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Our nation must change course in Iraq. For six years, President Bush ignored the advice of his military leaders, the want of the Iraqi government, and the cry for change voiced by the American public. As a result, the lives of American service members have been lost, our standing in the global community has been tarnished and our nation’s treasury has been greatly depleted.
During the 110th Congress, the House of Representatives openly debated the situation in the Middle East and considered legislation that would bring our troops home from Iraq. I was proud to support and vote in favor of many of these bills, including the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Accountability Act, H.R. 1591, which set a reasonable timeline for the responsible redeployment of American service members from Iraq. Although both the House and Senate approved this legislation, President Bush stubbornly vetoed H.R. 1591, claiming it would “embolden our enemies” and “unleash chaos in Iraq.” I could not disagree more. The Bush Administration’s failed policies of preemption and unilateralism are responsible for the intense violence and unrest in the Middle East region and are the sole reason that our service members are bogged down in Iraq today. Thankfully, Barack Obama has pledged as president to reinstate responsible foreign policies and work with Congress to enact a strategy that brings our troops home from Iraq. While it will take years to fully repair the damage to our reputation, fiscal security and Armed Forces, I believe our nation has taken an important step toward achieving this goal. I look forward to advancing these efforts in the 111th Congress.
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