12
women in uniform. I have noted on a number of occasions how
positive the public response has been to those who have volun-
teered to serve. Our Nation's leaders across the entire political
spectrum have led the way in honoring our service men and
women, not just by providing the funds they need for their mission,
but also by publicly declaring their support and their admiration
for our troops.
I thank you for these sentiments and I thank you for your leader-
ship during these challenging times. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Secretary Gates follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT BY DR. ROBERT M. GATES
Mr. Chairman, Senator Warner, members of the committee: Thank you for invit-
ing me to give you an update on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would also
express gratitude to Congress for passing legislation to enhance the benefits of the
GI Bill. The Department is very pleased with the outcome, and I can tell you that
our men and women in uniform are deeply appreciative. Of course, this is just one
example of the many ways in which you have supported our troops these past years.
On behalf of all of them, I thank you.
I would also like to take this occasion to encourage this committee to act as soon
as possible on the nominations of Mike Donley to be the Secretary of the Air Force,
and General William Fraser III to be the Service's Vice Chief of Staff. The Air Force
is undergoing a critical period of transition and renewal, and it is vitally important
that the full leadership team is in place and confirmed.
Last week I visited with our troops, commanders, and local partners in both coun-
tries. In Iraq, I was honored to pay tribute to our outgoing commander, General
David Petraeus, as well as Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Beyond their own brilliant
individual performances, the Petraeus-Crocker team was a superb model of military-
civilian partnership, one that should be studied and emulated for years to come.
Earlier this month, General Petraeus made his recommendations on the way for-
ward in Iraq. Separate recommendations were submitted by the Commander of the
International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, the Commander of Central
Command, the Service Chiefs, and the Chairman. Although each viewed the chal-
lenges from a different perspective, weighing different factors, all once again arrived
at similar recommendations.
We have already withdrawn the five Army brigade combat teams, two Marine bat-
talions, and the Marine expeditionary unit that were sent to Iraq as part of the
surge. The President announced earlier this month that approximately 8,000 U.S.
troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by February without being replaced.
peditio earliefebrua
The withdrawal of approximately 3,400 noncombat forces—including aviation per-
sonnel, explosive ordnance teams, combat and construction engineers, military po-
lice, and logistics support teams—began this month, continues through the fall and
winter, and finishes in January. In addition, a Marine battalion stationed in Anbar
will return in November, and another Army BCT will return by early February.
This continuing drawdown is possible because of the success achieved in reducing
violence and building Iraqi security capacity. Even with fewer U.S. troops in Iraq,
the positive trends of the last year have thus far held—and in some cases steadily
continued in the right direction. U.S. troop casualties have been greatly reduced-
though even one is still too many, and overall violence is down more than 80 per-
cent. The recent turnover of Anbar province to Iraqi provincial control—the 11th of
18 provinces to be turned over-highlights how much the situation has improved.
There are other positive indicators:
• The Iraqi Army has planned and executed operations in Amarah, Bagh-
dad, Basrah, Diyala, and Mosul—with encouraging results. Seventy percent
of more than 160 Iraqi battalions are now in the lead. Their confidence
level has grown with each passing month, as has ours in their ability to
get the job done.
• Overall, political progress has been incremental but significant. The Iraqi
parliament has passed key legislation this year. The recent return of the
Sunni Iraqi Accord Front party to ministerial positions was a welcome sign
of reengagement by Sunnis at the national level.
With the exception of Iran, we have seen an increasing willingness by neighboring
countries to help engage with and stabilize Iraq. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the
United Arab Emirates and even Syria have announced that they will send ambas-
imately 3,400 nonry without beinproximately