Oct 22, 2011
Statement from Rep. Ruben Gallego, Iraq War veteran
State Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Phoenix), a Marine infantryman who served in Iraq in 2005, released this statement in response to President Obama's announcement Friday that U.S. troops will be removed from Iraq by the year's end:
"I thank President Obama for finishing the mission in Iraq and fulfilling his promise. Our men and women in uniform, who have sacrificed so much in this effort, should be proud of their service. The depth of this sacrifice extended to our families and communities as well. But even as this war is ending, our obligation to take care of our vets never ends. For many of them, the effects of war will persist and will pose great challenges as they go forward with their lives.
"The president has proven once again that he knows how to keep America safe, whether it's tracking down Osama bin Laden or stabilizing Libya. Unfortunately, there are some politicians like Senator McCain who use important national moments like these to take swipes at the president -- but they have no credibility. McCain was wrong on Libya, wrong about not going after bin Laden in Pakistan, and now is wrong to try to keep U.S. military personnel in Iraq longer than necessary. I am grateful we have a president who is doing the right thing for this nation and for its servicemembers."
