SENATOR COLLINS' STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCED WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM IRAQ
U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released this statement following the President's announcement that he intends to withdraw all American troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
"Given the failure of the Iraqi government to agree on a new status of forces agreement that would provide essential legal protections to U.S. troops, I believe the President has made the right decision in withdrawing our troops.
"I have never supported an open-ended and unconditional commitment of U.S. troops in Iraq. However, I do remain concerned that many U.S. military officials have repeatedly said that they believe a residual force of U.S. troops might have to remain in order to continue training Iraqi troops to help ensure that the significant gains we have made there, at great cost to American blood and treasure, are not lost."
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"Given the failure of the Iraqi government to agree on a new status of forces agreement that would provide essential legal protections to U.S. troops, I believe the President has made the right decision in withdrawing our troops.
"I have never supported an open-ended and unconditional commitment of U.S. troops in Iraq. However, I do remain concerned that many U.S. military officials have repeatedly said that they believe a residual force of U.S. troops might have to remain in order to continue training Iraqi troops to help ensure that the significant gains we have made there, at great cost to American blood and treasure, are not lost."
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