A Year Full of Change

Rep. Adrain Smith

Dec 23, 2011Issues: Defense, Homeland Security, Jobs, Veterans

With the holidays upon us, the season brings with it an opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the past year. Looking back over the course of the last twelve months, the pursuit of change has shaped events both here at home and across the globe. For the first time, the debate in Washington has shifted from “how much do we spend” to “how much do we cut.” We have ended our combat mission in Iraq and we have watched important world events unfold such as the Arab Spring. All of these changes have significance for our country as we head into the new year.

In January, the 112th Congress convened for the first time on the heels of a historic midterm election, bringing much-needed new leadership to Washington. Just a year ago, the agenda coming out of Congress was delivering a daily dose of damage to our economy, destroying jobs with crippling regulations, reckless spending and more tax hikes. The American people voted to change direction in order to put the nation on a sounder fiscal and economic footing.
While the culture of Washington has begun to change, our work is far from finished. Too many bipartisan pieces of legislation which would create jobs and cut spending have fallen victim to politics. As we approach the second session of the 112th Congress, it is my hope both parties – and both chambers – can finally come together to deliver for the American people.
The past year saw the culmination of our nine-year long combat mission in Iraq. The Iraq war was a difficult time for our country and cost extraordinary amounts of American sacrifice. More than 4,400 U.S. service members, including 46 Nebraskans, were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and more than 220 Nebraskans were wounded in combat.

Going forward, we must ensure the hard won gains in Iraq were not made in vain. The United States, and the world, needs a stable, democratic Iraq. Our security is strengthened by it, and we will maintain strong military and diplomatic ties to help achieve it. An Iraq which respects the universal human rights of all of its citizens and enables a free and open society will set a powerful example for a restless region in search of a new way. We owe our deepest gratitude to our troops and their families who have sacrificed so much and whose service I will never forget.

Other international events have changed the course of history. The revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests known as the Arab Spring has swept dictators from power from Tunisia to Libya to Egypt. However, many of the fledgling governments in these countries have resorted to violence against their own people. Meanwhile, hostile groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood have sought to exploit the turmoil in order to seize power.

The question remains whether the people of these countries are ready to receive representative government. Prolonged instability in this region of the globe could create a breeding ground for terrorists and allow Iran to become the dominant power in the Middle East. Going forward, we should continue to work with our international partners to ensure the best possible outcome in these counties. Their stability, like Iraq’s, is essential for our security.

The past year was full of change. Wars have ended, dictators have fallen, and the culture of our government is in the midst of a great transformation. While the final word has yet to be written about all of these events, they should give us hope that a brighter future is in store certainly for our country and perhaps the rest of the world as well.