Barbara Lee Says Gen. Petraeus Has Not Saved Bush’s Failed Policy in Iraq
Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 10, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9), a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Appropriations Committee’s State Foreign Operations Subcommittee, during Congressional testimony questioned General David Petraeus about the mounting failures in Iraq. During the exchange, General Petraeus admitted there has not been sufficient progress in Iraq. She released the following statement regarding the decision by President Bush to accept the recommendation of General Petraeus to keep U.S. troops in Iraq:
“It’s time for President Bush to face reality and acknowledge that the U.S. occupation in Iraq has not made our nation any safer. The administration misled the American people into a war based on false representations that there were weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq posed a threat to the United States. They sent our brave soldiers into harms way and now we are occupying a country that is descending into civil war, which our troops are asked to referee.
“It is no wonder the American people have lost confidence in this Administration’s handling of Iraq and are demanding an end to the war.
“The decision to stop troop withdrawal is outrageous. The administration is trying to tie the hands of the next president to a disastrous foreign policy that continues to weaken our national security and is crippling our economy. It is far past time we act to fully fund the redeployment of our troops and contractors.”
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) is a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Appropriations Committee’s State Foreign Operations Subcommittee. She is Co-founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus and Co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.