Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice), chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment, issued this statement:

“President Obama just made a tough but correct call to relieve Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

“A president must have complete confidence in his war commanders, and Gen. McChrystal – an accomplished soldier with 34 years of service to the nation – showed exceptionally bad judgment, which undermined his ability to lead the Afghan mission.

“David Petraeus – with a proven record in Iraq and, as CENTCOM chief, a deep familiarity with Afghanistan – is an excellent replacement. He literally wrote the book on counterinsurgency and has the diplomatic skills needed to maintain the NATO mission and vital international support. Most importantly, he has the trust and respect of the White House, Congress and the troops he commands.

“Our focus now must be on our strategy in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history. The challenges are immense. The Karzai government remains plagued with corruption, the Taliban is resurgent, and U.S. casualties are increasing.

“While the President says the strategy is set, it cannot be static and must evolve with events on the ground and emerging threats elsewhere.

“Petraeus’s experience as CENTCOM commander equips him to see Afghanistan in the context of 19 other countries in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. Some of those countries – Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia – pose, in my view, more urgent challenges to U.S. interests.”