WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today spoke from the Senate floor about his recent trip to the Middle East and his views on U.S. policy toward Iraq.

During the visit, Brownback met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He also met with the Iraqi Minister of Defense, the Iraqi National Security Advisor and Kurdish Regional President Massoud Barzani.

Brownback met with U.S. Generals Raymond Odierno and George Casey, Jr., and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad.

In addition to the speech, Brownback wrote short observations about his trip, which are available at: http://brownback.senate.gov/english/samtravelsto-middleeast-africa-asia.htm

An audio recording of the 11 minute speech is available at: http://brownback.senate.gov. Click on “press office” and then “audio.”

Phone quality audio is available by calling 1-800-545-1267 and entering 409 when prompted.

Following is the full text of the speech:

“I recently returned from a trip looking into what is taking place on the war on terrorism. I was in Afghanistan and Kabul, and I also went to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, had a brief meeting in Pakistan with our Ambassador and military leadership--in Pakistan and also in Kuwait--and then I went to Iraq.

“I was in Baghdad for twenty-floor hours plus, went to Irbil in northern Iraq in the Kurdish region, met with Brazani--the head of the Kurdish region--and traveled from there into Ethiopia, into the current front, I should say expanded front, on the war on terrorism to see what the Ethiopians are doing in Somalia.

“I met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles, about what he is doing in Somalia, and I had a very good meeting with him and also with our military commanders in that region about the recent strikes that we’ve done against terrorism in southern Somalia and the work that we’ve done with the Ethiopians.

“All of this I thought was very informative, and I think that there’s a real mixture of news to report in what’s taking place on the war on terrorism. Some very positive things are happening, particularly the recent events in Somalia, of what the Ethiopians are pushing for, some very positive things are happening in Afghanistan. I think there are some difficulties we’re still having with the Pakistani leadership going after some of the threats on the Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder.

“Northern Iraq is booming, in the Kurdish area investment is flowing, there are cranes and people are building. Baghdad is in great difficulty and I want to talk about this and my suggestions for the route forward.

“I think the president in his address was saying he’s proposing a route forward and, “if there are others that oppose or have a different view, all I ask is that you put forward a proposal yourself.” And I think that is fair. I think that’s what we ought to do. We’re all in this, and we need to see the route forward.

“The good news in Iraq is that we have 140,000 of America’s best and brightest working hard every day. I flew in troop transport planes in and out of various places and met and visited with troops along the way. It’s impressive and they’re impressive and their dedication, courage and commitment is impressive to feel and it’s inspiring. It is inspiring to see.

“I have a niece and a nephew that signed up to join the Marines. They are going into this as well and I’m proud of them, as is the whole family. The irrepressible spirit of our soldiers--from new recruits to veterans of multiple tours--I even saw a father and son team from Kansas, in Kuwait, it was inspiring to see. They’re enthusiastic and determined and we depend on them for whatever success we achieve in Iraq.

“I know firsthand that it is not just a good sound bite to say we have the best armed forces in the world. There is simply no other place in the world that can boast of so many courageous, committed and talented volunteers who are so willing to make sacrifices whenever the country calls upon them. They continue to deserve our great respect and admiration for performing so ably under such difficult circumstances. And the circumstances are that.

“Baghdad still feels like an occupation zone. I was physically present in Baghdad, as I noted, for about 24 hours, but it is hard to say that I saw the city. I left with an enduring image of concrete barriers and convoys of SUVs. I last visited Baghdad in March 2005, and the environment now is no better than it was at that time.

“The three mortar rounds that exploded during one meeting I had with an Iraqi vice president--no one was harmed--they were launched from some way out, but still they hit. It shows just how insecure the city remains.

“We all wish the situation was better, but I am particularly disappointed. I’ve had a long-term interest in Iraq. When I first served in the United States Senate, first came to the Senate in 1996, I served on the Foreign Relations Committee and chaired the Middle East subcommittee that held some of the first hearings on what to do about Saddam Hussein’s regime.

“I carried the Iraq Liberation Act on the floor of the Senate that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, I helped get the initial $100 million for the Iraqi National Congress top help organize the opposition to Saddam Hussein.

“I attended the first INC meeting, the Iraqi National Congress meeting, with Senator Bob Kerry of Nebraska, and we both went to New York City to meet with the opposition about what to do about Saddam Hussein. I attended the first INC meeting in London. I have been committed to a free, safe and secure Iraq from the very beginning.

