John Boehner, July 9, 2004

On June 28th, after receiving transfer documents marking the exchange of sovereignty to the Iraqi people, that nation’s new President noted, "It is a day that all Iraqis have been looking forward to. This is the day that we take our country back into the international community. We want a free and democratic Iraq."

Did this transfer of power close the book on the "Iraqi phase" of the War on Terrorism? Not by a long shot. However, it did close a remarkable chapter that began in March 2003 with the dismantling of Saddam Hussein’s regime. During the 15 month transition under the Coalition Provisional Authority, we watched as Iraq experienced a series of ups and downs. We went from highs such as the toppling of the Saddam statue in central Baghdad and his ultimate capture to lows such as scattered terrorist attacks and the un-American images we saw at the Abu Ghraib prison. However, amidst all of this change, the coalition led by the men and women of our Armed Forces never stopped moving forward toward that transfer of sovereignty.

For two reasons, I believe that transfer will be remembered as one of the most significant events to take place in the Middle East in decades. First, it establishes what eventually will be a freely-elected government at the heart of one of the most turbulent areas of the world. Second -- and perhaps most important to our nation -- it sends a strong message to the terrorists who were waiting and hoping for us to blink: When the United States commits to getting the job done, it gets the job done.

The attacks and videotaped executions orchestrated by terrorist groups were meant to derail our efforts, prompting us to cut and run. But they failed -- and will continue to fail. Our work is far from over in Iraq, but we made a commitment to transfer control back to the Iraqi people on June 30th of this year. We did so -- two days early, in fact. Don’t underestimate the importance of this accomplishment.

However, it isn’t just sovereignty that the coalition returned to the Iraqi people; they were returned a country moving in the right direction, built on a social and economic foundation restored during the past 15 months. For example, did you know that more Iraqi children are in school now that at any point in the country’s history? Or that all 22 Iraqi universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges have reopened since the fall of Saddam? Or that every single hospital -- 240 in all -- and more than 1,200 health clinics are up and running? Perhaps not, as much of this progress has gone unreported in the "mainstream" press during the past year.

Are things perfect? Certainly not. But are they getting better? I’d say we should take the word of the Iraqi people. According to a recent poll, seven in ten Iraqis have confidence in their new government, and 80 percent approve of the new government’s structure and composition. That’s especially significant because the interim government is comprised of ethnically and geographically diverse groups meant to provide balance and stability during this initial period of uncertainty.

As we look back upon the substantive, positive changes in Iraq during the past year and look forward to finishing the job ahead, let’s not forget those who are leading the way in making it possible: our troops. Their mission has been dangerous, but they can take great pride in knowing that they’ve brought down a brutal regime and worked with the Iraqis themselves in establishing what will be the first democracy in the Arab world, a sharp blow to the terrorists. Not only has Operation Iraqi Freedom been successful in rescuing a country from a vicious dictator, it’s going a long way toward keeping the United States safe and free from terrorist attack.

Congressman Joe Pitts, a Republican, represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, which includes Lancaster County and parts of Chester County and Berks County.