Rodney Frelinghuysen: “I support the rule and oppose the underlying resolution. Calling for an immediate withdrawal, or even a detailed planned…”

“I support the rule and oppose the underlying resolution. Calling for an immediate withdrawal, or even a detailed planned phased withdrawal, from Iraq is a recipe for disaster, a dangerous defense policy, the wrong message for our soldiers and Marines who are truly doing the `work of freedom.' Frankly, I am concerned that such talk will only embolden the terrorists and demoralize our warfighters--those who put their lives on the line, literally every day. Domestic politics should not trump our promises to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan that we would be loyal to their aspirations for freedom--that we would see them through the difficult steps of constituting a new government, laying the groundwork for free elections. Our only `exit strategy' from Iraq should be victory. Anything less than that virtually guarantees the next battleground may be closer to home!'' Mr. Speaker, we have to choose where we want to fight the global war on terrorism--in Iraq and Afghanistan or on Main Street in America. And we must never forget that it is our brave young warfighters--men and women of the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force--who are taking the fight to the terrorists overseas! They are all volunteers--doing the unheralded work of rebuilding shattered nations. If not for their service, Saddam Hussein would still be in power with all his trappings--the secret police, the torture chambers, the mass graveyards. God bless these young people.…”