New Jersey Dems Commemorate The 5th Anniversary

by: Scott Shields

Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 08:51:03 PM EDT

Today, a number of New Jersey Democrats, both in office and seeking office this November, released statements on the fifth anniversary of the start of Bush's disastrous Iraq misadventure.

Bob Menendez ~

..."We cannot continue to throw American lives and American money at a situation that neither will resolve. There are no good solutions to the conflict in Iraq, only better and worse options for the United States. The best option is to bring our troops home as quickly and safely as possible. Sadly, if the President and his Republican allies in Congress continue to block Democratic efforts to transition out of Iraq, it seems that only the upcoming election gives our nation any hope of believing that this sixth year of war is the last one we will be forced to endure."

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Frank Lautenberg ~

"For five years, our troops have done their duty with bravery, answered every call and served above and beyond their commitments.  And for five years, President Bush's leadership has failed to live up to their service and their sacrifice.  It is time for the President to get the Iraqi government to live up to its commitments and start to bring our troops home."

Linda Stender ~

On the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, it is time our nation comes together to bring our troops home and set a timetable for withdrawal within a year. Nearly 4,000 American soldiers have lost their lives and 29,000 have been wounded in a war should never should have been waged.

"We have the best military in the world, but our soldiers should not have to referee a civil war while the Iraqi political leaders sit idly on the sidelines. President Bush continues to spend more than $12 billion dollars per month to fund a war that the majority of Americans disagree with. While the biggest sacrifice is the nearly 4,000 brave American soldiers who lost their lives and 29,000 additional wounded soldiers, we continue to dangerously neglect American priorities. With more than $3 trillion spent in total on the war, our schools, hospitals, bridges, and military readiness have all suffered. We are on the brink of a recession, American families are struggling, it's time to bring our troops home so we can again focus on making America stronger."

John Adler ~

"Nearly five years ago, President Bush rushed us into an ill-advised war in Iraq without a plan to win the peace or an exit strategy to bring our brave American troops home. In doing so, our President took the focus off the war against al Qaeda terrorist network that attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001. Instead of being bogged down in a civil war in Iraq, we must focus our military efforts on finding Osama bin Laden and destroying the al Qaeda terror network in Afghanistan.

"It is time for President Bush to put an end to our involvement in Iraq in a swift, honorable and responsible way. The war has claimed nearly 4,000 American lives and sent tens of thousands of our young men and women home with serious injuries. It will cost American taxpayers in the excess of $2 trillion."

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"Five years after President Bush's ill-fated decision to invade Iraq, Osama bin Laden remains at large, American heroes continue to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country in Iraq, and neither George Bush nor Scott Garrett has offered us a plan to win the peace or an exit strategy to bring our troops home.  

"Our military is breaking, Al Qaeda is enduring, and our country is hurting.  When elected, I will fight to bring a responsible end to this war and redeploy our troops so we can refocus our efforts on the capturing and destroying of Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda terror network and returning our own country to a time of prosperity.

"This is not a time for politics, but a time to end this war."

Josh Zeitz ~

...Five years ago, our federal government failed to live up to the standards set by the Founders, and, in so doing, failed all of us.  Those who continue to excuse that failure, and who continue to fight against the principles of accountability and responsibility, are a fundamental part of the problem.

Our nation's task now must be to bring a just, swift and responsible close to this war and to do right by the brave men and women who fought for the United States in Iraq.  Together, we can turn our efforts toward building a stronger and more just country at home.

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Frank Pallone ~

"It is hard to believe that five years ago today President Bush initiated a preemptive war against Iraq.  At the time, the administration believed it would be a relatively quick and painless war.  What a tragic miscalculation that was.

"To date, that miscalculation has cost nearly 4,000 brave American soldiers their lives, and has led to the wounding of an estimated 29,000 additional men and women who have risked their lives on the frontlines in Iraq.  Each of these men and women deserve our deepest respect and appreciation.

"Mindful of those who have been lost and wounded and the 170,000 troops that remain on the battlefield in Iraq, we gather today to call for an end to the war in Iraq."

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Jon Corzine ~

..."Regrettably, the financial burden of the war -- roughly $500 billion and growing -- has deprived our nation of many worthy initiatives and investments that could have been made during the past five years. All Americans, clearly, want to stand up to protect our nation, but you don't protect America by dissipating its resources and sacrificing the lives of our brave troops in a nation that had nothing to do with the vicious attacks on 9/11.

"I pray, along with millions of others, for a responsible and expeditious end to the war."

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