Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden, Delaware Democrat, and ranking minority member Richard Lugar, Indiana Republican, just gave their opening statements. Both called for political reconciliation on the part of Iraqis in order for the United States' involvement in Iraq to be worth the sacrifice.

"Violence has come down, but the Iraqis have not come together, at least in the manner that was anticipated," said Biden, adding that the troop "surge" implemented last year had created some progress. However, life in Iraq is "very, very, very far form normal," he said, adding that the improvements are "fragile gains."

"The strategic purpose of the surge, in my view, has not been realized," said Biden, who said the progress that has been made has come on the local, rather than the national level.

"Progress going forward will largely depend on political progress going forward," said Lugar, who called for a clearly outlined strategy for rebuilding Iraq.

"We need a strategy that anticipates a political end game and anticipates any means needed to achieve it," Lugar said.

— Carrie Sheffield, Web editor, The Washington Times