“Our troops abroad are serving us with great honor. They were sent to Iraq to remove a horrible dictator and they performed heroically. They were sent to find weapons of mass destruction but there were none to be found. Now they are caught up in a political conflict, not a military one. Previous surges in troops to Iraq have been poorly executed by this administration. I have many questions about the president's new plan. In particular I am concerned about our troops being stretched too thin. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it is my job to ask the tough questions on behalf of the people of Southern Arizona. I want a strong plan with congressional oversight and accountability measures. I want a plan that includes clear goals for calming the violence in Iraq, protecting Americans and allocating our military resources more responsibly.”