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Obama Statement On Troops Being Deployed To Iraq Without Proper Training

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement:

“Last week, we learned that 14,000 National Guard members from five states are being called up for a second tour of duty in Iraq, years before they were scheduled to return there. Now we learn that in the rush to staff the ill-considered escalation in Iraq, we're sending troops into this shooting gallery without the customary counter-insurgency training they need.

It is wrong for America to escalate our involvement in someone else's civil war and it's unconscionable to send our troops into harm's way without the proper training.

With little change in the dismal situation on the ground in Iraq, and a resurgence of Taliban and Al Quaeda activity in Afghanistan, Americans have the right to ask if the current management of our military is making America any safer.”