Statement of Congresswoman Betty Sutton on the Bush Administration's Iraq War Report
Statement
Statement of Congresswoman Betty Sutton on the Bush Administration's Iraq War Report
"The report released by the White House today on Iraq is a clear call for a change in course. The President continues to ignore the overwhelming sentiment of the American people, the majority of this Congress and military experts. Instead, he chooses to demean his citizens and all who want a new way forward in Iraq by asserting that their position is based on "politics," as he did today. After nearly four and one-half years of this misguided, tragic war, more than 3,600 brave American troops have been killed, more than 26,000 have been injured, and nearly a half a trillion dollars have been spent. But, the President, in his defiance, has indicated that he will continue to ignore that reality, as well as the facts contained in the Administration's own analysis of the war released today.
In January, the President sent thousands of additional troops to Iraq and promised to hold the Iraqi government accountable for meeting a set of benchmarks for success. Today, the White House reported that Iraqis are making little progress in meeting those benchmarks, but the President continues to reject that reality. How many more times will we hear this Administration argue that we are "just about to make progress?"
Today's report confirms that Iraq is not only in the midst of a sectarian civil war, but that its political institutions are no closer to creating a stable future for the country. It also confirms again that the President is not willing to face the consequences of rushing to war without a defined mission and without an exit strategy.
Unity in Iraq must be determined by the people of Iraq. Our brave troops are caught in the crossfire of a sectarian civil war, without a military mission, and the President has no plan to bring them home. Instead of rejecting calls for change and demeaning those who seek it, the President should listen to the military experts, to Congress and the American people and work with us to start responsibly redeploying our brave troops from the sectarian civil war in which they are trapped."
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