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Kucinich: Bring Our Troops Home Now!FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 2, 2003 According to an Associated Press report, a helicopter carrying U.S. troops was shot down in Iraq today, killing 15 and wounding 21 in the deadliest strike against U.S. forces since the war began. Three other Americans were reported killed in separate attacks today. Presidential candidate Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich said: "Iraq will not find peace or stability until the U.S. occupation ends. For almost a month, I have promoted a plan to bring our troops home and turn control of the transition over to the United Nations. The sons and daughters of the U.S. are dying in increasing numbers for the benefit of war profiteers with close ties to the Bush Administration. There was no basis for a war in Iraq. It was wrong to go in, and it's wrong to stay in. No weapons of mass destruction have been found. We should not be sacrificing the lives of our brave men and women for the profits of Halliburton, Bechtel, and other corporate interests. This disastrous mission must be ended before any more lives are lost. It is urgent for the United States to go to the U.N. with a new resolution which contains the basis of an exit strategy. It is time to bring our troops home. It is time to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out of Iraq." Among the presidential candidates, only Congressman Kucinich has proposed an exit strategy. It can be found at: http://www.kucinich.us/statements.htm#100903 Kucinich has been a consistent opponent of spending tax dollars to continue the U.S. occupation of Iraq. He issued a statement opposing the $87 billion funding increase the same evening the President proposed it: http://www.kucinich.us/pressreleases/pr_090703.htm In a debate aired live on CNN on Oct. 10, 2003, Kucinich challenged Howard Dean on the $87 billion and the occupation. What follows is a transcript: "KUCINICH: I want to comment as the only person on this stage who actually voted against the war in Iraq. I want to say that Governor Dean's answer was incomplete before, because he told CNBC two weeks ago that we have no choice about funding the $87 billion. And this morning in the New York Times, he wouldn't take a position on the $87 billion, and the governor says that he's still for keeping 70,000 troops in Iraq... "KUCINICH TO DEAN : I want to ask him, do you believe in spending $87 billion to keep our troops in Iraq? Because I don't. Do you?...Would you fund to keep the troops in Iraq? "DEAN: Yes."
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