Washington - Retired General James Jones, chairman of the Iraqi Security Forces Independent Assessment Commission, today delivered a report to Congress that paints a bleak picture of the capabilities of Iraqi security force and that advocates for "significant reductions, consolidations and realignments" of U.S. troops.
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning, today released the following statement:
"The administration's failed war policy doesn't produce the results it predicts or promises. After four years of training and $19 billion in U.S. taxpayer money for Iraqi security forces, they are not even close to where they should be. It is obvious to almost everyone except members of the Bush Administration that the Iraqi people and government increasingly see our troops as a permanent occupying force. They won't put in the necessary work to stabilize their country until they see that we are serious about transitioning our mission. 'Stay the course' gives Iraqis no incentive to take charge, and 'stay the course, plus' - which is the escalation plan - has not changed that reality."
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