3-18-09, 11:51 am
For Immediate Release Veterans For Peace: www.veteransforpeace.org March 17, 2009 At the End of the 6th Year of U.S. Occupation of Iraq, A Veteran's Group Says the End of 2011 is too long!
Veterans For Peace objects to President Obama's plan to keep troops in Iraq until 2011. 'Beside the suffering and death caused by prolonging these wars, America simply can no longer afford the cost of empire,' commented Mike Ferner, the group's National President. A long time critic of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, VFP calls for President Obama to bring all the troops home now. The organization's consistent position has been that the presence of U.S. soldiers only ensures there will be violent resistance from Iraqis. The Administration's plans to leave 50,000 'non-combat' troops in Iraq will not ensure less violence; it will guarantee the deaths of more U.S. troops and Iraqis at the hands of U.S. service members.
March 19-21, to mark the end of the 6th year of the occupation, Veterans For Peace members will participate in various events across the U.S. including the March on the Pentagon scheduled for Saturday. They are also urging their members to write and call Congress and the Obama Administration to register their dissatisfaction with the President's timetable.
Ferner went on to say, 'Barack Obama became president in part because millions of voters were sick of these wars and wanted them stopped, period. The People of Iraq can handle their affairs. They have proven that over thousands of years. It is time for U.S. to pull out all troops.'
Violence in Iraq has lessened and sectarian divisions appear to be coming together, but military and Administration officials remain cautious that violence could escalate at anytime.
'U.S. policy claims to keep troops in Iraq to ensure stability,' continued Ferner. 'With violence down, the President is taking over 2-1/2 years to leave. If violence rises, will plans change to stay? Either way, U.S. policy keeps troops in Iraq. This is not the sentiment of the majority of people in the U.S. or Iraq. We want all the troops to come home now!' Ferner concluded.
