WASHINGTON, DC - Vets for Freedom (VFF) today announced
that eight Iraq war veterans who are members of the organization
will return to Iraq to assess conditions on the ground and analyze
policy options for future U.S. military involvement. Among
the group is Coralville resident Ben Hayden, who also serves as
Vets for Freedom's IA State Captain. Next week, he and seven
others will return to the Iraqi cities where they once patrolled to
provide a true "before and after" perspective.
Success in Iraq demands a fact-based policy built on an objective
assessment of conditions on the ground and the advice of U.S.
commanders. Through this extensive review, VFF embeds will
provide an informed understanding of the best future course for the
United States in Iraq.
"The great danger is that policy becomes divorced from events on
the ground. The only responsible course is to ensure that
decisions on troop levels and other matters reflect the demands of
the battlefield. To reduce forces ignorant of, or despite,
the consequences would be to risk disaster," remarked VFF Chairman
Pete Hegseth.
Individuals participating in the delegation to Iraq include
Hayden, Hegseth, David Bellavia, Joel Arends, Kate Norley, Shawn
Bryan, Erik Swabb and Daniel Bell. Their biographies may be found
at www.vetsforfreedom.org/backtoiraq, and
additional details about the trip will be made available as
schedules in Iraq are finalized.
The assessment will include a series of real-time updates from key
strategic points in Iraq, with visits to Ramadi, Fallujah, Baqubah,
Samarra, Baghdad, amongst others. Following the return of the
group, VFF will issue a report to elected officials and the public
with findings and recommendations.
The analysis of the group will focus on determining the depth and
durability of recent gains, the troop levels required to achieve
stability, the potential consequences of a rapid American
withdrawal, the proper "conditions-based" metrics needed to measure
the right balance of U.S. and Iraqi forces, the status of displaced
people seeking to return to their homes, and the prospects for the
return of al Qaeda to Iraq, among other issues.
"Senator Obama has stated his intention to withdraw U.S. forces
from Iraq on a fixed timetable and without almost any consideration
for facts on the ground and events in the region. A policy of
effectively unconditional withdrawal from Iraq raises troubling
questions. Through this on-the-ground assessment, members of
VFF are committed to providing fact-based analysis of critical
policy decisions," concluded Hegseth.
For interviews, please contact the individuals listed
above. For more on Vets for Freedom and the "Four
Months, For Victory" campaign, visit www.vetsforfreedom.org/fourmonths