Forest Lake Times - Surge in Iraq is working, claim congressmen, vets

Surge in Iraq is working, claim congressmen, vets

Friday, 05 September 2008

by Howard Lestrud

Four United States congressmen and three members of the Veterans for Freedom bipartisan organization were all in agreement when speaking at a press conference at the Republican National Convention. The surge in Iraq is working, the group agreed.

Leading the support for the surge and providing evidence that the surge has worked, the congressmen and vets told of repeated visits to Iraq and discussions with Iraqi leaders about their acceptance of responsibility to govern themselves.

Second District Rep. John Kline, R-MN, said he saw remarkable changes last year when he visited Iraq. Successes in peace and stability are encouraging, said Kline. He said the future of Iraq lies with the Iraqi government and coalition forces. Kline was joined at the press conference with fellow Representatives Steve King of Iowa, John McHugh of New York and Geoff Davis of Kentucky.

Pete Hegseth, veteran and 1999 graduate of Forest Lake High School, agreed with Kline’s assessment and said when he visited Iraq recently, he was able to circulate wearing a baseball cap and no protective gear which was necessary when he served in the military in Iraq in 2006. Hegseth is chairman of the Veterans for Freedom campaign.

Hegseth said he was in Iraq the day the Golden Mosque was bombed. He said he came home from the military in 2006 and was disappointed with the direction of the war. Hegseth said he was heartened by the changes that followed with the surge supported by Sen. John McCain and many others.

Walking around recently for a week, he said it was very encouraging to see the mosque being rebuilt. Families and children were active on the streets and they were enjoying the best environment they had ever experienced.

Hegseth told of sitting at a city council meeting and not hearing one word about war but hearing about the topics of sewage, electricity and elections. “It was all in the political sphere,” he said. Iraqis are able to stand up and create a political resolution, Hegseth remarked. He shared another story about his visit to Iraq, saying he sat across from an insurgent who two years ago was on the United States’ target list.

“Iraq’s soul is being reborn,” said Hegseth. He said he believed America is winning the war and cautioned that it is not yet over. He asked Congress to tell what has happened with the surge. Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham are pushing Senate Resolution 636 to accomplish this. “It is a historic turn-around,” Hegseth added.

Hegseth said he also attended the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. He said the Denver convention carried a star flavor to it but believed enthusiasm levels were comparable for both conventions. Hegseth has been part of the Vets for Freedom group since 2007. He said funding is a daily challenge for the group. Funding is gained from online donations and from some front-liner groups.

Asked what he thought of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s speech Wednesday night, Hegseth said he believed she was aggressive in her delivery and answered many critics.

Veterans for Freedoms executive director Joel Arends and vice chairman David Bellav also spoke about the surge. Arends said the U.S. has two options, it can pull all forces out of Iraq or the U.S. can stay with an effective surge strategy that is working.

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