Political Quotes

“next Monday will mark 4 months since the President commenced military action in Syria and Iraq against ISIL. As of December 2, Operation Inherent Resolve, which the administration calls a war on ISIL, has involved more than 1,100 coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, the vast majority carried out by American air men and women. The President has authorized currently 1,400 U.S. ground troops who are deployed in Iraq to train and advise regional forces. The President has authorized an additional 1,500 U.S. troops to serve in that train-and-advise capacity. This past Monday, 250 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, were sent to Iraq. The total cost of the operation thus far to U.S. taxpayers is in excess of $1 billion. There have been three deaths of Americans serving in Operation Inherent Resolve. On October 1, Marine Cpl Jordan Spears of Memphis, TN, was lost at sea while conducting flight operations over the Persian Gulf. On October 23, Marine LCpl Sean Neal of Riverside, CA, died in Iraq. On December 1, Air Force Capt. William Dubois of Newcastle, CO, died in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Senator King and I visited Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in October to see the Combined Air Operations Center in action, and I saw many Virginians there working with colleagues from all service branches and many other coalition nations in directing the air strike campaign. Let's not make any mistake about this--America is at war.…”