Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s announcement that the United States will withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by the end of this year:

“Today marks an historic day as the U.S. Government officially announces the end our military engagement in Iraq.  I am relieved that our brave men and women in uniform will be heading home after nearly nine years of service and sacrifice.  Also, I am grateful to President Obama’s leadership in fulfilling his promise to bring our troops home and responsibly end our military engagement in Iraq. 

“Unfortunately our nation spends almost $10 billion per month on this war, and the cost of lives has been far greater with over 4,400 causalities suffered among our service members and countless civilians.  With this in mind, we must refocus our monetary resources at home by creating jobs for our returning service members, investing in our small businesses, educating our children and revitalizing our infrastructure.

“As a Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I understand the complex relationship between our nation’s stability, as provided by our armed forces and our counterterrorism strategies.  For this reason I am grateful to our armed forces overseas who have served countless tours and have exceeded our expectations in keeping this nation safe.  Know that I will continue to fight to bolster job markets for our returning veterans to help push this nation back on the pathway to economic prosperity.”

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