SCHAKOWSKY: ONE YEAR LATER, IRAQ WAR REMAINS UNJUST AND UNJUSTIFIED

MARCH 17, 2004

SCHAKOWSKY: ONE YEAR LATER, IRAQ WAR REMAINS UNJUST AND UNJUSTIFIED

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today issued the following statement during a news conference on Capitol Hill on the one-year anniversary of the Iraq war:

"After one year, hundreds of American soldiers are dead because President Bush sent them to battle a regime that he called an 'urgent threat' that 'has developed weapons of mass destruction' and that '. is seeking nuclear weapons.'

"Thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians have died because President Bush insisted that we go to war against Iraq because "The regime . . . has aided, trained and harbored terrorists, including operatives of al Qaeda."

"Billions of taxpayer dollars were spent on the war billions more on occupation because President Bush declared: 'We will not permit Saddam Hussein to blackmail and/or terrorize nations which love freedom.'

"One year later, the war with Iraq remains unjust and unjustified. There were no weapons of mass destruction or nuclear weapons and there is no link to Al Qaeda. President Bush misled the American people a year ago and he is continuing to mislead us today."