Responding to this week's testimony by General Petraeus to House and Senate committees on Capitol Hill, Cheryl Crist, Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington's 3rd District, stated the following:

"Once more we heard General Petraeus asking for more time and money to keep the occupation going.  It sounded like he was also laying the groundwork for a war in Iran.

"I was struck by the amount of time spent discussing 'how' to continue the occupation of Iraq, not 'whether' to continue it. The General is talking about progress toward establishing and training an Iraqi security force that can suppress and oppress the general population. Of course, a large number of the Iraqi people are resisting. We would do the same if a foreign military were running the show inside our borders.

"In the days just prior to Petraeus' testimony, retired Generals Gard and Odom held a press conference and indicated the so-called "surge" had made the situation much more dangerous by paying and arming several opposing militias.  These militias are now demanding more money or they will go back to killing Americans.

"I believe it is imperative that we civilians rein in the over-reach and over-spending of this administration.  No funding bill should come out of Congress that pays for more war.  Congress must fund only the amount needed to get our soldiers home safely.  This mean denying the $102 billion request that will come from the White House in a few days.

"Also, Congress should declare null and void any agreement between the Bush administration and the Maliki government.  The costs of this war are heartbreaking: $12 billion and 30-40 American deaths per month.  American voters are saying "no more."

"There are many indications that the majority of Iraqis want the U.S. soldiers out.  Women for Women International reports that 71% of Iraqi women say they do not feel protected by U.S. soldiers and 65% say U.S. soldiers are only making security worse. (Source: www.womenforwomen.org.)

"For all these reasons and more, I say no more funds for the Iraq occupation, and Congress must nullify any long-term agreement between the Bush administration and the Maliki government."

Cheryl Crist