Rep. Andrews Opposes Escalation of War, Named to House Panel that will Investigate Iraq

On January 9, I joined other Senior Democrats in a meeting with President Bush and his senior advisors regarding his troop surge policy in Iraq.  I expressed my grave concerns to him about this policy.  It is vital that the U.S. win the war in Iraq, but increasing troop levels is not the way to accomplish this.  Instead, I believe we must find a negotiated solution to the civil war. To begin this process, we should turn responsibility for security of a region in Iraq over to Iraqi Security forces and remove 75,000 U.S. troops from the country as soon as can be practicably done. We will never know whether Sunni soldiers in the Iraqi military will follow orders from Shiite generals, whether Shiite soldiers will arrest fellow Shiites, or whether the Iraqi government has the loyalty of its own people. Only by turning over significant responsibility to the Iraqis will we determine their desire for a peaceful, democratic Iraq. 

I was also recently named to the House Armed Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. This subcommittee had been reestablished to provide the high level of Congressional oversight on national security issues that has been absent for the first six years of the Bush Administration.  I intend to investigate the mistakes made in Iraq and to identify a new way forward that is different than the President’s misguided troop surge policy. 

I believe that this policy is misguided and doesn’t accurately take into account the realities on the ground in Iraq.  We must find a way forward that puts more responsibility into the hands of the Iraqis, and allows our brave men and women to come home.  I will continue in my new position in the House to work for a peaceful and responsible end to the war in Iraq.

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