(Washington, DC): Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-Green Island) released the following statement in response to President Bush's anticipated plan to send more troops to Iraq:

"More than five years after the worst terrorist attack in the history of our country, the mastermind behind it -- Osama bin Laden -- is still alive, free, and planning another attack on our country. And the President rarely even mentions his name.

"Instead, he pursues a failed policy in Iraq. The number of American soldiers killed in Iraq now exceeds the number of lives taken on 9/11. And the President's response is to send more troops into what is now considered a civil war. This surge is nothing more than an escalation of the failed policy that has been tried several times already. I couldn't disagree more with the President.

"The war in Iraq will, in my opinion, go down in history as one of the biggest blunders in the history of warfare. Why? Because the terrorist who attacked us is still at large. Simply put, we went after the wrong guy!

"So what should we do now in Iraq? A target date for redeployment of our troops should be set, and their withdrawal from Iraq should begin now.

"Then the Iraqis who say they support their new government will have the incentive to step forward and volunteer for military service -- something they will NOT do as long as we offer to take all the enemy fire.

"As others have said, 'The Iraqis need to demonstrate that they want this new government more than we do.'

"It's decision time for the Iraqi people."

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