Murphy Statement on General Petraeus' Testimony on Iraq

Murphy Statement on General Petraeus' Testimony on Iraq

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Armed Services and the House Foreign Relations Committees received testimony from General David H. Petraeus, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, and Ryan C. Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) released the following statement in response to their testimony:

"Today, General Petraeus attempted to put a positive spin on a failed policy. While the General highlighted some notable military successes, other credible reports underscore the lack of real progress we have made in Iraq. The Government Accountability Office's report released last week shows the Iraqis have failed to achieve fifteen of eighteen benchmarks. General Jones' report states that the Iraqis are far from being able to take over for their own security. And the daily news reports out of Iraq paint a grim picture. Our Armed Forces, stretched and deployed nearly to the breaking point, have done their duty bravely and courageously, but the ends to which they have been directed - the political stability of Iraq - are increasingly beyond their control.

"This surge isn't working and General Petreaus effectively admitted this today. This summer has been the bloodiest yet so far for U.S. troops in Iraq, with 264 soldiers killed. There is indisputable proof that this strategy has not accomplished the basic goal laid out by the President in January - giving the Iraqis breathing room to achieve political consensus. To grant this Administration an extension of this failed policy would not only put our soldiers at greater risk, it would put this country as a whole in a more perilous position.

"I hope that today marks a new era in our national debate on Iraq. The President must face the facts; achieving military success will not lead to Iraqi political success."

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