Newsletter: 
Print This Post
Email This Post
11:58 am CST - July 06, 2009
Posted under The Scoop
Senator Hutchison Spends Early 4th of July Holiday in Kuwait and Iraq with Armed Forces
By Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
“American People are Completely Behind Our Troops…We are Deeply Grateful for Their Brave Service”
I recently had the opportunity to celebrate the Fourth of July early and in a unique way. This year, on the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, I was in Baghdad, thanking those who are protecting the freedom that we celebrate on July Fourth.
There in Iraq, I was privileged to visit the Texans who embody the same patriotism as the American soldiers who won our nation’s freedom 233 years ago.
I spent the Senate’s July Fourth recess traveling to Iraq so I could carry a very clear message to those who were not able to spend the holiday at home with their families: The American people are completely behind our troops, and we are deeply grateful for their brave service. Our nation would not know freedom without their sacrifice.
The soldiers of the Texas National Guard warmly welcomed me and made me prouder than ever to be a Texan. I am happy to report that Texas troops are exhibiting our state’s indomitable spirit of pride and optimism as they serve overseas. Their energy was infectious, and their attitudes were uplifting.
As America undertakes its first major deadline for drawdown of forces, I also wanted to be there on the ground to see this process begin to unfold and to hear from our commanders how it is being executed. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commanding general of multinational forces in Iraq, and Christopher R. Hill, American ambassador to Iraq, outlined for me their vision of the way forward.
On June 30, we reached a key milestone. U.S. forces completed a process that began last January of transferring responsibility for patrolling Iraqi cities to the Iraqi Army. Primarily, American soldiers will fall back to the outskirts of the cities, where they will remain ready to provide training and support.
I hope the Iraqis will be successful and build on the progress we’ve already made. The indicators for security gains are mostly trending in the right direction. However, there are troubling variables that we must monitor closely, such as resurgence of sectarian violence and the continued malevolent Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs.
The Iraqis can be assured that, if there is trouble, the American forces will not be far. We did not invest so much – in American lives and treasure – to see progress languish. Our soldiers stand at the ready as needed.
Odierno and Hill assured me that the full drawdown of our troops will be gradual. Iraq must remain stable so next January’s elections can be fair and peaceful and the logistically complex drawdown process can continue apace. In deliberate, calculated steps, we will start to close down base operations in Iraq. Equipment will be refurbished or repaired and sent to support our missions in Afghanistan or elsewhere in the world.
The commanders on the ground assured me that we have a solid plan, supported by the world’s finest military. It is in all our best interests that America withdraws in an orderly fashion so that the end result of our efforts in Iraq is greater stability in the region, as well as an Iraq that never again serves as a base for terrorist operations.
My visit with our troops left me hopeful and optimistic for the future of Iraq. Moreover, I returned to Texas thankful that we have such dedicated and selfless young men and women as those I met from Texas who are, even now, serving on the frontlines.
13 Comments
CWJensen
1:03 pm CST
July 06, 2009
I am sure………………..having been there. The troops would much rather have our senator protecting their families in TEXAS by speaking out about WHAT is WRONG in WASHINGTON DC.
Many of our troops will NOT have jobs or homes to return to if the INSANITY in DC continues.
OUR TEXAS SENATORS either NEED to SPEAK OUT AGAINST the INSANE SOCIALIST legislation on CAP and TRADE and Public HEALTHCARE or RESIGN so we can elect someone who will.
wacther
2:53 pm CST
July 06, 2009
This is a lie! Why would Hutcison lie about this? She was in a kids parade in Dallas on the 4th. You guys are in the tank for KBH?
David
2:59 pm CST
July 06, 2009
CW< I can agree with what you said, and although I am not a KB Hutchison fan, I will give Senator Hutchison credit for her trip. I am sure that our service men and women apreciate any visitors from the United States and perhaps it will give them an opportunity to voice their concerns to the Senator directly.
SJK
4:00 pm CST
July 06, 2009
All KBH cares about are their votes and what was in it for her! She needs to retire!
LGR
4:36 pm CST
July 06, 2009
There must have been a ribbon-cutting ceremony involved… KBailout does nothing but ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and, travel the world at our expense. She is a great argument for TERM LIMITS !!!
Charles
4:54 pm CST
July 06, 2009
Need help
Charles
4:56 pm CST
July 06, 2009
We need your help.
Charles
linda
7:39 pm CST
July 06, 2009
KBH’s comment the American people are COMPLETELY (?) behind our troops is a flat out lie………….
HOW I WISH IT WERE TRUE, but there are many, many who never give them a thought while they go about their days……..many being here illegally…..all they care about is robbing us of funds for every social program on the books……but that is another story.
KBH is in the top 5 senators in earmarks which some may think is cool, if they get a dam or some other public works deal for their counties……but my feelings are earmarks should be cancelled…….it is not right for federal tax payers in one state to have their monies go to another state’s projects……let each state figure their own funding or seek their own grants from the feds…..
She is way too ’schooled’ in unhealthy ways of governing…..I don’t like Perry at all either, so ….who can we back here in Texas for our next governor?
Where she may have been on the 4th is of little to no concern to me….I read where our troops of such young volunteers, were not even aware it was the Fourth of July here……at home….they were deep in the Afghanistan terrain, trying to kill the enemy before they were killed…..now, that made me cry…..what a contrast with our unsavory political studs and how they spent the 4th….
God Bless these brave MEN AND WOMEN and keep them safe in this brutal fight in the hills of Afghanistan.
Paul Burka's Favorite Commenter
8:18 pm CST
July 06, 2009
Texas Insider has gone downhill —- you have become a mouthpiece for a socialist bailout porker.
Sharon
9:44 am CST
July 06, 2009
Senator Hutchison, you have been in DC too long and have forgotten about your fellow Texans who put you in office! You have become too wishy washy and caved in to your liberal peers once too often! You need to retire and let someone els take your seat who can do us some good and will stand by their constituents! If you flip flop on this Cap and Trad bill after you said you wouldn’t vote for it—-and if you vote for the healthcare plan and amnesty for illegals, then you are a traitor to your fellow Texans, and country, and you don’t deserve to br in any political office ever again! Retire and go home and be with your family!
Ladelle Cook
8:37 pm CST
July 06, 2009
Senator Hutchison doesn’t even answer her phone. She voted for the bailouts which is a vote against America. We won’t forget that! Go ahead and run against Governor Perry because when you lose big time it will show the Democrats they have committed political suicide just like you did.
Aidia Sue Davis
9:31 am CST
July 06, 2009
K.B. Hutchison,
You are the biggest liar in Washington. You did everything you could to gut the illegal alian bill
at the last moment, thinking we wouldn’ notice. You will kiss butt of anyone who sits in WH office,
just like you did with GHB. You don’t seem to understand we TEXANS are sick of you. You are
too old, too liberal, too ignorant to represent Texas today. We want you gone, like yesterday!!!
Jay Vinyard
12:17 pm CST
July 06, 2009
Calm down. To be truthful we can bitch about most any member of Congress. None are perfect. As to where KBH was on July 4th, read her commetns again. She did not say she was in Iraq on July 4th. She said she celebrated July 4th early in Iraq.
Leave a Comment