Loebsack Receives Testimony from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker

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Loebsack Receives Testimony from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker

As Iowa's only member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Dave Loebsack received testimony today from General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on military operations and political conditions in Iraq. The hearing comes on the heels of a report authored by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker received by Congress last month because of a change in the law authored by Congressman Loebsack in the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.

"I have the utmost respect and great appreciation for the dedicated men and women in uniform who have performed admirably and who have successfully carried out every mission assigned to them," said Congressman Loebsack. "I worked to change the law and require that quarterly reports be sent to Congress on our operations in Iraq because this increased oversight will enhance our efforts to not only ensure our troops have the support they need in the battlefield, but also serves as a critical first step in changing direction in Iraq so we can begin to safely and responsibly bring our troops home."

Today's hearing was the third of four hearings in two days where General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker testified in front of members of Congress on our operations in Iraq and the status of political reconciliation. Specifically, the General and Ambassador were reporting to Congress on the status of the administration's troops surge, the current political conditions in Iraq, and the possibility of withdrawing troops to the pre-surge levels.

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker's testimony made clear the Iraqi government has yet to take the steps necessary to reach the political reconciliation needed to secure their country's future. Their testimony also revealed the Administration is once again changing rationales for staying in Iraq by explaining troop levels must not decrease substantially before the end of this summer. Previously, the Administration argued additional troops were necessary to quell the violence, now it claims additional troops and additional time are necessary now that violence is down.

"I remain troubled by the serious strain this war has placed on our military, national security, and economy," added Congressman Loebsack. "Our country has become less safe at home and abroad; our military is overstretched and the administration has all but ignored Afghanistan, the country from where the 9/11 attacks were launched and where the greatest threat to our country remains. We must safely and responsibly redeploy our troops from Iraq and end this failed policy."

The hearing ended before Congressman Loebsack had an opportunity to ask General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker questions; however the Congressman requested that the General and Ambassador respond to his questions in writing.

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