Washington D.C.— Today, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee held its fourth hearing on the development of alternative strategies for the war in Iraq.  Witnesses were retired General Jack Keane, retired General Barry McCaffrey, retired Lieutenant General Gregory Newbold, and Dr. Michael O’Hanlon and Mr. Daniel Benjamin of the Brookings Institution. 

Chairman Vic Snyder (D-AR) and Ranking Member Todd Akin (R-MO) released the following statement:

    “There is no doubt that the war in Iraq is incredibly complex.  Simplistic solutions and sound bites will not solve the problem.  The hearings we have held over the past month have proven invaluable for seeking information and perspectives that Congress needs to make informed judgments about the full range of legislative options.

    “Our witnesses have made coherent arguments regarding the sources of violence in Iraq and our potential military, political, and economic options for confronting them.  But they have also gone beyond that to address the larger context of U.S. military readiness, the stress on our service members and their families, Middle Eastern regional stability, the challenges of worldwide terrorism, and our nation’s moral responsibility to the Iraqi people. 

    “While we heard many disagreements, we also heard many common threads.  Our subcommittee will continue to work to capture, analyze and make these ideas available for use in the greater debate, both within Congress and in the public.”

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will release findings from its series of hearing titled “A Third Way in Iraq” following the August recess.

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