Lynn C. Woolsey: “Over 700 Americans have given their lives for the war in Iraq, a conflict with no end in sight. That number does not…”

“Over 700 Americans have given their lives for the war in Iraq, a conflict with no end in sight. That number does not take into consideration the report the Pentagon just released stating that over 18,000, 18,000 soldiers have been evacuated from Iraq for medical reasons, nor does it take into consideration the billions of dollars the United States has spent to date on this conflict or the international goodwill we are squandering. We were told that this war was necessary to keep us safe. We were told last November that by sending another $87 billion for military operations and reconstruction, on top of just a few months earlier $78 billion for the same purposes, that Iraq would be in better shape and that our soldiers across the world would have the support that they need. The fact is, even after Congress approved $155 billion in supplemental spending bills, Iraq is not in better shape; and many of our troops in Iraq still lack the equipment that is essential for their survival: body armor capable of stopping bullets; armor for tanks that will help prevent the destruction of U.S. military convoys; and the necessary water equipment to keep them hydrated in the desert heat. Under the Bush administration, the annual Pentagon budget has grown from $310 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $420 billion in fiscal year 2005, an increase of 35 percent in just 4 years.”