Boehner Urges White House to Credit Troops, Surge for Progress in Iraq | Republican Leader John Boehner | gopleader.gov

Boehner Urges White House to Credit Troops, Surge for Progress in Iraq | Republican Leader John Boehner | gopleader.gov

Washington (Aug 30) Under the headline “Obama touts positive Iraq news in radio address,” The Washington Post reported this weekend that President Obama is shifting focus to Iraq in “an effort to celebrate good news” amid a slew of bad economic headlines and touting “his own role in making good on a campaign pledge.” However, the fact is that the transition he is celebrating was only made possible by the implementation of the surge he opposed prior to his election as president. At the time the surge was announced, then-Sen. Obama, along with then-Sen. Biden and top Congressional Democrats, opposed the new plan. In remarks given immediately after the strategy was laid out, then-Sen. Obama said, “I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.” Even after the strategy was implemented and Iraq was beginning to show signs of progress, then-Sen. Obama said the course that the U.S. was on in Iraq “will not succeed.” As the President prepares for tomorrow’s Oval Office address, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has urged the White House to focus credit for the progress that has been achieved in Iraq squarely on the men and women in uniform whose service and sacrifice have made the transition possible. In a video released last week, Boehner thanked the troops and their families for their courage, and reminded Americans of all that they have done to help bring stability and security to the Iraqi people: NOTE: House Republicans, led by House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 310) honoring the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the Armed Services who are currently serving, or have served, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Print version of this document

See original work for more on this and other stories.