Iraq

It is time to call back the troops from Iraq and give Iraq the responsibility of rebuilding their country.

After the tragic events of 9/11 we all understood that we had to attack Afghanistan and go after Osama Bin Laden for the horrible acts of terror he orchestrated on that day. As far as our invasion and occupation of Iraq, I have always opposed this position.

America’s most valuable commodity is not our land, our natural resources or even our principals. Our most valuable resource is our people - the men and women who go out and risk their lives for our security and freedom. Before we put one troop on the ground, we have a responsibility to ensure that we are committed to the cause and that the cause is worthy of risking American lives. In my view Iraq was not worth the risk and it’s time to bring our people, those troops, home.

From a financial perspective, America should not be footing the bill for rebuilding Iraq. Iraq currently runs a significant budget surplus estimated at well over $60 billion dollars. As our infrastructure crumbles and our deficit increases our tax dollars go to rebuild another country that is much wealthier than we are currently. This is not the situation the American tax payers were sold. As Andrew Davis noted in August of 2008, "The American public was told reconstruction efforts in Iraq would be paid for by oil revenues from that country. Now, more than five years later, Americans are shouldering the responsibility of rebuilding Iraq while facing decaying bridges and skyrocketing gas prices."

In short, it’s time for Iraq to take care of itself.

If elected I would do everything I could to pass legislation to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home.