Sherrod Brown: “4 years ago today, as Senator Menendez said, the President landed on an aircraft carrier, amid a flurry of pomp and…”

“4 years ago today, as Senator Menendez said, the President landed on an aircraft carrier, amid a flurry of pomp and circumstance, and declared, ``Mission accomplished.'' Since that day, much has happened. Since that day, 3,000 brave American soldiers and marines have died in Iraq. This war has gone on, since that day, longer than World War II. Since that day, the United Nations has estimated that 35,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed. Since that day, U.S. taxpayers have spent $450 billion on the war in Iraq. To get an understanding of what $450 billion is, if we spent $500 every second of every minute of every hour of every day, it would take 29 years to spend the $450 billion we have spent in Iraq. Now, 4 years later, our troops in Iraq are stuck in the middle of a civil war. Too many of our brave soldiers do not have the body armor they need, in spite of the imploring of so many of us to the administration to do what they need to do to protect our soldiers. Now thousands of Guard men and women face early and extended redeployment. Four years later, the will of the people resonates in townhalls and in churches, in back yards and in living rooms across this country. Their message is clear: Mr. President, redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Up to now, however, the President has refused to hear the calls of millions of Americans. He has refused to listen to voters last fall who demanded a different course in Iraq.”