News
Sep 13 2006
Iraq 'sobering,' senator says
WASHINGTON - Sen. Tom Coburn called his first trip to Iraq "a sobering experience" and said Tuesday the United States must invest in the Iraqi people to succeed there.
Coburn, R-Muskogee, returned to the United States on Monday after spending 42 hours in Iraq, traveling to Baghdad and surrounding areas and to Tikrit, the hometown of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The Oklahoma senator was accompanied by Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and David Vitter of Louisiana.
At a news conference, Burr said Iraq "continues to be a very challenging area of operation," but that the U.S. military plan to reduce violence in Baghdad is "making progress."
Burr, Vitter and Coburn said the Iraqi people living in dangerous areas need to see basic services -- water, sewage and electricity -- restored to give them hope the new government can improve their lives.
"Congress needs to reaffirm its commitment, not question that commitment," Vitter said.
"If we don't invest in the Iraqi people ... we will have failed," Coburn said.
Coburn said there needs to be a visible public works program.
Coburn, who said before leaving for the trip last week that he was curious about whether there are enough U.S. troops in Iraq, came home convinced there are.
"I came away impressed that a huge portion of the Iraqi military is extremely well qualified," he said, adding that the national police force is improving.
Coburn, whose service in the U.S. Senate began last year, was the last member of the Oklahoma congressional delegation to travel to Iraq.
Coburn and the two other senators met with Iraq's minister of the interior, the commanding general of the Iraqi armed forces and some U.S. military and State Department leaders. In Tikrit, Coburn met with about 40 Oklahomans who are members of the Army National Guard, the Naval Reserves and the Air Force Reserves.
He said he was impressed with their insights.
"I gave them my personal e-mail address and told them to write me and tell me what needs to be done," he said.
Coburn, R-Muskogee, returned to the United States on Monday after spending 42 hours in Iraq, traveling to Baghdad and surrounding areas and to Tikrit, the hometown of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The Oklahoma senator was accompanied by Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and David Vitter of Louisiana.
At a news conference, Burr said Iraq "continues to be a very challenging area of operation," but that the U.S. military plan to reduce violence in Baghdad is "making progress."
Burr, Vitter and Coburn said the Iraqi people living in dangerous areas need to see basic services -- water, sewage and electricity -- restored to give them hope the new government can improve their lives.
"Congress needs to reaffirm its commitment, not question that commitment," Vitter said.
"If we don't invest in the Iraqi people ... we will have failed," Coburn said.
Coburn said there needs to be a visible public works program.
Coburn, who said before leaving for the trip last week that he was curious about whether there are enough U.S. troops in Iraq, came home convinced there are.
"I came away impressed that a huge portion of the Iraqi military is extremely well qualified," he said, adding that the national police force is improving.
Coburn, whose service in the U.S. Senate began last year, was the last member of the Oklahoma congressional delegation to travel to Iraq.
Coburn and the two other senators met with Iraq's minister of the interior, the commanding general of the Iraqi armed forces and some U.S. military and State Department leaders. In Tikrit, Coburn met with about 40 Oklahomans who are members of the Army National Guard, the Naval Reserves and the Air Force Reserves.
He said he was impressed with their insights.
"I gave them my personal e-mail address and told them to write me and tell me what needs to be done," he said.
