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War in Iraq

In what Congressman Steve Rothman describes as one of the most important decisions of his career, he announced on February 23, 2006 that he no longer trusts the Bush Administration to effectively lead our nation in the War in Iraq and believes we should withdraw our troops. “If I knew at the time of my vote what I know now, I would never have supported the President's invasion of Iraq. I believe that we must learn from our mistakes and make decisions based on new information. The President’s stubborn refusal to do either is not only wrong, but dangerous,” said Rothman.

To read about Rep. Rothman's efforts on homeland security and prosecuting the real war on terror, please visit: http://rothman.house.gov/topic_waronterrorism.htm .

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Highlights

Op-Ed: Ending the War
November 15- In an op-ed published in The Record newspaper today, Rep. Rothman applauded the passage of legislation to force President Bush to withdraw our troops from Iraq. "Jan. 20, 2009, when a new president takes office, is 14 months away. Our country, Iraq and the world cannot wait until then. The Democratic majority in the House continues to press [for an end to the Iraq War]—even without the numbers to override the president's veto. Democrats will not give up. Too much is at stake," he wrote. Read the full op-ed.

On General Petraeus' Iraq Testimony
September 12, 2007 After hearing General David Petraeus' testimony before Congress this week, Rep. Rothman said: "General David Petraeus has my utmost respect. He is a dedicated leader of our military and has served our country honorably. However, I am disappointed that he did not address just how many more years U.S. troops should remain in Iraq in his recent testimony before Congress. His claim that it will take nearly a year to return to troop levels before the President's escalation is also disheartening because it means the Administration is prepared to leave 130,000 U.S. soldiers in harm's way with no end in sight." Read the full statement | News by Issue: Iraq War

'Iraq War Funding Bill Must Redeploy Troops Out of Iraq or I Won't Vote for It'
July 20, 2007 Rep. Rothman pledged to vote against any future funding for the Iraq War that is not tied to the safe redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq before President Bush leaves office. In a joint letter to the President, Rothman and 68 fellow members of Congress wrote: "Dear Mr. President: We are writing to inform you that we will only support appropriating additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq during Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond for the protection and safe redeployment of our troops out of Iraq before you leave office." Read more.

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Rep. Rothman Meets with Vets for Freedom Members
September 24, 2007 On Tuesday, Rep. Rothman met with members of Vets for Freedom, an organization of war veterans who support the President’s military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. “While we may not agree on the President’s plan to continue the deployment of U.S. troops in Iraq, we are united in support of our troops and our beloved country. All Americans are deeply indebted to our brave warriors and their families for their sacrifices,” said Rothman. Read more.

Statement on White House Iraq Report
July 12, 2007 The White House released an Interim Report on Iraq, which shows that Baghdad's performance has been unsatisfactory on 8 of 18 goals set by Congress. Commenting on the report, Rothman said: “Only the Iraqi people can end their civil war. Yet, the White House’s own interim report shows that even after four years of war, political reconciliation in Iraq is nearly non-existent. The only thing the vast majority of Iraqis can agree on is that their country would be better off if U.S. troops left." Read more.

Rothman Votes Against the Latest Iraq Supplemental
May 24, 2007 Rep. Rothman today voted against the latest Iraq supplemental spending bill, which provides $95 billion for military operations without restrictions on President Bush's conduct of the war. "The American people voted for a new direction in Iraq, but this latest supplemental spending bill funds the war with too little change in policy. Ending the war has always been a step-by-step process, but today's bill is not a significant step forward," said Rothman. Read more.

Statement on the Veto Override Vote
May 2, 2007 The House of Representatives voted to override President George W. Bush's veto of the conference report on H.R. 1591, the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act. The final vote was 222 to 203, which was 68 votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override Bush's veto. As a vocal member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, Rep. Rothman voted in favor of the veto override. Read his full statement on the vote.

