LETTER FROM PA. SEN. ARLEN SPECTER

Dear Mr. Masters :

Thank you for contacting my office regarding the ongoing situation in Iraq . I appreciate your taking the time to bring your views on this important matter to my attention.

Had we known Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destru ction, I believe that the Congress would not have authorized the invasion of Iraq . Now that we are there, I feel we should give the Iraqis an opportunity to solidify a democratic government and do our best to establish the capabilities of Iraq ‘s army and police forces to provide adequate security. However, continuing violence and instability have made it apparent that Iraq is in a state of civil war and that the policies of the U.S. and Iraqi governments to date have been ineffective .

As a member of Congress, I have urged the Administration to work with the Iraqi government and Iraq ‘s neighbors, including Iran and Syria , to develop cooperative stabilization efforts. To that end, I have personally met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran ‘s Ambassador to the United Nations in an attempt to help facilitate such an effort . In September 2007, I met with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and expressed my desire to see greater U.N. involvement in Iraq . I have also expressed support for the Iraq Study Group, an independent, bipartisan commission led by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Congressman Lee Hamilton, which has echoed my call for a new and enhanced diplomatic effort to help stem the violence in Iraq . To this end, I am a cosponsor of the Salazar-Alexander Iraq Study Group legislation, which calls for a new U.S. policy in Iraq that is consistent with the recommendations set forth in the Iraq Study Group Report.

I agree with Senator Biden that the U.S. should support a federal system in Iraq . Contrary to the claims of many critics of Biden’s plan, the proposal does not mandate the partition of Iraq into Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish regions, but rather encourages the federal government in Iraq to develop the federal structure called for in its constitution.

In September 2007, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before the Senate regarding the situation on the ground in Iraq . General Petraeus committed to a limited troop withdrawal before Christmas, and signaled additional troop reductions next spring.

At this time, I do not support Congress legislating a definitive timeline for withdrawal, as I believe Congress can not micromanage the war and that a timeline would enable the enemy to win by waiting us out. I am a cosponsor of legislation drafted by Senators Warner and Lugar that would require a report to Congress by the President, but would leave the ultimate decision on setting a withdrawal date to the Commander-in-Chief.

I am cognizant of the consequences of a premature departure. The Iraq Study Group concluded that, “Because of the importance of Iraq, the potential for catastrophe, and the role and commitments of the United States in initiating events that have led to the current situation, we believe it would be wrong for the United States to abandon the country through a precipitate withdrawal of troops and support. ” U.S. forces should not remain in Iraq any longer than necessary. The Iraqi government forces will ultimately be responsi ble for securing their country. As more Iraqi Security F orces are trained and become able to conduct independent operations , U.S. forces should gradually redeploy.

E nsuring that our troops are cared for-adequately paid and equipped, and the healthcare of them and their families ensured-is one of the most important duties I have as a Senator. I gave great consideration to Senator Jim Webb’s proposal to mandate troops spend as much time at home as they do on deployments abroad. As I stated on the Senate floor, I would have supported the amendment had the effective date been changed from 120 days after enactment to October 1, 2008, because that was the date indicated by Lieutenant Generals Ham and Lovelace, as well as Secretary of Defense Gates, as the earliest date when the new dwell time ratios could be put into effect without serious disruptions to deployment schedules.

The U.S. should be doing a great deal more to aid Iraqi refugees. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been forced to flee the country: to date, the U.S. has given immigration visas to less than one-thousand. As I noted in my statement before the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom, one of the issues that is very troubling is the Iraqis who are cooperating with the United States in our efforts and are subsequently at risk of being murdered if their identities are revealed. Helping them is not a matter solely of humanitarian concern-it is a matter of what we owe them.

Thank you again for contacting me. The concerns of my constituents are of great importance to me, and I rely on you and other Pennsylvanians to inform me of your views. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at http://specter.senate.gov.

Sincerely,