Washington - Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday stated that the Pentagon had coordinated with the British military on its planned withdrawal of half of its forces from Iraq. Following those comments, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today said the withdrawal of British troops only accentuates the need to transition the mission for the American troops.
Sen. Menendez released the following statement:
"The violence in Iraq rages on, with bombing after bombing again this week, and our troops continue to be stuck over there without a light at the end of the tunnel," said Menendez. "The so-called 'coalition' was weak to begin with, but now more than ever, we are in the middle of the Iraqi crossfire practically all alone. 'Stay the course' will bring more of the same, but a transition of our mission will bring the best chance for some sort of stability. The British have recognized this, and it's past time that President Bush and his loyalists in Congress do the same."
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