Iraq
IN DEPTH: Press Releases
I was opposed to the war in Iraq before it began—joining 132 of my colleagues in voting against the resolution authorizing the President to use force against Iraq (H.J.Res. 114), and today I remain unyielding in this opposition. While costing the American people thousands of lives and billions of taxpayer dollars, the Iraq War has not made our nation safer, has not made our military stronger, and has not stabilized the region. On the contrary, while Iraq once saw little activity from al-Qaeda, it has now become a breeding ground for terrorists.
The President led us into this war under false claims of weapons of mass destruction and the need to preemptively strike Iraq to prevent a terrorist attack, cherry-picking intelligence that we now know was incorrect. As a result, more than 3,800 American troops have died and millions of Iraqi civilians have been killed or displaced from their homes. As President Bush said years ago, our military mission has been accomplished. It is time to responsibly withdraw our troops from Iraq and allow Iraq to stand on its own.
By no means do I believe that we should leave Iraq to fend for itself in the midst of a civil war. However, military action alone cannot bring peace to the country—as we have seen through the President’s failure to meet his own benchmarks. We must begin pressuring the Iraqi government to make the necessary political compromises to bring forth reconciliation. We also need to engage neighboring countries in the region and enact a multi-lateral diplomatic approach toward peace.
As long as President Bush refuses to change his failed strategy in Iraq, I will continue to use my position on the House Armed Services Committee to seek a Congressional means to bring home our troops and to ensure that we are operating safely, effectively, and efficiently—and that accountability is enforced for all parties involved in this war.
To this end, I was proud to co-sponsor the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act (H.R. 2956), which established a timely redeployment of our troops. I also authored numerous provisions included in the FY2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, H.R. 1585), including an amendment requiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates, General David Petraeus, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker to provide reports to Congress about the status of the war. Other provisions I authored address the need for proper oversight in the reconstruction effort, end no-bid contracts, and distribute oil revenues to the Iraqi people.
As we look toward the future, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to usher in a true shift in this Administration’s failed policies in Iraq. I am determined to see a new policy that is fundamentally diplomatic, weighing heavily on the assistance of the international community. We owe this to our brave soldiers, their families and friends, the American people, and the people of Iraq.
