Schakowsky Statement on Bush Administration's Plans to Stop Troop Withdrawal

SCHAKOWSKY STATEMENT ON BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS TO STOP TROOP WITHDRAWAL

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a founding member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, released the following statement today in response to Defense Secretary Robert Gates' comments that he supports General David Petraeus' recommendation to halt the troop withdrawal from Iraq.

"Last September, General David Petraeus promised the American people that we would begin withdrawing our troops from Iraq. Five months later, General Petraeus has reversed course and is now recommending that we freeze troop levels and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has agreed to allow the freeze. At this point, it is highly unlikely that we will reach the goal outlined by Gen. Petraeus in September of returning to our pre-surge troop level by July 2008. This shameful about-face will only put more American troops in harms way instead of bringing them home as they were promised.

It is clear that the situation has not improved in Iraq–the recent increase in violence has made that clear–and that the Bush Administration has no intention of ending this war. Sadly, we are not any closer today to ending this war than we were back in September. Secretary Gates' comments prove that the Bush Administration continues to mismanage this war and underestimate the situation in Iraq. We need to continue withdrawing our troops from Iraq at a steady pace and without interruption....