CONTACT: Rep. Dennis Kucinich
Doug Gordon (202) 225-5871(o); (202) 494-5141(c)

In advance of the President's prime time address to the nation, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement:

"The President is misleading us. After over 1,700 deaths, over 12,000 wounded, and over $200 billion spent, we must begin the process of bringing our troops home.

"At some point in the future, the President will be forced to join the American public in saying, 'enough is enough.' Whether the number of casualties at that point will be 5,000, or 10,000 or 50,000, I do not know. Whether the cost at that point will be $250 billion, $350 billion or $500 billion, I do not know.

"At some point, the terrible arithmetic of the war will add up to overwhelm everybody. At that point, the President will be forced to join the American people in calling for an end to this war.

"Since the last time the President has addressed the nation, in prime time, in front of troops and declared, 'mission accomplished' over 1,600 US troops have died.

"With the escalating violence and insurgents becoming more brazen in their attacks, it is far past time that this Administration be honest with the American public: The US occupation of Iraq is counterproductive, and the insurgency will continue as long as the Iraqi people believe decisions about their future are made in Washington and not Baghdad.

"Our troops have acted heroically, it is time to thank them, and bring them home."

Recently, Kucinich introduced bipartisan legislation, H. J. Res. 55, calling on the President to present a plan to withdraw the troops by the end of the year, and begin withdrawing US troops from Iraq on or before October 1, 2006.

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