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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
ADVISORY/RELEASE: Iraq Vets Urge Obama to Highlight Success & Win the Peace
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Iraq War Veterans to President Obama:
Acknowledge we won the War; Commit to winning the
Peace
August 31, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(202) 338-4070
media@vetsforfreedom.org
(Washington, DC) - In advance of the President's Iraq speech
tonight, Vets for Freedom--a nonpartisan Iraq and Afghanistan
veteran organization--released the brief statement below. Iraq war
veterans from the organization are available for interviews.
"The commitment and courage of U.S. troops--and our Iraqi
allies--are the reason we are entering this new phase in
Iraq. The President should take this moment to acknowledge
the success of the surge strategy and thank our troops for winning
the war on the ground, thereby creating the conditions for this
moment. Furthermore, and more importantly, we implore the
President not merely to end the war, but to ensure we win the peace
as well. The legacy of our warriors, and security of our
country, remains tied to the outcome in Iraq, and we cannot afford
to abandon our allies as they attempt to chart a tough course
toward freedom and prosperity.
"Vets for Freedom hopes President Obama will commit the military
and diplomatic means necessary to continue helping Iraq police its
streets, defend its borders, and resolve its political differences.
As we transition to complete Iraqi control, these functions serve
our core national security interests. Additionally, should
Iraq request additional military and diplomatic support beyond
2011, we hope the administration will entertain talks with Iraq to
allow a minimal U.S. presence to support our newest ally in the
Middle East."
To interview Vets for Freedom Executive Director Pete Hegseth--or
any other Iraq war veteran--call (202) 338-4070 or email
media@vetsforfreedom.org.
Pete Hegseth served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade of the 101st
Airborne Division for their deployment to Iraq from 2005-2006. Pete
served as an infantry Platoon Leader in Baghdad during the
nationwide elections in October and December 2005, and as a
Civil-Military Operations officer in Samarra. He still serves in
the Army National Guard as a Captain.
Vets for Freedom (www.vetsforfreedom.org) is a non-profit,
non-partisan 501(c)(4) organization of Iraq and Afghanistan war
veterans whose mission is to advocate for success on the
battlefield by educating and influencing the American public,
policymakers, and the media on issues of strategy, tactics, and
military leadership. We support policymakers from both sides of the
aisle who stand behind our generation of warriors, and who put
long-term national security before short-term partisan political
gain. Vets for Freedom is the largest pro-victory Iraq and
Afghanistan war veterans organization in America.
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