Today marks five years of dedication and sacrifice by our heroic men and women in uniform. Because of the perseverance of our troops, violence levels have significantly declined throughout much of Iraq, free elections have been held, police and military forces have been recruited and trained, and the Iraqi economy is growing nationally, provincially, and locally. And most importantly, our troops are coming home knowing that their efforts are leading to victory. Although it is vital that Iraq’s political leaders move more aggressively to reconcile the differences between the factions within their country, Iraqi leaders are slowly learning to govern and have passed several key pieces of legislation in recent months.

Over the past five years, I, like many Americans, have doubted the success of the initial planning and the reasoning behind many of the ongoing strategic decisions. However, I have never wavered on my dedication and commitment to our men and women proudly serving this country. Under the leadership of General David Petraeus, America’s armed forces have made significant strides in bringing stability to the region. While there is still much work to be done, his guidance has helped focus our military’s efforts on providing an environment where the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people, and the international diplomatic teams can work to build a stable, moderate, and free nation.

On this bittersweet anniversary, the most important thing that we must remember is the sacrifices made by our armed forces. We owe our troops and veterans our gratitude for continuing to keep us safe and free.

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