As the United States formally ended its combat mission in Iraq this week, the candidates for the 29th Congressional District thanked the troops, credited the 2007 surge and turned their attention to activities in Afghanistan.
The 29th District includes Gates, Chili, Brighton, Pittsford, Henrietta and portions of Fairport and Ontario County.
Both Republican Tom Reed and Democrat Matthew Zeller said they approved of the reduction of U.S. troops to levels below 50,000 in Iraq.
They disagreed, however, on the key to success in that country.
“I want to recognize and give thanks and gratitude to the brave men and women for their service,” Reed said. “I am glad and pleased our Iraq mission is coming to a conclusion. I am grateful the surge of 2007 was successful.”
Zeller agreed the 2007 troop surge was an element in the eventual success in Iraq, but points out other events also played a part.
“Basically the surge came at a time when the military identified there were key segments of the Iraqi population, in particular, the Sunnis, that were becoming disenfranchised with foreign fighters who had come to Iraq on a religious cause as opposed to a nationalistic cause,” Zeller said. “The U.S. military identified this moment, seized on it and was able to turn the bulk of the insurgency against the foreign elements, which negated all the fighting and ceased the sectarian war.”
Zeller said his military experience makes him a stronger candidate than Reed. Zeller said he would use that experience to seek a seat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Zeller served in the Army and spent nine months in Afghanistan.
“I’m the only candidate in this race whose voting on policies affect my unit and men under my command,” Zeller said. “We need leaders in Washington who ultimately understand what’s going on in these conflicts and know what our troops are facing.”
Reed voiced his support of President Obama’s surge in Afghanistan, which will eventually bring troop levels to 120,000 from 90,000, but said he opposes using the U.S. military for nation building.
“With al-Qaeda and the Taliban, I recognize and believe they are a direct threat to our nation,”
Reed said. “They want to cause us harm. I believe that threat must be met head on in other areas of the world rather than on our soil. To me, it’s us engaging our military power to take on that threat to us as a nation. I support that effort. What I do not support is going into a nation to take over that nation and create a new nation. To build a nation using our military force is different from taking on a military threat like the Taliban.”
Zeller said it’s too early to tell whether a surge similar to the one used in Iraq will be successful in Afghanistan.
“The bulk of the forces have only just arrived,” Zeller said. “We need to give the military time it has requested. The answer to that question is something that comes out gradually. It’s not something can be summed up in a 30-second sound byte and spun by politicians on television. It takes time.”
