Snowe Statement on U.S. Troops in Iraq

Statement

U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) issued the following statement in response to today's announcement by the President that U.S. troops will leave Iraq by year's end.

Senator Snowe said:

"After eight and a half years, the time has come for Iraqis to take over. As a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will continue to monitor the situation and press Administration officials to provide greater detail on the President's plans to maintain what is an indispensable working partnership with the Iraqi government in this key strategic region. But, protecting our men and women in uniform must be priority number one -- and we simply cannot put troops in harm's way without a rock-solid security agreement that includes immunity for our service members.

"Like all Americans, I am inexpressibly proud of the monumental and heroic work our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines have accomplished each and every day over the past eight and a half years. At this moment we also solemnly reflect, with heavy hearts and unbounded gratitude, upon the unimaginable sacrifice of those brave Mainers and Americans who have lost their lives during this conflict, as well as all those who have been wounded and whose lives have been forever altered as they selflessly placed their nation's call to duty above the tremendous risks they faced day in and day out. All of our men and women in uniform, our fallen service members, and their families will forever remain in our hearts."

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