John Boehner, July 7, 2006

On the weekend before Independence Day, I led a small bipartisan group of Congressmen on a trip to the Middle East. Before the trip began we mapped out three primary goals: 1) to see and meet with our American troops, and thank them for their bravery and sacrifice; 2) to assess the security situation in Iraq; and 3) to give our support to Iraq’s national unity government.

It’s worth noting that the officials and soldiers we met with weren’t shy about sharing their thoughts. Far from the scripted meetings you might envision, we engaged in very candid discussions with Jordanians and Iraqis, Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds, American generals and enlisted men, and others with varying views on the Global War on Terror and America’s role in the region.

On Saturday morning we visited the Jordanian International Police Training Center (JIPTC) -- a joint project between America and Jordan -- that has already trained more than 30,000 Iraqi police.

The job of training an Iraqi police force is one of the most important tasks being undertaken in Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is also one of the most difficult.

Many people wonder why. The answer, I learned, is quite simple: Iraq did not have a police force that you or I would recognize during the long reign of Saddam Hussein. Under his tyrannical regime, police officers were not ones that ordinary Iraqis could go to for help. Rather, they were the long arm of the central government, dispatched to terrorize and repress the populace whenever it suited Saddam and his advisors.

Changing that stigma and building a force with a sense of responsibility and community is a difficult task. But we are making progress. A competent police force that has the confidence of the Iraqi people will play a crucial role in maintaining the rule of law, and ensuring long-term peace and stability.

On Sunday we met with General George Casey and America’s ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, and discussed ongoing challenges and opportunities for improvement in the security situation. One small change that is already paying dividends is the practice of letting Iraqi forces get accustomed to solving logistical problems on their own, without relying on American know-how and expertise. This has been invaluable in building morale and confidence among the Iraqi ranks, and makes for a much more effective fighting force.

The most rewarding part of the trip came at Camp Victory in Baghdad where I had the opportunity to share lunch and dinner with many of our American troops. Among those I talked with were soldiers from Piqua and West Chester.

Spending time with America’s soldiers is always inspiring. The enthusiasm and optimism of these young men and women is remarkable. They know the importance of their mission and of America’s commitment to combating and defeating terrorism abroad, and they know that they are making a real difference in bringing freedom to a part of the world that has known only tyranny.

Let me end by pointing out something that was reinforced over and over again by those we met: now is not the time for America to retreat. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, and the First Deputy Speaker of Iraq’s Parliament, Shaykh Khalid al-Attiyah, Jordanian officials and others, all insisted that America continue to help nurture democracy in the heart of the Middle East -- lest al Qaeda drive Iraq into chaos.

We gave them our word that America was up to the challenge. While we have no interest in being in Iraq any longer than necessary, we can no longer afford to look up, look away, and hope the problem of international terrorism goes away. We are in this fight to achieve victory. And, we assured them, we will.

Congressman John Boehner is the House Majority Leader. Boehner, a Republican, represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, which includes Miami, Butler, Preble, Darke, and Mercer Counties.