Lynn C. Woolsey: “Yesterday as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I participated in one of the Petraeus-Crocker hearings. Sadly…”

“Yesterday as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I participated in one of the Petraeus-Crocker hearings. Sadly, it was just more of the same. We heard doubletalk and nuanced excuse. The American people and the Congress demand more. This is not the punchline on some late night comedy news show. This is the blood and treasure of our Nation. And now the Administration has its hand out for another blank check, over $1 billion rumor has it. This Congress should remain firm in its opposition to an open-ended occupation which is neither making America safer nor providing any real hope for the Iraqi people. Just a few months ago, Madam Speaker, our esteemed Appropriations Chairman, Mr. Obey, introduced, and this House passed, a bill that clearly stated the position of a majority of Americans. With bipartisan support, the bill stated, the primary purpose of funds made available by this Act should be to transition the mission of United States Armed Forces in Iraq and undertake their redeployment and not to extend or prolong the war. A line has been drawn in the sand. The bar was raised, and we will not step back from this. From so-called blue states to red states, from east coast to west, from the deep south to the midwest, on to the great plain states, people are fed up.”