Here is the text of a statement made today on the floor of the U.S. Senate by Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., in opposition to the measure co-sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar on the redeployment of U.S. troops in Iraq, as provided by his office:
Three weeks ago, I met with soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry regiment at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. These troops had just returned from a second tour of duty in Iraq.
These soldiers told me that during their first tour in Iraq they received little if any support from the Iraqi people. In their second tour, they said that the situation had completely changed for the better.
These soldiers spoke highly of the level of cooperation they received and the relationships that they were able to build with local Iraqi government officials.
Relationships between the 3rd Armored Cavalry and the local community were so strong that the Iraqi Mayor of the City of Tall Afar actually traveled to Colorado Springs recently to present these soldiers with a proclamation of thanks from the city.”
Why would we risk handing over Iraq to the terrorists when they are on the run?
Why would we pass legislation that calls for the arbitrary withdrawal of our troops and undermine everything we have achieved? Instead, we need to commend our troops for their success and let them do their job.
In recent town meetings in Colorado, I had the opportunity to speak with those who have loved ones in Iraq. I’ve also had discussions with hundreds of soldiers and they all say the same thing we need to stay the course and finish what we started in Iraq.
We cannot afford to surrender Iraq to the terrorists. If there was one thing we learned from Sept. 11, it was that the oceans cannot keep us safe. We will not win the Global War on Terror by surrendering, no matter how gradually.
Now is not the time to cut and run, but to stay and finish the job.
