Pence: "This War is Not Lost"

Press Release

PENCE: "THIS WAR IS NOT LOST"

U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, ranking member of the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee, delivered the following speech on the floor of the U.S. House today regarding General David Petraeus' visit to Capitol Hill this week:

"As President Bush said yesterday, this is a rough time in Iraq. This week Congress will hear from our commander in Baghdad, General David Petraeus, here on Capitol Hill. I suspect we will hear what I heard from General Petraeus on the streets of Baghdad just three weeks ago.

"That is, despite a recent wave of insurgent bombing, this war is not lost. In fact, because of the President's surge and the brave conduct of our forces and Iraqi forces, we are making modest progress in Iraq.

"In Baghdad, despite recent bombings, sectarian violence is down. Baghdad is not safe but it is safer because of the presence of more than two dozen U.S. and Iraqi joint operating centers. Now more than 20 Sunni Sheiks across the Al Anbar province have united together to oppose the insurgency and Al Qaeda.

"I truly believe that we are making progress because of the President's surge. This war is not lost. The American people know in their hearts that victory is our only option.

"Let's give General Petraeus a willing ear, the time, the resources and the authority to secure a victory for freedom in Iraq, for ourselves and our posterity."

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