The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

It has been over six years since the initial invasion of Iraq, and during that time America has paid a heavy price. Over 4,000 brave servicemen and women have lost their lives on the battlefield, and we continue to spend over $10 billion dollars a month to keep our soldiers overseas. I am optimistic of the actions of the new administration and look forward continuing to work with President Obama to correctly prioritize the focus of our security and military efforts. Largely due to misguided Bush era strategies, al Qaeda and those responsible for the attacks of September 11^th have reconstituted themselves along the Afghan-Pakistan border, and the levels of violence in the region have spiked dramatically. It is time to end the war and bring our troops home. I am strongly committed to ending the War in Iraq, and will continue to support a clear and responsible timeline for withdrawal so that our military may begin to rebuild and refocus on Afghanistan.

Our soldiers and their families have beared the heaviest burden during these years of conflict, and ensuring that they are properly cared for and have access to high quality services has always been my biggest priority. In the 110^th Congress, I have worked to expand veteran's health care services, and we were able to pass the largest increase in funding for the Veterans' Administration in the agency's history. I authored legislation that authorized record funding for the treatment and research of Traumatic Brain Injuries, including PTSD, which have become one of the signature injuries of soldiers returning from the battlefield. I was also a proud supporter of the 21^st Century GI Bill, which will provide our soldiers with the largest expansion of educational assistance benefits since World War II.

For all their hardship and sacrifices, we owe our servicemen and their families nothing but the best our country can offer.

(Creative Commons [1] photo by Army.mil [2])