Monday, July 3, 2006
No Time to 'Walk Away' in Iraq
Returning from a weekend visit to Iraq, Rep. Jim Ryun said Monday that he was "heartened" by the commitment of members of the U.S. military fighting there.
Ryun spoke with The Associated Press by telephone en route back to the United States. The Kansas Republican was part of a delegation of elected officials who made the weekend trip. It was his first visit to Iraq.
Ryun said his impression of the war was consistent with those views shared by U.S. military members he has spoken with who have returned from Iraq since the war began in 2003.
"I was very encouraged," Ryun said. "It is really remarkable what our young men and women are doing there for us."
Ryun, who is seeking his sixth term in Congress in the November election, said he saw that the U.S. military is playing more of a support role to Iraqi forces in fighting the insurgency. While in Iraq, he said, the delegation was informed that some Iraqi soldiers had been killed by insurgents.
"It is evidence that they are taking more of a lead role," he said.
Ryun was part of a bipartisan delegation that included GOP leadership and members of the House Armed Services Committee. The delegation visited Jordan and Iraq over two days.
House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the issue of the United States leaving Iraq too early was raised by the Iraqi leaders. The delegation repeatedly told the Iraqis that the United States was staying put, Boehner said during a conference call with reporters Monday.
"This is not time to walk away from them," Boehner said from Spain.
Recently, the Senate defeated two measures that would have set a timeline for removing U.S. troops from Iraq, currently numbering about 127,000. Ryun said it would be wrong to set deadlines for troop withdrawals, creating a situation for the insurgents to wait for the United States to leave before thrusting Iraq into further chaos.
"The debate we had I think is important because it brings to light the differences that are out there," Ryun said.
However, Ryan's Democratic opponent, Nancy Boyda, said the American people deserve to know what the plans are for Iraq and how much more it will cost the United States in lives and dollars.
"The American people want to back their commander in chief, but they need more than slogans, like stay the course," said Boyda, who lost to Ryun in 2004. "It's up to them to provide the leadership. After taking Baghdad there was no plan to deal with the insurgency other than stay the course."
Ryun said progress is being made in setting up the Iraqi government, including it's military forces, as well as providing basic infrastructure to civilians, such as water, electricity and education.
Those continued gains, as well as more Iraqi security forces taking the lead, will produce further troop reductions, Ryun said. He noted that a brigade from Fort Riley had its deployment canceled in January after conditions improved.
Ryun said that during his visit, Iraqi leaders said they were frustrated by negative media reports in the United States, which they say focus more on the conflict and less on the progress being made. Part of the problem, Ryun said, is that it has been just three years since Saddam Hussein was removed from power.
"The world's spotlight is on them," Ryun said. "America is patient but wants to see the results."
Boyda said the Bush administration and its followers should stop blaming the public and the media when it was the administration that failed to properly plan for the Iraq war. She also said Congress and the Bush administration must do more to address pressing domestic issues, such as fuel prices, health care and immigration.
"I don't think you can call someone unpatriotic because they're asking for a plan. Stay the course sounds good, but it's not a plan," Boyda said. "The American people want some assurance that the cost in lives and the money is going to result in victory."
Returning from a weekend visit to Iraq, Rep. Jim Ryun said Monday that he was "heartened" by the commitment of members of the U.S. military fighting there.
Ryun spoke with The Associated Press by telephone en route back to the United States. The Kansas Republican was part of a delegation of elected officials who made the weekend trip. It was his first visit to Iraq.
Ryun said his impression of the war was consistent with those views shared by U.S. military members he has spoken with who have returned from Iraq since the war began in 2003.
"I was very encouraged," Ryun said. "It is really remarkable what our young men and women are doing there for us."
Ryun, who is seeking his sixth term in Congress in the November election, said he saw that the U.S. military is playing more of a support role to Iraqi forces in fighting the insurgency. While in Iraq, he said, the delegation was informed that some Iraqi soldiers had been killed by insurgents.
"It is evidence that they are taking more of a lead role," he said.
Ryun was part of a bipartisan delegation that included GOP leadership and members of the House Armed Services Committee. The delegation visited Jordan and Iraq over two days.
House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the issue of the United States leaving Iraq too early was raised by the Iraqi leaders. The delegation repeatedly told the Iraqis that the United States was staying put, Boehner said during a conference call with reporters Monday.
"This is not time to walk away from them," Boehner said from Spain.
Recently, the Senate defeated two measures that would have set a timeline for removing U.S. troops from Iraq, currently numbering about 127,000. Ryun said it would be wrong to set deadlines for troop withdrawals, creating a situation for the insurgents to wait for the United States to leave before thrusting Iraq into further chaos.
"The debate we had I think is important because it brings to light the differences that are out there," Ryun said.
However, Ryan's Democratic opponent, Nancy Boyda, said the American people deserve to know what the plans are for Iraq and how much more it will cost the United States in lives and dollars.
"The American people want to back their commander in chief, but they need more than slogans, like stay the course," said Boyda, who lost to Ryun in 2004. "It's up to them to provide the leadership. After taking Baghdad there was no plan to deal with the insurgency other than stay the course."
Ryun said progress is being made in setting up the Iraqi government, including it's military forces, as well as providing basic infrastructure to civilians, such as water, electricity and education.
Those continued gains, as well as more Iraqi security forces taking the lead, will produce further troop reductions, Ryun said. He noted that a brigade from Fort Riley had its deployment canceled in January after conditions improved.
Ryun said that during his visit, Iraqi leaders said they were frustrated by negative media reports in the United States, which they say focus more on the conflict and less on the progress being made. Part of the problem, Ryun said, is that it has been just three years since Saddam Hussein was removed from power.
"The world's spotlight is on them," Ryun said. "America is patient but wants to see the results."
Boyda said the Bush administration and its followers should stop blaming the public and the media when it was the administration that failed to properly plan for the Iraq war. She also said Congress and the Bush administration must do more to address pressing domestic issues, such as fuel prices, health care and immigration.
"I don't think you can call someone unpatriotic because they're asking for a plan. Stay the course sounds good, but it's not a plan," Boyda said. "The American people want some assurance that the cost in lives and the money is going to result in victory."
