Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) commented today on the long-awaited report by General David Petraeus on the Bush administration’s “surge” strategy in Iraq:
“It’s time to send a clear signal to Iraq and the rest of the world that we are bringing our troops home. We’re facing a simple question: is it in our country’s best interests for our troops to remain in Iraq? From everything I’ve seen and heard, the answer is no – and for that reason, it’s time to begin a rapid, responsible redeployment of our troops out of Iraq.
“In today’s report by General Petraeus, the Bush administration argues that security in Iraq is improving – but with 160,000 American troops on the ground and more than $700 billion spent, we should expect some progress of some kind. What has not improved is the political environment necessary for Iraq to begin to stabilize and move forward. Nothing fundamental will change in Iraq unless its leaders have the will to work together.
“Our troops need to come home. Then, we can return our focus to issues here at home – from better health care to more affordable education to renewable sources of energy – that will challenge our nation’s strength and security for years to come, and where we are losing ground because of this war.”
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