Tierney has distored view of U.S. mission

Duty, honor, integrity.  Three words that are clearly missing from Congressman Tierney’s vocabulary.  As a former Naval Officer not only am I outraged by his comments, I am calling for Mr. Tierney to make a public apology to Gen. Petraeus for implying that the general was “teeing one up for the administration” ( Salem News Sept. 11 ) when delivering his report to Congress.  While again displaying the true colors of one who loathes the military, Tierney takes his best shot at a man who has served his country faithfully and with honor for over thirty years.

While cherry picking data for his own agenda from the report of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces in Iraq, Tierney fails to point out the similarities of this assessment and that of Gen. Petraeus.  Both reports state that the Iraqi Security Forces have continued to grow, develop their capabilities and shoulder more of the burden.  In fact, the ICSFI report concludes their assessment of the ISF with the following:

“The Iraqi armed forces-Army, Special Forces, Navy, and Air Force-are increasingly effective and are capable of assuming greater responsibility for the internal security of Iraq… The Commission assesses that in the next 12 to 18 months there will be continued improvement in their readiness and capability.”

 Tierney’s reference to unevenness in troop readiness is understandable since he has never served in any military capacity and fails to have a working knowledge of leadership development, which is obviously not taught in law school.  Both reports pointed out the lack of sufficient numbers of officers and non-commissioned officers capable of fully taking on leadership roles at different levels of the ISF command structure. Additionally, the ICSFI report underscored the problems with and delays with the U.S. Foreign Military Sales system.  The delays in providing equipment for which the Iraqi government has already paid for directly hampers progress in developing Iraq’s military capabilities.

As for Tierney favoring engaging Saudi Arabia and Iran in developing Iraq’s future, it appears the Congressman is unaware of the fact that both countries have continually contributed to the insurgent problem.  The ICSFI points out that one of the greatest challenges for the ISF is to gain control of its borders in order to minimize insurgents and foreign influences.  It should also be pointed out to the Congressman that the Saudis are Sunni, the Iranians Shiite, a volatile combination for a nation in search of stability. 

Both Gen. Petraeus and the ICSFI point out that there are no easy answers or quick solutions to the situation in Iraq. The ICSFI makes the following conclusion:

“While much remains to be done before success can be confidently declared, the strategic consequences of failure, or even perceived failure, for the United States and the Coalition are enormous.  We approach a truly strategic moment in this still young century.  Iraq’s regional geo-strategic position, the balance of power in the Middle East, the economic stability made possible by the flow of energy to many parts of the world, and the ability to defeat and contain terrorism where it is most manifest are issues that do not lend themselves to easy or quick solutions.  How we respond to them, however, could well define our nation in the eyes of the world for years to come.”

If Congressman Tierney believes that our presence is doing more harm than good, he should review the following Defense Intelligence Agency assessment made on August 16:

“… a rapid withdrawal would result in the further release of the strong centrifugal forces in Iraq and produce a number of dangerous results, including a high risk of disintegration of the Iraqi Security Forces; rapid deterioration of local security initiatives; Al Qaeda in Iraq regaining lost ground and freedom of maneuver; a marked increase in violence…and exacerbation of already challenging regional dynamics, especially with respect to Iran.”

One would have thought a member of the House Intelligence Committee would have seen this report, but let’s not let facts stand in the way of ideology.

This column appeared in the Salem News September 13, 2007

October 2, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized

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