Daily Press - The War In Iraq: 1st District Candidates On The Issues

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Daily Press - The War In Iraq: 1st District Candidates On The Issues

What should the United States do in the coming year to move the war in Iraq toward an end? The three candidates for the 1st Congressional District give their answers:

Rob Wittman, Republican

I believe that the current efforts in Iraq are working.

I do not believe that now is the time to start playing games when it comes to funding our troops. It is our responsibility to honor our troops by making sure that they have all the necessary tools to get the job done.

Furthermore, we must insist that the Iraqi government establish and maintain order before any troop draw downs can begin. Once order is restored, I am in favor of bringing our troops home, but not in conjunction with any pre-determined timeline for withdrawal.

Philip Forgit, Democrat

I volunteered to serve my country in Iraq in 2005-06 as a Naval Reservist, and I'm proud of everything we achieved for Iraq and America.

Today, I stand with the millions of wives, husbands, parents and children who say it's time to bring our troops home as soon as possible.

To do this, we must ramp up efforts to train Iraqis and then support them as they assume responsibility for security. Benchmarks for accountability must be used to pressure the Iraqi government to move forward on reconstruction, reconciliation and reform. As Iraqis take control, we need to reduce troop levels, moving some troops to areas around Iraq where they can help contain violence, supporting the government in crisis, rather than leaving them as targets in the middle of an never-ending occupation, unpopular and resisted by Iraqis. Finally we need to confront Republicans in Washington who advocate for permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. America cannot afford to politically or economically occupy Iraq for generations.

I have successfully trained Iraqi soldiers to take responsibility for their nation's security; I know what I'm talking about and I'd like to take that experience and perspective to Washington.

Lucky Narain, Independent

The first priority is finding the quickest, safest way to extract our troops from Iraq. However, unless we leave Iraq stable and secure it will struggle to defend itself from Iran or terrorist organizations. Removing our forces from an unstable Iraq will create a vacuum which dangerous organizations will gladly fill in our absence.

The key is a basic, reliable infrastructure including power sources, communications, an educational system, and trained security forces for defense and law enforcement. These essential elements make the foundation upon which a viable democracy may be developed and supported. Iraq must be ready to take the next step in its development by 2009 when elections are again held.

To make sure our resources are being used to the best of their ability, quarterly reports must be presented to Congressional oversight and also made available to the public.

Our soldiers have our support and we want them home, but part of the responsibility falls to the citizens. We owe it to our military to be mindful of our leaders and hold them accountable for the kind of support provided. As your congressman, I will care for our military and work to bring them home.

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