Tsongas Statement on the Planned Withdrawal of all U.S. Forces from Iraq

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the President’s announcement that all U.S. troops currently deployed in Iraq would come home by year’s end.

Here is the statement from the office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas:

“Today’s announcement [10/21/11] that the remaining U.S. service personnel in Iraq will be home by the end of the year is welcome news.  It is because of their skill, sacrifice and dedication that Iraqis now have the opportunity to build a better future for themselves.  And today we are also reminded of the more than 4,000 of our servicemembers that were lost in this nine yearlong effort, men and women who so bravely served our country. 

“The first piece of legislation I introduced when I was elected to Congress was the Iraq Redeployment Timetable and Political Reconciliation Act of 2008, which would have set a timetable for the responsible redeployment of our armed forces and would have forced Iraqis to take greater responsibility for the future of their country.

“I believe that the ultimate adoption of a timetable by former President Bush and its subsequent execution by President Obama was the result of efforts like these in Congress that were backed by the voices of the millions of Americans who demanded an end to this war. 

“The Iraqi people must now take the next step in establishing a truly democratic government that is committed to providing security, opportunity, and peace for its people.”