Hatch Praises Senate Confirmation Of General Petraeus To Lead Afghan War Effort

Statement

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today after the Senate confirmed General David Petraeus by a vote of 99 to 0 to lead the nation's counterinsurgency and war efforts in Afghanistan:

"General Petraeus is a national hero for a reason: he was one of the principal architects of our counterinsurgency strategy, known as the "Iraqi Surge.' This strategy greatly stabilized a dangerously instable nation that had been overrun with terrorists. He understood that a failed nation in the heart of the Middle East would have provided a safe haven for terrorists to train, operate and attack America. Now, he will bring that same vision and experience to bear in Afghanistan, to direct and shape all aspects of the counterinsurgency plan that is already in place, leading thousands of brave American soldiers against the Taliban and al Qaeda.

"To succeed, we have to allow General Petraeus - and not Washington politicians - to call the shots. Regrettably, it seems that the President's decision to have a timetable for withdrawal was not a military one, as General Petraeus testified yesterday. I hope the Administration follows General Petraeus' strategy and counsel, and doesn't bow to the political pressures of the left."

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