Media Release
| For Immediate Release | Contact | Phone |
| March 23, 2007 | Eve Weissman | 856-966-3091 |
NJ Citizen Action Report Release — Ready or Not, NJ Guard Goes to Iraq (Again… and Again)
New Report Finds Bush Iraq Escalation Leaves NJ Vulnerable, Strains NJ Troops to Breaking Point
Camden, NJ — Today, New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) and Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI) released a report outlining the unprecedented and dangerous strains that President Bush’s Iraq escalation plan have placed on our National Guard. AAEI is a national campaign and includes New Jersey veterans, union members, civic activists, and concerned citizens. The report, entitled Escalation of Iraq War Leaves New Jerseyans Vulnerable: President Bush's Plan Strains New Jersey Troops to Breaking Point, underscores the dangerous ramifications for New Jersey that result from the President’s plan to send more troops into Iraq. The groups are calling on Congress to stand up to the President and oppose an escalation strategy that leaves New Jerseyans vulnerable and does not honor our commitment to support our troops with the proper equipment and training.
New Jersey Citizen Action and Americans Against Escalation in Iraq urge Congress to pass the Iraq supplemental funding bill (the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act) that sets a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq, scheduled for a vote today in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill requires the withdrawal of all American combat forces from Iraq by at least August, 2008, perhaps sooner. While NJCA wants the troops home now, this bill is the only legislation on the table that sets a date certain to end the war.
Just as earlier votes on the war have added to the pressure to leave Iraq, passage of the House Supplemental will add to the momentum and build toward even stronger votes in the future. Defeat of the Supplemental would give Bush the victory he wants by the passage of a funding bill with no restrictions, no timeline and no withdrawal at all.
For more information, contact Eve Weissman at (856) 966-3091 or eve@njcitizenaction.org. You can download the report Escalation of Iraq War Leaves New Jerseyans Vulnerable: President Bush's Plan Strains New Jersey Troops to Breaking Point.
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New Jersey Citizen Action is the state's largest citizen watchdog organization, representing more than 100 senior, labor, faith-based, environmental, tenant and women's organizations and over 60,000 family members. 