Ambassador Crocker's Testimony

Some principle quotes from Ambassador Ryan Crocker's Report to Congress on the state of politics in Iraq. Thanks to Kathyrn Jean Lopez at NRO's the Corner:

• I intend to demonstrate that it is possible for the United States to see its goals realized in Iraq and that Iraqis are capable of tackling and addressing the problems confronting them today.
• (T)here is a budding debate about federalism among Iraq’s leaders and, importantly, within the Sunni community. Those living in places like al-Anbar and Salahaddin are beginning to realize how localities having more of a say in daily decision making will empower their communities.
• (W)e see that even in the absence of legislation there is practical action as the central government shares oil revenues through budget allocations on an equitable basis with Iraq’s provinces.
• I do believe that Iraq’s leaders have the will to tackle the country’s pressing problems, although it will take longer than we originally anticipated because of the environment and the gravity of the issues before them.
• In these areas, there is abundant evidence that the security gains have opened the door for meaningful politics.
• The growing ability of the provinces to design and execute budgets and the readiness of the central government to resource them are success stories.
• Our increased presence made besieged communities feel that they could defeat al-Qa’ida by working with us. Our population security measures have made it much harder for terrorists to conduct attacks.
• We have given the Iraqis the time and space to reflect on what sort of country they want.

And we should continue to give the Iraqi's time in my view, as long as the generals and our government say we can. Inevitably, internal security will lead to political reconciliation. A strong Iraqi Security Force will mean dissident sects are less likely to consider civil war, as we have seen happen with Al Sadr's Mahdi Army.