For Release: Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO STATEMENT ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR

Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) issued the following statement regarding the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War:

“Five and a half years ago I voted against authorizing the use of U.S. troops to invade Iraq. I was not convinced at the time that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the U.S. or that we had a credible plan in place to manage the occupation of that country. Given that President Bush had not developed as strong an international coalition behind us, as his father did during the first Gulf War, I was convinced that the U.S. would bear the vast majority of the costs of this war, both in troops lost and money spent. Now, on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War, with 4,000 U.S. soldiers dead, tens of thousands more wounded, the cost approaching $1 trillion and scant political progress being made there, it seems clear to me that we should begin the process of bringing our troops home. I have voted accordingly, and I will continue to do so. My thoughts continue to be with the brave men and women of our armed forces who are making enormous sacrifices for our country and serving with great distinction and bravery. But as I have said before, the Iraqi people are not going to make the tough choices necessary to take hold of their collective future while our troops are there. We are allowing them to forestall these decisions, and that has to end.”

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