reed, reiterating the need to discuss strategy change in Iraq now, said that “military planners do not see how we can sustain 160,000 troops beyond next April.”

Senator Reed continued by reminding the Senate that not only has our current presence in Iraq turned the tide of world opinion against us, but it has also led to a resurgence of Al-Qaeda in the area, as was demonstrated by the press last week.

He also noted that “we are seeing a situation where Iran is increasing its strategic power, and one major factor is that we are tied down with 160,000 troops in Iraq; we are tied down in a way in which many of the individuals in the Iraqi government that we depend on…have close personal and political ties to the Iranians; we are in a situation in which our position in Iraq…has strengthened the Iranians.”

In concluding his speech to the Senate, Senator Reed announced that he and Senator Levin (D-MI) have proposed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that “calls upon us to begin to take up the issues of real, pro-active, complementary diplomatic and political action that is so necessary to stability operations.”

The Levin-Reed amendment, Senator Reed announced, was supported by Senator Hagel (R-NE), Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), and Senator Olympia Snow (R-ME), making it a bi-partisan amendment.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Friday that “Levin-Reed gives the President no choice. It requires him to take the steps to responsibly end the war that the country and our brave men and women in uniform demand and deserve. The Levin-Reed amendment:

Sets a firm start and end date to transition the mission and begin the reduction of U.S. forces – beginning 120 days after enactment and completed by March 30th;

Limits the U.S. mission to limited counter-terror, training and force protection operations after March 30th;

Requires that the reduction in forces be part of a comprehensive diplomatic, regional, political and economic effort.”