March 02, 2009

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Comments on Administration Announcement of Policy toward Iraq

For Immediate Release
March 2, 2009

Contact: Nicole Y. Williams
(202) 225-2661

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s speech last week regarding U.S. policy toward Iraq:

“As one of the co-founders of the Out of Iraq Caucus I opposed the Iraq war and occupation from the beginning and have spent nearly seven years working to extricate the United States from this fiasco.

“I welcome President Obama’s pledge to the American people to end the war and withdraw all combat troops by August 31, 2010.

“However, I am deeply troubled by the prospect that President Obama’s plan contemplates leaving up to 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. It is far from clear how or why troops deployed for combat operations will be viewed differently by Iraqis simply by designating them as ‘support’ troops. Ending the war and occupation means redeploying all troops and all military contractors out of Iraq. It also means leaving behind no permanent bases and renouncing any claims upon Iraqi oil.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to hasten the day when war and occupation of Iraq is ended and all American troops and military contractors have been withdrawn and reunited with their families and loved ones.”

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