David Vitter: “today we are embarking on another very important chapter in our ongoing Iraq debate, and it is very appropriate that we…”

“today we are embarking on another very important chapter in our ongoing Iraq debate, and it is very appropriate that we do so because we are receiving testimony and reports from two great American leaders who have been forging our cause there--GEN David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. In that context, I wish to begin to offer some preliminary thoughts of my own as we reenter this debate. They are forged in particular by a recent experience, my recent visit to Iraq with three of our Senate colleagues during the August recess. I was able to go there with Senators Voinovich, Alexander, and Corker. We had a very good review of many issues there, as well as, obviously, a great opportunity to converse and study and talk with experts on the way there and on the way back. I guess out of that trip in particular--it was my second trip to Iraq; the first was just about a year prior to that, and this was my fourth trip to the Middle East--three things struck me in particular, that while many of them have been stated before, they are very important to get out on the table and reaffirm at the beginning of this debate.”