Press Releases
Contact:
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami
202-226-7616
For Immediate Release
02/06/2008
Pelosi: ‘The War in Iraq Has Seriously Undermined Our Nation’s Military Strength and Readiness’
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the
following statement today on Congressional testimony by the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, on the proposed fiscal year 2009
defense budget:
“Today’s testimony by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff confirms our warning that the war in Iraq has seriously undermined our
nation’s military strength and readiness, and therefore our national
security.
“Admiral Michael Mullen’s testimony before Congress today
that our troops are ‘significantly stressed’ by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
underscores the national security threat posed by the President’s failed Iraq
policy. Admiral Mullen’s warning that
‘the pace of ongoing operations has prevented our forces from fully training
for the full spectrum of operations and impacts our ability to be ready to
counter future threats’ should make clear that the issue of military readiness
is not an abstract concept, but a timely and critical threat to the
safety of the American people.
“We need a New Direction in our Iraq policy, one that will bring
our troops home honorably, safely, and soon.”