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For Immediate Release
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Contact: Press Office
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December 11, 2007
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(202) 379-3715
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Washington, DC— Today, Freedom’s Watch— partnered with Vets For Victory, Families United, Band of Mothers, and Gathering of Eagles— will deliver a petition to Congressional leaders signed by over 65,000 individuals. The petition calls on our national leaders to stand strong and resist a premature withdrawal from Iraq and fund our troops.
Freedom’s Watch President and CEO, Bradley A. Blakeman said about the funding battle, “U.S. forces are making real and significant progress in Iraq. In order for this to continue, Congress needs to stop playing politics and support our troops by giving them the funding they need to be successful.”
Petition below:
Stand by the American Mission in Iraq
Sign the Petition
We, the undersigned, call on our national leaders and fellow citizens to resist calls for a premature withdrawal from Iraq and to support America's troops under the new commander, Gen. David Petraeus, as they implement a bold new strategy designed to bring a successful completion to their mission.
Iraq is now the central front in the War on Terrorism - not because Americans want it to be but because America's enemies have said so and made it so. Al-Qaeda and Iranian-backed militias are determined to drive the United States out of Iraq. Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups would then use that country as a safe haven from which they can mount attacks on the U.S., its interests and allies.
We recognize that the U.S. involvement in Iraq has divided Americans and that our leaders have made mistakes. We also recognize the cost of this war, not only in financial terms but, more importantly, in the loss of more than 3,000 of our bravest men and women. The issue, however, is not how or why U.S. forces became engaged in Iraq but, rather, what is happening there now and what would happen if we were to leave too soon.
Today, U.S. forces are making real and significant progress. We are driving al-Qaeda out of key strongholds, recruiting Iraqis to join the fight, and training them to defend themselves.
America has a chance to strike a serious blow against terrorism and the ideologies that drive terrorism. By contrast, the defeat of the United States would embolden terrorists, making the world a more dangerous place for Americans and consigning the people of Iraq and the Middle East to a perilous future.
We urge you to support our troops by giving them the resources and time they need to successfully complete their mission.