FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2008

CONTATobert Kellar CT:  (202) 225-1880
http://www.house.gov/tauscher/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            CONTACT: Robert Kellar

October 16, 2008                                                                              202/225-1880

Rep. Ellen Tauscher Calls on Bush Administration to Release Details of
Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq

Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (CA-10), Chairman of House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, released the following statement this morning on reported details of a status of forces agreement between the Bush administration and the government of Iraq:

"I am deeply disturbed by the reported details of the status of forces agreement.  Our men and women in uniform who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq should be protected and I am concerned this new agreement, by subjecting them to an immature Iraqi legal system in the midst of a conflict, will not do that.  I call on the Bush administration to make the details of any new agreement available to Congress and the American people as soon as possible.

"While a status of forces agreement is vital to provide legal protections for our troops in the short term, I also remain deeply committed to responsibly redeploying our troops from Iraq as soon as possible."