Chemical Plant Security Provision Included in Conference Spending Bill
April 25, 2007 The conference report on the Iraq Accountability Act, an emergency supplemental spending bill, included language allowing the State of New Jersey to enforce chemical plant security regulations that are stricter than those approved by the federal government. In commenting, Rep. Rothman said: "I'm grateful to the House-Senate Conference Committee for keeping the best of Senator Lautenberg's language and mine. This conference bill would prevent President Bush from stopping New Jersey from protecting its citizens from chemical plant safety and security violations." Read more.

Op-Ed: Bring Our Troops Home Safely and Soon
April 19, 2007 In an article published in the Record newspaper, Rep. Rothman wrote: "It is time for all Americans to join the fight to force Bush to remove our troops from Iraq. Our country can still play an important role as military and intelligence advisers to the Iraqi government, as well as provide them with vital economic and diplomatic support. But after four years of American combat in Iraq, it is well past time to let the Iraqis finally take responsibility for their own civil war. Our country's military readiness and national security require it." Read more.

House Passes Bill to End U.S. Combat Role in Iraqi Civil War
March 23, 2007 Rep. Rothman voted for the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 218 to 212. This supplemental spending bill ends the war in Iraq, specifically redeploying all U.S. troops out of Iraq by summer 2008 at the latest. “Today’s vote is a giant step forward for those of us opposed to keeping our young men and women in the middle of an Iraqi civil war indefinitely. As I have said repeatedly, this bill ends the war in Iraq and that’s why I support it," said Rothman. Read more.

As Iraq War Enters Its 5th Year, Congress Should End U.S. Combat Role in Iraqi Civil War and Pass the Supplemental
March 20, 2007 As the Iraq War enters its fifth year, Rep. Rothman says that the Iraq spending bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee last Thursday sets long-overdue changes in course for the Administration’s failing policy. “The spending bill that I voted for last week ends the war and that’s why I voted for it. I wish the bill would call for the immediate withdrawal of our troops, but it is an important step forward and I urge my colleagues to support it," said Rothman. Read more.

Related: Rep. Rothman's Statement on His Vote for the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act (Mar. 15)

Op-Ed: Iraqis Must End Their Civil War
March 5, 2007 "I have just returned from a fact-finding mission to Iraq and Afghanistan with additional meetings in Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait and Germany... Foremost, I return to New Jersey with an even more profound and deeply heartfelt gratitude for the service of our brave young men and women in harm's way. In the aftermath of the Bush administration's disastrous decisions concerning troop levels and preparedness, our military is learning and adapting. The military commanders I met with said they appreciated the advocacy of military families, investigations of journalists and the voices of many concerned Americans that have helped to highlight problems and improve the conditions of our forces," writes Rothman. Read the full op-ed.

Rothman Visits War Zones Before Vote on Iraq Spending Bill
March 1, 2007 Congressman Rothman returned this week from an eight-day trip to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait, and Germany, where he visited with heads of state, U.S. military commanders, diplomats, intelligence officers, troops, wounded soldiers and their doctors. Rothman, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, took the trip in anticipation of the upcoming vote on the “emergency supplemental,” a spending bill to fund the Iraq War. Read more | View Photos

Rothman Votes to Support Our Troops, Oppose Iraq War Escalation
February 16, 2007 Rep. Rothman voted for a resolution declaring his support for our troops and opposing the President's plan to escalate the war in Iraq with an additional 21,500 American troops. In his speech, Rep. Rothman said that his prayers and all of his efforts as a U.S. Congressman are devoted to ensuring the well-being of our military. He also outlined why it is in our national interest to get all U.S. servicemen and women out of Iraq. Read his remarks.

Iraq War Discussion with New Jersey Peace Activists
January 29, 2007 Today, Rep. Rothman met with peace activists from New Jersey to discuss ways to stop President Bush's escalation of the Iraq War and get all U.S. troops out of Iraq.

Specifically, they talked about Congress' legislative options moving forward and Rep. Rothman's new role on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees all national defense spending, including spending on the Iraq War. View photos.

