U.S. forces must drive out the Haqqani Network-- al Qaeda's allies-- and set conditions in which Afghan troops can hold.

Media inquiries: Veronique Rodmanvrodman@aei.org; 202.862.4871.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 7, 2008

General David H. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force-Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker will testify tomorrow, Tuesday, April 8, 2008, and Wednesday, April 9, 2008, on the situation in Iraq. In

The government of Iraq has made great strides both militarily and politically over the past year and a half. After dramatically reducing al Qaeda in Iraq’s operational capability, the Iraqi Security Forces have successfully undertaken operations to reclaim segments of Basra and Sadr City from Shiite extremist elements. Prime Minister...

General Raymond Odierno recently announced that the surge of forces into Iraq has been completed and that the expected increase in operations has begun. Since President George W. Bush announced the new strategy in January, we have already seen some positive developments on the ground in Baghdad, but challenges remain,...

There has been a significant amount of progress in Iraq since General Petraeus took over.

Calls for an accelerated withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan demonstrate a profound misunderstanding of the relationship between our efforts in Afghanistan and our success in Pakistan, as well as of the inseparability of effective "counter-terrorism" operations from the counter-insurgency strategy President Obama announced in December 2009.

The telling difference between General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and their congressional inquisitors, is their seriousness.