In a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Nelson (D-NE), and John Warner (R-VA) today called on Committee leaders to hold a public hearing in early September to provide an opportunity for General David Petraeus to deliver an update on the situation in Iraq.
In January, Senators Collins, Nelson and Warner introduced a bipartisan Resolution that expressed the Senate’s opposition to the President’s plan to send more troops to Iraq.
“At his nomination hearing earlier this year, General Petraeus told the Senate that he would need until August to assess the current strategy,” said Senators Collins, Nelson, and Warner in a joint statement. “It is important that the Senate Armed Services Committee hold a public hearing to hear General Petraeus’ assessment of the current strategy at that time.”
The Senators added, “Given the importance of this issue to the American people, we request that the Committee hold an open session with General Petraeus at the time that he himself has indicated he would be prepared to give this vital assessment.”
Following is the full text of the letter.
May 2, 2007
The Honorable Carl Levin The Honorable John McCain
Chairman, Committee on Armed Services Ranking Member, Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate United States Senate
228 Russell Senate Office Building 228 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Levin and Ranking Member McCain:
We write today to request that you hold a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee to provide an opportunity for General David Petraeus to give the Committee a full assessment of the current U.S. strategy in Iraq, including the deployment of additional American troops. While we expect continued periodic assessments, such as the classified briefing the General provided to members of the Senate last week, we are requesting a public hearing to be held in early September, by which time the General has indicated that he would be prepared to fully assess the impact of the current strategy.
In January, the President acknowledged the need for a new strategy in Iraq and outlined his plan to send more than 21,000 additional troops to Iraq. He also named General Petraeus as Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq, to implement this new strategy. During his nomination hearing on January 23, 2007, General Petraeus was asked by Senator McCain: “In your judgment, what is a reasonable estimate of the time needed to demonstrate whether these efforts are having success?” General Petraeus responded, “I would think that we would have indicators at the least during the late summer of the ability to clear and hold and then build in the Baghdad area and to secure that population.” In a subsequent press conference, General Petraeus was even more specific, stating, “Well, we're going to make the assessment in early September. That's a commitment that Ambassador Crocker and I have made.”
The Senate is facing critical decisions regarding our policy in Iraq. It is important that the Senate hear General Petraeus' assessment of the impact of the President's strategy and that Committee members have the opportunity to question the General thoroughly so that we can determine whether the strategy and mission in Iraq should be continued, altered, or redefined. Given the importance of this issue to the American people, we request that the Committee hold an open session (followed by a closed session if required) with General Petraeus at the time that he himself has indicated he would be prepared to give this vital assessment.
Sincerely,
Susan Collins
John Warner
Ben Nelson
United States Senators
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