January 4, 2005 WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) issued the following statement regarding U.S. military involvement in Iraq:

“Enough is enough. It’s time for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

“The reported resignation of 700 election officials in Mosul is the final straw. If the men and women charged with administering the Iraqi election fear for their safety, then our American troops are sitting ducks. And if insurgent threats are scaring off these officials, what makes us think that ordinary citizens will risk their lives to cast a ballot on January 30? It is appallingly clear that these elections have no chance of being legitimate. Is this what President Bush meant by ‘freedom on the march?’

“Everything about the President’s Iraq adventure has turned out to be a debacle – from the WMD lies to ‘Mission Accomplished’ to dissolving the Iraqi army to Abu Ghraib to unsecured munitions to insufficient Humvee armor.

“How many more mistakes can we tolerate? How many more American soldiers and innocent Iraqis have to die before we put an end to this madness?

“This war is more violent and deadly than ever. More than 1,300 Americans have given their lives for this senseless conflict, as have thousands upon thousands of Iraqi civilians. At least 10,000 of our brave soldiers have been wounded and many are suffering mental trauma that they may live with the rest of their lives. Casualties were higher in 2004 than in 2003, when ‘major combat operations’ supposedly ended. We cannot allow more of the same in 2005.

“George Bush has been given nearly two years to make his misadventure work. But all he has done is ignite a civil war that has emboldened Islamic terrorists and made neither Americans nor Iraqis safer. How can we justify this continued occupation? The time has come to truly support our troops, by bringing them home as soon as possible.”