Iraq and Afghanistan

This year will mark the eighth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. I voted against giving President Bush the authority to send our troops into Iraq because I was not convinced that Saddam Hussein presented an imminent or direct threat to the United States. In addition, I was concerned that American soldiers and taxpayers would pay a very heavy price. All of these concerns were borne out, as weapons of mass destruction were never found in Iraq, thousands of U.S. soldiers have been killed and wounded, and the total cost nears $1 trillion. President Obama has significantly reduced the number of troops in Iraq, and all U.S. troops are to be removed by the end of 2011.

In Afghanistan, President Obama has deployed an additional 30,000 troops, a decision I voted against. It is clear to me that we cannot transform these societies by sheer military force. My goal is to continue to support our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan while seeking to bring them home as quickly as possible. At the same time, we must remain engaged diplomatically and continue to use our law enforcement capabilities to disrupt terrorist activity and improve relationships in the Middle East and Asia. I will continue to work with my colleagues to reassess our current war policies, and I ask you to continue to keep our troops and their families in your daily thoughts and prayers.

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