Maine’s congressional delegates speak out

Sen. Olympia Snowe:

“While today is a day to pay tribute to those nations who gave so much to liberate a brutalized Iraq, we also call upon others in the international community to join us in bringing true, lasting democracy and stability – free from fear and terror – not to only Iraq, but the Middle East, and indeed, the world. We cannot forget that this is not just in the interest of the Unites States, but each and every country around the globe.”

Sen. Susan Collins:

“I have been to Iraq and seen firsthand the major accomplishments that have been made over the past year: Saddam Hussein is no longer a threat to that region or the rest of the world; the Iraqi people are liberated and have made great progress in their pursuit of a democratic form of government; and cities and towns are being rebuilt. As we know from frequent reports, Iraq remains a very dangerous region of the world and it is crucial that we continue to support our troops so they can be as safe as possible.”

Rep. Michael Michaud:

“As we look back over the past year, we must examine what brought us to this point, and we must recognize that we have great responsibilities ahead. The situation in Iraq is not stable. We must provide all our military personnel, whether they are regular, Guard or Reserve, with the equipment they need do to their jobs safely and effectively, and we must ease the burden on the American soldier and the American taxpayer by bringing the full strength of our allies to Iraq.”

Rep. Tom Allen:

“An anniversary provides the opportunity to reflect. The Iraq of today is not the welcoming, stable and democratic country administration officials predicted as they built their case for war. Nevertheless, the U.S. now has an irreversible responsibility to the Iraqi people to help create a secure and prosperous nation. We all hope the departure of U.S. troops will come sooner rather than later, but we cannot afford to withdraw before conditions are right, and we should not let elections or other domestic considerations affect our timetable.”