Last weekend, I traveled with Appropriations Chairman Obey, Defense Subcommittee Chairman Murtha and other members of the Appropriations Committee to Iraq to see the progress that our troops and our Iraqi partners are making in the country. And it is clear — the surge is working. It is impossible to deny that our military troops and our Iraqi partners have made great strides in fighting the insurgents and improving the security situation on the ground.

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker personally briefed us on the progress we have made there and the increased role the Iraqis are playing both militarily and politically. The situation has visibly improved from the last time that I visited the country in 2004—violence is down and the political situation is getting better.

We also met with the military troops serving there. Our troops are doing an outstanding job in Iraq, and it is critical that we at home continue to support them and provide them with the tools and equipment they need to get the job done. We are grateful for their service and want them to know that Americans at home support them in their mission.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 26th, 2008 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized .