McNerney Votes for New Direction in Iraq

Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act, which requires American forces to begin redeploying within 120 days and to complete the transition to a limited presence in Iraq by April 1, 2008.  The bill also requires the development of a comprehensive strategy for U.S. policy in Iraq.   The Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act passed by a vote of 223-201.

The vote to change direction in Iraq came on the same day as the release of the White House Interim Report on Iraq, which indicates that the Iraqi government has failed to meet key benchmarks endorsed by the President in January and that political reconciliation in Iraq is non-existent.

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) made the following statement upon passage of the bill.

“Today, in a White House report on Iraq, we learned that the Iraqi government has failed to meet certain benchmarks for success.  Yet still the President has asked that we be patient as he pursues his plan for more troops, more time and more of the same in Iraq.

“After more than four years of engagement in Iraq, it is far past time to recognize certain truths:

The President's stay-the-course strategy is failing;

The Iraqis must take responsibility for their own country;

This war has severely diminished our military readiness and diverted our attention in the war on terror; and

We must change course.

“That is why I wholeheartedly support the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act.  This bill represents a comprehensive strategy to move in a new direction by responsibly redeploying our troops, demanding the Iraqis stand up and take responsibility for their country, and refocusing our efforts on disrupting and destroying the terrorist networks that threaten our national security.”