Washington, D.C. – Tonight, U.S. Senator Mark Udall released the following statement after the President’s address about the end of combat operations in Iraq:
“Thanks to the tremendous sacrifice of our troops, we are finally preparing to hand control of Iraq to the Iraqi people. As the President said tonight, we have the finest fighting force in the world, and it’s thanks to their efforts that we’ve reached the end of the combat phase of one of the longest wars in our history.
“But we still have a lot of work to do, and our mission in Iraq is far from complete. This past weekend, I met with General Perkins of Fort Carson, who will head up the deployment of the 4th Infantry Division’s headquarters to Iraq this fall to support Iraqi Security Forces and to protect civilians, aid workers and diplomats. Fort Carson soldiers in the 3rd BCT, 4th Infantry Division, are already in Iraq and among the roughly 50,000 military personnel who will remain there in non-combat roles.
“And so, while this is a moment to thank our service members and veterans and to remember those who were wounded or killed in the line of duty, we should also reflect on America’s role in the Middle East and the continuing challenges we face in the region.”
