Barack Obama

This month, I join all Americans in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the achievements and sacrifices of Hispanic Americans.

Let's end this war in Iraq now and turn the page on the failed policies of the last seven years that have left Latinos, and so many other Americans, behind.

So this month and every month, let's reaffirm our shared history as a nation of immigrants dedicated to prosperity and opportunity for all.

With the energy the Latino community brings to our democracy and our economy, we can be assured that America's future will be bright.

What has always distinguished the Latino community - and what distinguishes us as Americans - is our belief that with big dreams and hard work, anything is possible.

But despite all the progress we've made together, we know that there is more work to be done.

This continues to be a disastrous foreign policy mistake.

I am pleased that the Louisiana state appeals court recognized that the aggravated battery charge brought in this case was inappropriate.

And I hope that the judicial process will move deliberately to ensure that all of the defendants will receive a fair trial and equal justice under the law.

I hope that today's decision will lead the prosecutor to reconsider the excessive charges brought against all the teenagers in this case.

I opposed this war from the beginning.

It is long past time to end a war that never should have started.

Our troops have done a tremendous job in Iraq, and we know they'll do whatever is asked of them-but it's time for the administration to come clean and acknowledge that no amount of American heroism is going to force Iraq's leaders to…

We have to come together -- not as Republicans and Democrats -- but as Americans to turn the page in Iraq.

President Bush was wrong when he took us to war.

The Legislative Black Caucus has fought for a more equal and just government that represents all Californians, not just those with money and access.

I think that we should not have had this discussion on 9/11 or 9/10 or 9/12, because I think it perpetuates this notion that, somehow, the original decision to go into Iraq was directly related to the attacks on 9/11.

This continues to be a disastrous foreign policy mistake.

And we honor the brave men and women of the United States military -- and their families -- for bearing an awesome burden these last six years.

As America marks the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we pause to remember each and every victim and to grieve with the families that lost a loved one.

We give thanks for the emergency responders who set an example of selfless sacrifice that we will never forget.

The time to end the surge and to start bringing our troops home is now - not six months from now.

It's long past time for us to admit that we have more work to do to ensure that our criminal justice system is fair.

Our military cannot sustain its current deployments without crippling our ability to respond to contingencies around the world.

This isn't just Jena's problem; it's America's problem.