Kucinich: Congress Should Reject Calls For Additional $99.7 Billion In War Funding; Democrats Should Not Buy Bush’s War

Washington, Dec 21 -

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 21) — Congress Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement today in response to calls by the Pentagon for an additional $99.7 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan:

“Congress needs to reject the military’s request for an additional $99.7 billion and use the money that is in the pipeline to bring our troops home now. Not one more dime should be given to the Administration’s failed and misguided war.

“On October 1, Congress appropriated $70 billion for the Iraq war. The war in Iraq has already cost $350 billion. Appropriating additional Iraq war funds will perpetuate the war, not bring it to an end.

“We are not winning in Iraq, even the President now concedes this. And we will not win by military force.

“Gen. Abizaid has repeatedly opposed a troop surge in Iraq on the basis that the surge would only increase Iraq’s dependence on Americans. It seems that the Commander-in-Chief, who has repeatedly claimed that he will listen to the American generals, is turning a deaf ear to his top commanders’ advice.

“Top military commanders have expressed apprehension that a short-term troop surge would only bring a brief break to the violence -- or none at all. They worry that rushing thousands more American troops to the battlefield could prompt Iraqis to slow their efforts to take control of their own country.

“Congress must reject requests by the Administration for an additional $99.7 billion and listen to what top military commanders have been saying. They have opposed sending more forces without a concise mission. The Administration’s ambiguous aims and slogans do not amount to a defined purpose.

“The winning strategy will be diplomacy. Diplomacy can only be achieved through conversation. That conversation is with the leaders of the nations of the region, including Iran and Syria. That conversation needs to begin now.

“The only course in Iraq is out. The Administration needs to heed the advice of the Iraq Study Group, the American people and its own military commanders. Use the money that is in the pipeline to bring our troops home now.”