Statement of Senator Dodd on Iraq Study Group

Statement of Senator Dodd on Iraq Study Group

"I believe that the Baker Hamilton study group is an important effort to forge a bipartisan plan of action for Iraq. But we have to be honest: the difficulties that need to be surmounted are enormous and I don't expect any quick fixes to come out of the Baker Hamilton effort. It is always easier to take preventative steps than to be faced with the seemingly massive task of rebuilding institutions. And because of the serious missteps that the Administration has made, we are now confronted with the latter rather than the former. I believe that the Baker Hamilton recommendations that I expect to be forthcoming are some of the points that I have been making over the last several months. First, we have got to pull our troops back from urban centers and let Iraqi security forces bring order to the civil war that is raging in many parts of Iraq. The Iraq troops still need our assistance with training and logistics and I support the anticipated recommendation by the Iraq study group to continue to provide that assistance over the next year. I also believe that US forces can provide border security while we continue to strengthen the capabilities of the Iraqi forces. I do not expect the Baker Hamilton recommendations to include a hard target date for completing the redeployment of our troops, but clearly the process of redeployment must begin very soon in order to send a very clear signal to Iraq's political elite that a major course correction has begun. The Iraqis must assume responsibility for their country and there must be a broad bipartisan support behind that change in policy."

http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3674