Issues

Iraq War

I voted to give President Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq because Saddam Hussein refused to cooperate with the international community, he refused to address repeated violations of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, and he openly supported terrorist organizations.
 
That said, after our troops masterfully invaded Iraq and conquered the Iraqi Army, I was alarmed by the chaos that ensued. It appeared that our military leaders had not formulated a proactive, post-entry strategy. This has resulted in many setbacks in Iraq, and I feel is the reason the new Iraqi government is facing an emboldened insurgency.

As you may know, I did not vote in support of the President’s plan to send a surge of troops to Iraq to help provide security. My vote was partly based on former military leaders who were familiar with the battlefield in Iraq and did not support the surge. These leaders included General George Casey, a four-star General, who once commanded our military operations in Iraq; former Secretary of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Colin Powell; former Commander of the United States Central Command, General Joseph Hoar; and General John Abizaid, the most recent former Commander of U.S. Central Command.

Although I initially opposed implementing a timetable for withdrawal, it has become apparent that we must continue to fully fund our troops but must also set a time for their return.  I also support new requirements to ensure our troops are adequately prepared before deployment, and I support requiring all interrogations be conducted in accordance with the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations.  I endorse prohibiting permanent military facilities in Iraq, requiring Iraq to match any funding assistance from the United States and requiring Iraq to reimburse U.S. forces with discounted fuel for our operations in their country. 

    Our troops have performed valiantly and have exceeded all expectations. They served with distinction and liberated a repressed country. Now, Iraq and its neighbors must embrace the new government to ensure that peace and prosperity can return to this region of the world, which is something that we cannot guarantee.