Statement by Governor Richardson - Says Obama Iraq Plan Is "Inadequate and Does Not End the War"

Richardson calls again for all troops out of Iraq now with no residual forces left behind

AUSTIN, TX -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today issued the following statement on Senator Barack Obama's speech on Iraq:

“Senator Obama promised that he would lay out a different course in Iraq. I am disappointed that he has decided to offer more of the same. Senator Obama has offered to turn the page in Iraq, but I think we need a new book. Leaving behind tens of thousands of troops in Iraq for an indefinite amount of time is nothing new. This plan is inadequate and does not end the war.

“The question is simple: How does leaving troops in Iraq end the war?

"I have asked Obama, Clinton, and Edwards numerous times to be specific as to how many troops they would leave behind in Iraq and for how long. Today, Senator Obama dodged the question yet again. He laid out a timetable for removing all of the combat troops from Iraq, but he did not tell us what he would do with the tens of thousands of non-combat troops who also are stuck in the middle of a civil war. Would he leave all those troops behind unprotected? This proposed course of action is dangerous. It does not make sense. 93% of the Sunnis and over half of the Shia think it is okay to kill Americans. Our troops are targets."

"The American people know where I stand. There is only one responsible course of action left for us in this war. We need to get all of our troops out of Iraq with no residual forces left behind. We need to withdraw both the combat troops and the tens of thousands of other troops who are there. We need to do it now."