Congress Should Not Run The War

Op-Ed

Congress Should Not Run The War

By Rep. Steve Pearce

September is a pivotal month for our nation and the future of Iraq. A new report from General David Petraeus, Commander of the Multination Force in Iraq, will be delivered to Congress this week assessing the progress that has been made since January.

Since the beginning of the Iraq War, I have maintained the battlefield commanders are best equipped to make the decision regarding force requirements and troop deployments. In my several visits to Iraq, I found they understand the mission better than any of us and have the expertise to determine necessary troop levels and strategy.

Despite whether the General's evaluation is upbeat or not, it is clear difficult questions will remain. One thing we can all agree on is we want our troops to come home safely. The most difficult question is when to bring them home and how.

Early reports indicate the new counterinsurgency operations that started less than three months ago are already having a significant effect. This aggressive change of course set in motion by General Patraeus appears to be vastly improving security in some of the most important and dangerous areas in Iraq.

Many have argued for Congress to push for a date certain for withdrawal. Putting Congress in charge of deciding troop deployments is no way to run a war. Letting politicians run the Vietnam War was the single largest mistake of that conflict. I was there and saw first hand the morale of our troops crushed by elected officials making military decisions.

Further, it forces our military leaders to ignore changing conditions on the ground. Right now our forces are on the offensive. The increased presence President Bush ordered has resulted in a doubling of weapons-cache captures and the use of improvised explosive devices is at its lowest point in a year. We are also seeing significant success in destroying al-Qaeda networks and limiting insurgent attacks.

A public timetable for mandatory withdrawal also allows our enemies to wait us out. If they know exactly when we plan to leave the country, it simply becomes a matter of lying low until the day when coalition forces move out and they can move back in. Public timetables would almost certainly guarantee defeat.

It would be tragic for politicians in Washington to hamstring our commanders with arbitrary deadlines just as we are beginning to see positive results from the new offensive.

On the Iraqi political front, it is no surprise the transition from a nation ruled by a tyrannical dictator to free people ruled through democracy has been difficult. Early signs, however, point to important positive developments occurring as the security situation increases.

A major breakthrough occurred recently when Iraq's top leaders agreed on a framework that moves the country toward national reconciliation. A number of military analysts and officials who have been critical of the war are now reporting that a turning point could finally be taking place.

I share the feelings of a majority of Americans who are frustrated by the slow progress in Iraq. However, we must remember that Iraq continues to be the central front in the war on terror. Iraq remains ground zero for radical jihadists who share the same goals as Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. I predict we will be in this struggle for at least a generation - perhaps longer.

If we allow Iraq to be overrun and the fight to create a free nation fails, I am confident other countries in the region will face the same fate. During a recent trip to Israel, one of their top officials expressed to me that if Iraq falls into the hands of our enemies, then, one by one, Iraq's neighbors will also fall. If that happens, he said, it would not be long before Israel meets the same fate.

The reality is the fight against terrorism will continue whether we stay in Iraq or not. We can bring every soldier home tomorrow and it will not change the fact that our enemies are dedicated to destroying us, our allies, and our way of life. Trying to close the book on Iraq prematurely will not bring us safety.

Shortsighted benchmarks and politically driven timelines are no help to our soldiers. In the coming weeks, we should listen to what our commanders have to say about the progress being made in Iraq and tune out the political positioning that will certainly follow.

Congressman Steve Pearce serves the Second District of New Mexico in the U.S. Congress.

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