March 19, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War:

“As we enter the fifth year of the Iraq war, I would like to take a moment and honor the more than 3,000 American lives that have been lost since the war began.  I would also like to recognize the sacrifices of the more than 20,000 Americans that have been wounded.  We will never forget their selfless service to our country.

“More than $400 billion of taxpayer dollars have been appropriated for this war with no end in sight. The days of giving the President a blank check from Congress are over.  This week, I will join my colleagues in Congress and vote for the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act.   This bill will require Iraqis to take accountability for their future by meeting key security, political, and economic benchmarks.  Failure to meet those benchmarks will mean the beginning of U.S. redeployment from Iraq and will restrict economic aid to the Iraqis.

“The war increasingly strains our military – now creating a real crisis in U.S. troop readiness and our ability to respond to new threats. We can not continue to send our troops to fight in the middle of a religious civil war.  Our commitment to the Iraqis can not be endless and we need to start redeploying our troops out of Iraq by March of next year.

“The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act provides a strategy for success that will bring all factions to the table.

“In addition to adding accountability requirements for the Iraqis, the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act will ensure our troops and veterans get the needed funds to ensure their safety and provide for quality health care.”

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