“But during my meetings last week I found less reason for optimism. Sunni leaders blame everything on the Shi'a. Shi'a leaders, likewise, blame everything on the Sunnis. The Kurdish leadership pointed out that the Sunni and Shi'a only meet when the Kurds call the meeting.

“All of this suggests that at the present time, the United States cares more about a peaceful Iraq than the Iraqis do. If that is the case, it is difficult to understand why more U.S. troops would make a difference.

“One other bright spot I would talk about during my time in Iraq, as I previously noted, was my visit to the northern part of the country, the Kurdish region. Here, the security situation is stable and business is booming. Some number of people are moving out of Iraq, moving into the northern Iraq into the Kurdish region.

“Kurds are demonstrating what is possible for the rest of Iraq when the violence recedes. Kurds are pragmatic; they are worried about committing Kurdish forces to Baghdad. I even asked Brazani, would he commit Kurdish forces for the peace in Baghdad? He declined to do so at that time, of actual Kurdish forces. They don’t want to get caught in the middle of the sectarian fight. If Iraqi Kurds feel this way, why should we feel any different?

“Simply put, the Iraqis have to resolve these sectarian differences; we cannot do it for them. This does not mean we should pull out of Iraq and leave behind a security vacuum or a safe haven for terrorists. I do not support that alternative.

“It does mean that there must be bipartisan agreement for our military commitment on Iraq. We cannot fight a war with the support of only one political party. And it does mean that the parties in Iraq--Sunni, Shi’a and Kurds--must get to a political agreement, to a political equilibrium.

“I think most people agree that a cut and run strategy does not serve our interest at all, nor those of the world, nor those of the region, nor those of the Iraqi people. So I invite my colleagues, all around, particularly on the other side of the aisle, to indicate what level of commitment they can support.

“We need to come together in Congress and as a nation on a strategy that will make real progress in Iraq and gain as much support as possible from the American people. Only a broadly supported, bipartisan strategy will allow us to remain in Iraq for the length of time necessary to ensure regional stability and the defeat the terrorists. And that is our object.

“And make no mistake, we may need to be in Iraq for some period of time: as we are in Bosnia, as we were in Europe, as we still remain in Korea. Iraqis should patrol their own streets, but we must continue to hunt down the terrorists. We must balance the aggressive moves by Iran, operating inside of Iraq, who seeks to exploit Iraq for its own gains, for Iranian gains. These missions will take time to achieve on our part.

“It is vital that we get a bipartisan way forward on Iraq as soon as possible. And I invite people on the other side of the aisle to put forward their proposals.

“As we refine our military posture, we should also enlist the support of Iraq’s neighbors through a diplomatic initiative similar to the recommendations in the Baker-Hamilton Commission. Although I don’t support all of those initiatives, I thought they had some good ideas, namely that we should engage Iraq’s neighbors.

“Each of Iraq’s neighbors can benefit from a peaceful Iraq, and they can assist us in reaching a political equilibrium among various Iraqi groups. These include Iran and Syria, who are clearly meddling in Iraq and but whose cooperation will be necessary for any political solution in Iraq to be relevant for the long-term.

“To be successful, such a diplomatic initiative will require a great amount of attention and hard work.

“Thus, I recommend that Secretary Rice and Vice President Cheney go to Iraq and practice shuttle diplomacy. They should lay the groundwork for a meeting of leaders from all three major Iraqi groups to take place outside of Iraq. This kind of a meeting could be similar to the Dayton accords that helped resolve the conflict in Bosnia. It allows for intense, sustained discussions aimed at a durable, long-term political settlement amongst Iraqis.

“One potential political settlement could involve a three states, one country formula. Each of Iraq’s major groups up would have its own autonomous region with Baghdad as a federal city. Each group could manage its own affairs while preserving Iraq’s territorial integrity. This is something the Iraqi constitution allows, that the Kurdish leaders are practicing, and that Iraqi leaders, I believe, should pursue to get to a political equilibrium.

“We have certainly made our share of mistakes in Iraq, and things have not gone as we would have hoped. Still, we have invested the lives of more than 3,000 of our nation’s best and brightest in Iraq, our nation’s future, and the mission for which they died is not yet complete.

“We still need political equilibrium if we are to achieve a stable, free and united Iraq that can be an ally in the war on terrorism.

“We must win in Iraq, and we will. We must win for the future of the region and the future of the world and for the future of Iraq. And we must win for the future of America.

“But that victory will require more than bullets. It will require political arrangements inside Iraq and around Iraq to end the sectarian violence and move towards a peaceful future for the Iraqi people and stability for the region.

“We’re at a tough time. But I believe we have solutions that can work.”