John McCain

“ Not just for the Iraqis themselves, for whom genocide is a real prospect should sectarian violence spiral out of control. But for America. Success or failure in Iraq is the transcendent issue for our foreign policy and our national security. People say they want to defeat the terrorists. But if we withdraw from Iraq prematurely, it will be the terrorists' greatest triumph. ”

“ And let us, elected officials who have the honor of overseeing the conduct of our soldiers' mission in Iraq, exercise a lesser magnitude of courage - our political courage on behalf of them and the country they serve. If any Senator believes that our troops' sacrifice is truly in vain, the dictates of conscience demand that he or she act to prevent it. ”

“ If, on the other hand, you believe, as I do, that an increase of U.S. troops in Iraq, carrying out a counterinsurgency mission, provides the best chance for success in Iraq, then you should give your support to this new strategy. It may not be popular nor politically expedient, but we are always at our best when we put aside the small politics of the day in the interest of our nation and the values upon which they rest. ”

“ When AQI attacks a Shia village along the Diyala River, is that terrorism or sectarian violence? What about when an American soldier comes across some unknown assailant burying an IED in the road? The obvious answer is that such acts very often constitute terrorism in Iraq and sectarian violence in Iraq. The two are deeply intertwined. To try and make an artificial distinction between terrorism and sectarian violence is to fundamentally misunderstand al Qaeda's strategy—which is to incite sectarian violence. ”

“ Why would we now deprive him of the opportunity to pursue the strategy he helped design and believes can work? Why would we hand our enemies a victory when we have finally taken the initiative and they are on the defensive? ”

“ America is engaged today in a fundamentally new strategy, a new approach to the war, an approach that is already showing encouraging signs that it might succeed.
"Until now, U.S. forces did not attempt to defeat the insurgency and the terrorists, protect the population, and end the violence so that political and economic progress could occur. Most American troops spent their days on large Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) , making forays out into hostile territory in which they were subject to ambush. ”

“ When Congress authorized this war, we committed America to a mission that entails the greatest sacrifice a country can make, one that falls disproportionately on those Americans who love their country so much that they volunteer to risk their lives to accomplish that mission. ”

“ In pre-9/11 Afghanistan, terrorists found sanctuary to train and plan attacks - including attacks against America - with impunity. If we leave Iraq based on an artificial timetable, al Qaeda will be free to plan, train for and conduct operations from Iraq just as they did from Afghanistan. ”

“ There is progress outside Baghdad as well: Throughout Anbar Province, Sunni sheikhs have banded together to fight al Qaeda in Iraq, and are pouring recruits into the police forces. Sixteen of 26 tribes in that western province are now working against al Qaeda. With numerous senior al Qaeda leaders killed or captured, the younger, less experienced leaders are making mistakes, such as targeting respected sheikhs and murdering children, that have alienated Sunnis and their leaders. ”

“ All of us want to bring our troops home, and to do so as soon as possible. None of us, no matter how we voted on the resolution authorizing this war, believes the situation that existed until recently is sustainable. But there is a new situation, a new reality in Iraq. ”

“ Today, U.S. troops, along with Iraqi forces, are out of the FOBs and living in small outposts. Today, US forces are operating throughout Baghdad, even in Shi'ite strongholds such as Sadr city, Sunni areas like Mansoor, and mixed districts like Rashid. As of March 15, 24 Joint Security Stations were operational with many more planned. American forces in these stations are visible every day, living among the population, building confidence that we - and not the terrorists - will prevail. ”