President's Speech on Iraq Misses the Point

Last night President Bush proposed to increase troop levels in Iraq by 21,500. Here are my thoughts on his proposal:

After listening to President Bush’s latest proposal to escalate troop levels in Iraq, I am even more concerned with his failure to recognize the severity of this conflict. Recent short-term troop escalation proposals in Iraq have not stopped the violence from getting worse, and President Bush has said nothing to convince me his latest strategy will result in success.

Our leaders need to think long-term and make a strong commitment to diplomacy with all of the other countries in the region. As the Iraq Study Group concluded, this is an international conflict that cannot be solved by U.S. military strategies alone.

President Bush’s proposal will create additional strain on our military readiness as well as our military personnel and their families. There is already a shortage of military equipment that jeopardizes the safety of our men and women in uniform. We cannot send more troops overseas without providing the equipment and support they need to safely and effectively accomplish their mission.