Statement Of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On President Obama's Speech To The Veterans Of Foreign Wars

Statement

Statement Of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On President Obama's Speech To The Veterans Of Foreign Wars

"I applaud President Obama for addressing our veterans and service members today during this time of incredible strain on our troops. President Obama rightly acknowledged the need to redouble our commitment to caring for service members, veterans and their families. He has asked for a historic increase in resources to care for veterans and I strongly support this effort.

"But what our troops most need now is relief from repeated deployments to war zones. We should not further delay our redeployment from Iraq. And while I am pleased the president recognizes the importance of denying Al Qaeda a safe haven in Pakistan, I remain concerned that the continued expansion of our military operations in Afghanistan will push militants into Pakistan, further aggravating the extremism that has spread to more and more parts of that country. This escalation has already significantly increased U.S. casualties.

"Finally, I am pleased that President Obama stated he will veto any defense bill filled with pork the Pentagon didn't even request. The legislation I have introduced with Senator John McCain would help eliminate congressional earmarks from future defense and other spending bills. By reducing wasteful spending, we can focus precious resources on providing the capabilities needed by our troops on the battlefield today."

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