As I have been saying for more than a year now, turning this vital mission over to the Iraqi people as soon as possible should remain a topic of debate for Congress while relying on our military commanders to set up the timetable.

I was heartened to hear the President say that as we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels.

We are not utilizing the Iraqi oil for U.S. purposes. We are not asking that the Iraqi oil be used to pay our military expenses. We are asking only that the Iraqi oil be used to rebuild Iraq - that is, to rebuild Iraq for the Iraqi people.

Last month, the Iraqi people went to the polls, voting in their first free election in more than 50 years.

In survey after survey, the Iraqi people say, 'We want to choose our leaders.'

Sports can unify the Iraqi people - no Sunnis, no Shiites, just sport for the country.