"I appreciated the signatures presented to my office today by MoveOn.org.  This petition calling for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq by the end of 2006 in many ways echoes my ongoing position in opposition to this war.  While I am always interested in hearing from my constituents', I urge MoveOn.org and others seeking withdrawal from Iraq to call on Republican Congressional Members.  It is the Republican leadership that is stifling debate on this issue, and they control which bills come to the floor for a vote.  While Democrats may not be unanimous in our position on withdrawal, we are unified in our support of a dialogue and deliberation of this issue on the floor of the House. 

"I did not vote for the Iraq Resolution because I never saw or heard anything I felt constituted an imminent threat to Americans from Iraq.  In addition, much of the background information I read indicated that this administration came into office with Iraq on the brain. 

"In the run-up to the war, we were assured that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.  We did not find any, and were told before going in that it was highly possible that we would not. 

"We were told that our soldiers would be greeted in Baghdad as liberators.  Just the opposite has occurred.

"We were told that we could give big tax cuts to the wealthy and fund a war at the same time because the war would be largely paid for by income from Iraqi oil.  That has not happened, and the nation's deficit has skyrocketed. 

"Finally, President Bush declared over a year ago, 'Mission Accomplished.'  Yet, since that announcement, more Americans have been mortally and severely wounded than before his made-for-television performance. 

"I am in total agreement with the sentiments expressed by Jack Murtha, and I support his call for a timely exit strategy that is being echoed today by the thousands of Americans' signatures representing all walks of life."

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