John Doolittle: “five and a half years ago, our Nation was attacked by terrorists opposed to freedom and individual liberty. Our…”

“five and a half years ago, our Nation was attacked by terrorists opposed to freedom and individual liberty. Our President vowed to keep Americans safe by taking the fight to the terrorists, and holding the regimes that support them accountable. We are currently engaged in that fight. Like any war this size, mistakes have been made, but we must continue to progress. The consequences of failure in Iraq would be dire. Allowing al-Qaeda the opportunity to gain a safe hold would be dangerous to Americans. Leaving before the Iraqi government can defend itself would only lead to further destabilization, and open the door to outside influence from countries such as Iran, which has called for the downfall of our society and for the destruction of Israel, our ally in the Middle East. With violence headlining the nation's nightly news, at times we forget that successes have been achieved. Through successful elections which achieved a 70 percent turnout, we know that the citizens of Iraq have rejected the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein, and strive for peace and prosperity. But violence supported by al-Qaeda, the remnants of Saddam Hussein's government, and armed militias, have created difficult conditions for diplomacy. Our President, working with a wide range of involved professionals, has created a new strategy to ensure progress in Iraq. James Baker and Lee Hamilton, the leaders of the Iraq Study Group, have called for support of the President's plan.”