Hill Issues Statement On Iraq

Press Release

Hill Issues Statement On Iraq

Today marks the six-month anniversary of the President's announcement of the troop surge in Iraq. And, this afternoon the President spoke about Iraq amidst the calls for a troop drawdown there. In response, Congressman Baron Hill issued the following statement:

"The headlines of today's major newspapers announced a shift in President Bush's Iraq strategy. As today marks the six-month anniversary of the President's announcement of the troop surge in Iraq, the change in course seemed timely and appropriate. However, speaking to an audience in Ohio this afternoon, the President offered absolutely nothing new in the way of strategy in Iraq. Instead, he told Americans to be patient, keep the faith and continue on with this war.

The President has asked the American people to be patient with him and this war for far too long now, and their patience is wearing thin. So too is the patience of some of the President's most ardent supporters. Some of the most distinguished members of the United States Senate from the President's own political party have called upon him to change course in Iraq, urging him to develop alternative plans that largely entail the redeployment of our troops. The President can no longer say that he will withdraw our troops ‘eventually'. The American people and our troops deserve better - they deserve to know when the Iraqi people are expected to finally step up to the plate and take control of their own country. We cannot do it for them, and we cannot ask our soldiers to fulfill such a task.

I was very disheartened to hear the President continue to push his stay-the-course strategy in Iraq. The President has repeatedly rebuffed Democrats' call for a change in direction on Iraq. But now, the most senior and well-established members of his own party are calling for a different strategy in Iraq. It is time for the President to hear what the American people, members of his own political party and Democratic leaders are saying: we want real leadership that will bring our troops home honorably, quickly and safely."

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