'Hard Does Not Mean Hopeless'
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker reported to Congress this week on the state of affairs in Iraq. Below is an excerpt from Crocker's testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Looking ahead, Mr. Chairman, almost everything about Iraq is hard. It will continue to be hard as Iraqis struggle with the damage and trauma inflicted by 35 years of totalitarian Baathist rule.
But hard does not mean hopeless, and the political and economic progress of the past few months is significant. These gains are fragile, however, and they are reversible.
Americans have invested a great deal in Iraq in blood, as well as treasure, and they have the right to ask whether this is worth it, whether it is now time to walk away and let the Iraqis fend for themselves.… Seguir leyendo »