Murtha Says Marine Call-Up Means Iraq War Getting Worse, Not Better [View All]

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8/23/2006 10:35:00 AM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71133

Contact: Ed Mitchell, 570-826-6115, [e-mail]

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Announcement of the involuntary recall of Marines yesterday is more evidence of how badly the Iraq war is going and the stress the war is putting on American fighting troops, according to Democratic U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, PA-12.

"This recall is just another sign of how badly the war in Iraq is going. Bringing these Marines back to active duty after their tour of service was complete shows we are unable recruit the necessary volunteers to maintain troop levels in our armed forces. It also shows that at a time when we should be bringing our fighting men and women home from Iraq, we're sending more over there," Murtha said.

"Because of the mismanagement of this effort and all the killing and maiming in Iraq, young men and women are not joining the military at the necessary recruitment levels. We're involuntarily recalling Marines and increasing the age limit of soldiers to maintain troop levels.

"The rise in sectarian violence in Iraq is putting severe stress on the soldiers we have there and requiring more troops, rather than fewer. If everything were going as well as predicted or depicted by President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Rumsfeld, we would be fulfilling field commander's desires of earlier this year to reduce troops. Instead we're going to extraordinary means to increase them," Murtha said.

He added that the New York Times poll out this morning shows increased dissatisfaction on the part of Americans with the conduct of the war and the situation in Iraq. "Now more families and lives will be disrupted by this involuntary recall. We must redeploy our troops now and leave this war to be settled by the Iraqis," Murtha said.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71133


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