Thanks, Senator Lugar

Recently on June 25, Senator Richard G. Lugar, Republican United States Senator from Indiana, in a speech on the Senate floor called for a change of course in Iraq. In my estimation , this is a monumental move towards bringing the troops home. Senator Lugar is a well-respected Republican and the ranking minority leader on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Democrats, pacifists, and the disenchanted have been speaking out against continued involvement in Iraq. But, this influential Republican stating that we need to reduce our military presence and start withdrawing our troops from Iraq is turning point in the direction of American involvement in Iraq.

Senator Lugar said -
In my judgment, our course in Iraq has lost contact with our vital national security interests in the Middle East and beyond. Our continuing absorption with military activities in Iraq is limiting our diplomatic assertiveness there and elsewhere in the world."

And:

"But I believe that we do have viable options that could strengthen our position in the Middle East, and reduce the prospect of terrorism, regional war, and other calamities. But seizing these opportunities will require the president to downsize the U.S. military's role in Iraq and place much more emphasis on diplomatic and economic options."

You can read Senator Lugar's entire speech here .

Thank you, Senator Lugar.