[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4] [Senate] [Page 5309] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IRAQ WAR TESTIMONY Mr. McCONNELL. Now, to the testimony on the Iraq war in committees today. General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will be here, as we all know. This is an eagerly anticipated update on political and military progress being made in Iraq. Less than a year after our counterinsurgency plan went into full effect, we have been getting a steady flow of positive reports on the security situation in Iraq. Overall violence in Iraq is down. Civilian deaths are down. Sectarian killing is down. Attacks on American forces are down. As a result, thousands of U.S. troops have already begun to come back home. Another measure of the Petraeus plan's success is the dramatic increase in Iraqi security forces since the full implementation of the counterinsurgency strategy last June. Between December 2007 and last month, Iraqi security forces have increased by more than 40,000, bringing the total number to more than 530,000. This includes 141,000 assigned soldiers and officers and a police force of 347,000 strong. Over the last year, the so-called surge of Iraqi security forces has been three or four times larger than our own surge. As we stand here, the Iraqi security forces continue to expand, with young Iraqis signing up for local police forces to protect the border and for special operations. As the Iraqis take over more of their own security needs, Congress can help by passing a supplemental appropriations bill that has been on request for more than a year. These funds are also needed to ensure the combat readiness of the force and our forces over in Afghanistan as well. Increased security in Iraq has led to political progress in Iraq. Although significant benchmarks remain unmet, progress on other significant benchmarks that seemed far off a few months ago is now underway. These include such things as passage and approval of debaathification legislation, an amnesty law, and measures leading to greater centralization of the Iraqi security forces. It is also worth noting the Iraq Government has started to meet more of its own expenses, including three-fourths of the costs of its security forces and a new jobs program. The success of General Petraeus's strategy is the best reason we have for listening closely to his advice as we move forward. Last August, he said security and local political progress will enable us to reduce the number of U.S. troops to presurge levels, and we have reason to hope the progress that has been made, both politically and in security, will, in fact, lead to a reduction in troop levels. But General Petraeus has a better grasp than most on whether the gains we have seen are secure enough for a full reduction to begin. For the sake of our long-term security, we should listen very closely to what he has to say. When Democrats on the campaign trail tout their plans for Iraq and Afghanistan, they often cite the need to listen to the generals. The junior Senator from New York likes to say one of her first actions as President would be to convene the Joint Chiefs of Staff to help her draw up a plan for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. If military advice is needed to draw up plans for withdrawal, shouldn't it be important to draw up plans for success? Our friends on the other side are rightly concerned about military readiness. I share their concern. But the best way to ensure the military's readiness is not to scrap a plan that has been working in Iraq. The best way to improve readiness is to approve the Defense supplemental without arbitrary dates for withdrawal and to fully fund the 2009 Defense appropriations bill. As most Americans, I am eager to hear what General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker have to say about the military and political progress in Iraq. These men have spent literally decades mastering their respective professional fields. They deserve our respect, and over the last year they have earned our admiration. I know we will all welcome them and give them the fair hearing they have earned and that this all-important mission certainly deserves. I yield the floor. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized. ____________________