In his 12/30/07 Denver Post editorial, Still in harm’s way, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall (D) hopes “we will begin the process of turning over to the Iraqi people the political and military responsibility for their country”.  The truth is that political control was handed over on June 28, 2004, by the Coalition Provision Authority’s Paul Bremer to Iyad Allawi, Iraq’s first prime minister.  Subsequently, over eight million Iraqis voted in national elections, an Iraqi constitution was ratified and local provincial councils began governing as well.  As of Sept. 10, 2007, when Gen. David Patreaus testified before Congress, over 140 battalions of Iraqi Army and police were capable of leading military operations and new recruits were coming forward in record numbers.  Additionally, British troops handed over control of Basra to the Iraqi Army, in February of 2007 and reported levels of violence have dropped precipiticly.  Clearly, Iraqis began taking political and military responsibility for their country a long time ago and Rep. Udall should be well aware of these facts.

Along with other Colorado Democrat politicians; Cong. Ed Perlmutter and Gov. Bill

Ritter, Mark Udall now acknowledges the success of the ‘surge’ ordered by President Bush.  Udall qualifies his support by claiming that our defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq has “deepened Iraqi dependence on U.S. Troops”.  Despite evidence to the contrary, Rep. Udall makes this sensational accusation without presenting any supporting documentation or testimony.

Additionally, Udall bemoans that “our army is not large enough to sustain current troop levels in Iraq” and that “the security situation in Afghanistan has gotten worse”, but he neglects to advocate increasing the size of our active military or to mention the significant role and responsibility of NATO forces in combating the Taliban.

Udall writes “the greatest gift Congress can give our soldiers next year is sure knowledge that a grateful nation will soon welcome them home.”  Congressman Udall, how about Congress giving; our soldiers the funding needed to win, and the Iraqis the support and patience to resolve their historical differences?