WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)- Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-California) released on Monday, June 16, the following statement in response to the growing violence in Iraq:
“The reason we went to Iraq in the first place, the reasons we shed American blood there, was to create a strong foundation for the Iraqi people to provide their own security and stability. The current situation in Iraq is a culmination of the country’s civil war and deep-rooted religious differences.
“We must make sure Iraqi forces are able to defend themselves. However, putting our boots on the ground and potentially sacrificing more American lives is not the answer. If we learned nothing from our headlong and ill-conceived rush to start the Iraq War, I hope we at least learned that in these situations we must proceed carefully, cautiously, and with full consideration of all of our options.
“Any solution to the problem must include a unity government of all factions participating. This is not the case today. And, whatever we do, we cannot do it alone – this must be a unified effort on the part of our allies both internationally and inside Iraq.”
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Preceding provided by Congressman Alan Lowenthal of California