Issue Position: The War in Iraq

Issue Position

Issue Position: The War in Iraq

A New Direction in Iraq

Giving more time for the same strategy is going to yield the same results. An indefinite military occupation will not lead to the political solution we seek. We need a new strategy for the war in Iraq that provides a sequence of events to allow our troops to redeploy out, so that the Iraqis will step up.

The critical question we must ask is ‘what is our strategy to protect America's national security interests.' The clearly fragile security gains and Iraq's complex sectarian violence argue against our indefinite military occupation. Given conflicting demands for resources and deployments, the toll on our brave troops and their families, the cost of our military readiness, the strain on our weakened economy, more of the same in Iraq is a flawed approach and an inadequate response.

Our brave service members are continuing to shoulder Iraq's burden, while American taxpayers are paying Iraq's bills.

Congressman Hodes visited Iraq in February, and what he saw strengthened his resolve to ensure that we take care of our returning veterans and find a sequence that gets the Iraqis to step up to their responsibilities and allows us to redeploy from there — because we can't keep having our soldiers serving as a crutch for the Iraqi government. This is the only way that we can get the Iraqis to embrace a political solution. And a political solution, not a military one, is the only solution in Iraq.

We must also recognize that the war in Iraq has become a growing threat to our fragile economy, with its colossal cost to taxpayers taking us ever more deeply into debt while millions of Americans are left without adequate health care, good job opportunities or a chance at an affordable education.

Our young men and women in uniform have given their all with dedication and distinction. They have performed their duties bravely, and many have sacrificed beyond measure. Now to honor their work and to make progress in Iraq possible, we must do what we should have done much earlier; swiftly, safely and strategically redeploy our forces and allow the Iraqis to take control of their own destiny

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