Marine Mom Reacts To General Petraeusâ€™ Testimony

Monday, September 10th 2007, 8:24 pm

By: News On 6

In highly anticipated testimony, the top U.S. General in Iraq made the case Monday for more time to reach military and political goals. General David Petraeus testified to a joint session of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The General was grilled by skeptical lawmakers who believe the troop surge is a mistake. Petraeus admitted the situation in Iraq remains frustrating, but says the troop surge is working.

He hopes to bring as many as 30,000 troops home by next summer. Military families in Oklahoma are reacting to General David Petraeus' progress report on Iraq. News On 6 anchor Omar Villafranca reports one Marine mom says no matter what is working or not working in Iraq our troops are still there, and need our support.

Every morning Kris Falvo slips on the necklace her son gave her. Every day her son Philip puts on body armor before heading out on patrol in Iraq. While lawmakers engage in a war of words over the progress in Iraq, this Marine mom steers clear of the political battle.

"It's hard for me to make a judgment because I don't actually know the true story,â€ Oklahoma Marine mother Kris Falvo said. â€œSo I just actually keep out of that part of it."

To Kris, the fuss on Capitol Hill over General David Petraeus' testimony is important. But it's secondary to a mom worried about her son.

â€œHe doesn't like to tell his mom much because he doesn't want me to worry. But I did notice some of his friends are on the purple heart list, so I know it's scary and risky,â€ Falvo said.

Philip was part of the surge, a controversial deployment of 30,000 additional troops to Iraq. General Petraeus wants lawmakers to show patience to let the surge work. Kris believes the mission her son is working on will take time and even more patience.

"It's tough, it's really tough, because you can't just go into a country and expect everything to happen right away. It takes time,â€ said Falvo.

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Watch the video: Military Mom Weighs In On Top Commander's Progress Report In Iraq