Op-Ed: War in Iraq Needs to End, Not Escalate
January 12, 2007 Congressman Rothman's op-ed calling for an end to the Iraq War, not an escalation, was published by the Bergen Record newspaper. It begins: "On Wednesday night, President Bush told the American people that he bore the responsibility for the many mistakes made in the prosecution of the war in Iraq. Then he announced that he planned to make yet another one -- he plans to escalate and extend the Iraq war. The President says he intends to send more than twenty thousand U.S. servicemen and women into Iraq, indefinitely. As has been the case with so many military, strategic and diplomatic decisions made by this President regarding Iraq, this too would be a terrible error." Read the full op-ed.

Transcript: Rothman Speaks Out Against Escalation of Iraq War
January 11, 2007 Rothman spoke out against the escalation on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday, January 11th. Read more.

Statement Opposing President Bush's Escalation of the Iraq War
January 11, 2007 "The President's open-ended commitment of more US troops will result in the death and wounding of thousands more American soldiers, cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more and do nothing to help the Iraqi people or their Middle Eastern neighbors resolve the Iraqi civil war," said Rothman. Read the full statement.

Rothman Will Oversee Iraq War Spending in New Role on Defense Appropriations Subcommittee
January 4, 2007 Rep. Rothman secured a key role as one of 15 members on the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Defense. In this position, he will play a major part in overseeing federal spending on the Iraq War and all aspects of America's military preparedness. "No issue is more important to me or my constituents than ending the war in Iraq while continuing to strengthen our military to protect our country. The Defense Appropriations Subcommittee is the place to be in Congress to make sure that happens," said Rothman. Read more.

Statement on the Recommendations of the Iraq Study Group
December 6, 2006 "I am deeply disappointed by the Iraq Study Group's recommendations... Under this 'compromise,' our brave soldiers are still left in harm's way. We must redeploy all U.S. troops out of Iraq within six months. Otherwise, all those left behind will be sitting ducks in the middle of an Iraqi civil war," said Rothman. Read the full statement.

Statement on the Resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
November 9, 2006 "This decision is long overdue, given the Bush Administration's appalling pre-war planning, their disastrous prosecution of the war in Iraq, and their lack of a plan to redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation represents an important opportunity for our country to begin a new strategy in Iraq and in the War on Terror," said Rothman. Read the full statement.

Statement on the Sentencing of Saddam Hussein
November 5, 2006 “The verdict is just and the sentence appropriate for the mass murderer Saddam Hussein. However, the verdict will not end the violence in Iraq or return our troops to safety. President Bush must withdraw our troops from Iraq without delay.”

Opportunities Lost Due to the Cost of the Iraq War
September 2006 Iraq is a tragedy in terms of lives lost, taxpayers' dollars expended, American worldwide influence dissipated, and opportunities missed. This fact sheet, prepared by the Appropriations Committee Democrats, outlines a few examples of the investments in America that have been forgone because of the financial cost of Iraq. Read the full fact sheet.

Rothman Continues to Fight Construction of Permanent Bases in Iraq
September 26, 2006 With a final vote on the defense spending bill expected this week, Congressman Rothman and other lawmakers successfully fought to retain a ban on spending federal funds to build permanent military bases in Iraq. The prohibition has already been voted on and approved by House and Senate members. However, Republican leaders involved in drafting the final bill before it goes to the President had threatened to remove it. Read more.

VIDEO: Rothman Questions Panelists during Iraq War Forum on Capitol Hill
September 26, 2006 U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) today hosted a Congressional Forum examining the financial, military, and opportunity costs of the war in Iraq. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) asked several questions of the panelists, which included Lt.Gen. William E. Odom, U.S. Army (Ret) and Dr. Paul Pillar, a Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University who served within the CIA for nearly 30
Watch Video

Iraq War Panel: If Not Now, When?
August 23, 2006 Congressman Rothman makes the case to begin redeploying U.S. troops out of Iraq at a community gathering in Edgewater, NJ, hosted by Democracy For America and Bergen Grassroots. View photo.

Iraq Not Part of the Global War on Terror