Lynn C. Woolsey: “Today marks over 1,500 days of the occupation of Iraq. Since that time, over 3,500 brave men and women have given their…”

“Today marks over 1,500 days of the occupation of Iraq. Since that time, over 3,500 brave men and women have given their lives and at least 2,600 have been injured. We have spent nearly half a trillion dollars, but this occupation is about more than just numbers. It is about the lives, both American and Iraqi, that will be changed forever. So many brave men and women heeded the call of the Commander in Chief to rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. One could say many of these troops were misled with false or at the very least faulty intelligence. They deserve so much more for their sacrifice and their service. Last month, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a newspaper in my district, carried a story titled, 'GIs Voice Disillusionment With the War.' It outlined the frustrations of our troops, some on their first tour, others who have served again and again. One account exemplifies the frustration, and I will read it. 'In 2003, 2004, 100 percent of the soldiers wanted to be here to fight this war,' said Sergeant First Class David Moore, a self-described 'conservative Texas Republican' and platoon sergeant who strongly advises an American withdrawal. 'Now,' he says, '95 percent of my platoon agrees with me.' Mr. Speaker, that is directly from the front. This is not something that has been run through the administration's spin machine. This is the unvarnished truth from the troops in the trenches.”