Ellen Tauscher: “The young men and women who joined the Armed Forces after 9/11 out of a sense of duty and love for our country are just…”

“The young men and women who joined the Armed Forces after 9/11 out of a sense of duty and love for our country are just like my son Michael, who joined the military because of those terrible attacks. I am proud and heartened by their commitment to service and patriotism, just as I am proud of my own son's commitment, and I am concerned about their safety and well-being, just as I was about Michael's when he was in the service. When I talk about supporting our troops, it is not rhetorical, it is personal. And it is with great sadness and steely resolve that I stand up here tonight on the issue of Iraq and the President's plan to escalate that conflict. I am saddened because the misguided and mismanaged conflict has become a tragic disaster and a genuine threat to Mideast stability and global security. The escalation will cause more violence in the Middle East and will weaken our Nation. I am resolved, because it is our duty as the Congress of this great Nation to check and balance the power of the President on any issue we believe harmful to this country.”