Five Years and Counting, Congressman Ellison says "Bring Our Troops Home"

Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis) called on Congress today to "pull the plug" on funding an Iraqi government no longer interested in reconciliation, and bring our troops safely home.

The 5th District Congressman cited an article that appeared in The Washington Post two days ago quoting the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq as stating, "I don't think there is something called reconciliation, and there will be no reconciliation as such... This is a struggle for power."

Ellison further cited Humam Hamoudi, a prominent Shiite cleric and Member of Parliament, who (in the article) stated "Reconciliation should be a result and not a goal by itself."

The Washington Post article went on to state that ‘Sunni leaders sense that their Shiite counterparts believe the era of Sunni leadership in Iraq is gone for good - "that Humpty Dumpty had a fall and cannot be put back together again" as one senior Iraqi official put it.…A leading Shiite political coalition went on to say in a statement, ‘We demand that the American administration stop this adventure, which is rejected by all the sons of the people and its national political powers.'

"If the very government our young men and women are fighting and dieing for are not interested in bringing an end to the sectarian violence in their own country, then no amount of ‘surges' or ‘troop enhancements' will bring peace to Iraq," the Congressman stated.

"Five years ago today, the House voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq. Five years and nearly 4,000 young American lives cut short, with another 28,000 grievously wounded - and for what? A government that no longer - if it ever did - believes in itself?

Congress gave the President Bush his war, and we have the power to end his war," Ellison said.

The sectarian strife in Iraq, between Sunni, Shiites and Kurds, has nearly brought the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to the breaking point. Almost half of the cabinet ministers have resigned. Even the Shiite Parliament alliance that once controlled almost half of the 275 seats has split into two important factions.

Additionally, a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office determined that only three of the eighteen benchmarks established by the American government to measure Iraqi political reconciliation have been met.

"We have poured almost ½ TRILLION hard-earned taxpayers dollars into Iraq - $11 BILLION of that coming from my home state of Minnesota - and almost $3 BILLION from my home county of Hennepin. At what cost? We had a bridge collapse in my district this summer. Bridges aren't supposed to fall down in America. But they do when $4 ½ BILLION over the past five years is being diverted to a country that we invaded under false pretenses; one that is more interested in blowing up bridges and Americans along with them. It's (long overdue) time to bring our troops home," Ellison stated.

"Our closest ally, Great Britain, just announced a withdrawal plan of their limited number of troops from Iraq, and the Iraqi government applauded their decision. We should recognize their wisdom and do likewise; encourage the U.N. and neighboring countries in the region to attempt to put Iraq back together again. I am not hopeful, but I do know it will not happen when we are seen as an occupying nation," Ellison said.

"I have joined with my 85 of my colleagues in signing a letter to the President stating that we will only provide further funds for the purpose of protecting our troops and bringing them home from Iraq. I urge the rest of the Congress to listen to their constituents and join us in bringing peace to both America and Iraq." the Congressman concluded.

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