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Washington, D.C. --- This morning, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) gave the following statement on the House floor in support of a bipartisan House Resolution opposing President Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq. Later this week, during debate on the floor, the New Jersey congressman will speak more in depth about his opposition to the president's plan and why he does not believe it is in the best interest of our nation.
"Congress has a responsibility to the American people and to our troops bravely serving our nation in Iraq to debate the president's plan to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. Today, this House will begin debate on a bipartisan resolution supporting our troops and voicing disapproval with the president's plan.
"As we enter this debate, we should begin by asking the question whether or not the president's plan will change the devastating realities our troops are now facing on the ground in Iraq.
"Our very own intelligence agencies released a report earlier this month saying that the war in Iraq is not a civil war, its worse----with numerous groups killing each other to gain the upper hand.
"Four times before, the president has sent thousands of additional troops to Iraq, and each time the situation on the ground either remained the same or grew even more dangerous. Could that be why our generals concluded, before being let go by the president that sending more troops to Iraq simply will not help the situation?
"Congress needs to ask these tough questions this week. We must make it clear to President Bush that we do not support his troop escalation plan so that we can begin moving our Iraq strategy in a new direction." |
