LibertyMaryland

Republican Matthews calls for troops to come home in 2009

Baltimore, MD – Republican candidate for Congress Richard Matthews calls for a safe and swift withdraw of U.S. Forces stationed in the Middle East in 2009. Matthews states as a campaign promise, “If I gain the trust of the voters of Maryland to serve in 2009, I will not vote for any bill that extends the presence of the U.S. military in Iraq. Any bill that includes spending for the continuation of U.S. military operations in Iraq, I will commit myself to vote against.”

Candidate Matthews thinks that the mission(s) in Iraq have been accomplished. “We have verified that there are no weapons that are threatening the security of the United States, we have toppled a dictator, and now is the time for us to step out of the way and let Iraq become a sovereign, independent nation.”

The Matthews campaign feels that the Democratic incumbent in Maryland’s Second District C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger can be commended for voting against the “surge” in Iraq in early 2007. However, his stated position of a “Perimeter Plan” does not help protect the security of the United States. As quoted by Ruppersberger on his Congressional website from January 10th of 2007 –

“Changing the mission of U.S. forces, redeploying them to perimeter areas, and lowering the profile of the U.S. forces in urban areas will break the dependency the Iraqi military has on U.S. forces. Our ultimate goal is to bring our men and women in uniform home. I believe this change in strategy will help us do that.”

Matthews states, “A plan to move troops to perimeter areas does nothing for the security of the United States. With our goals accomplished in Iraq our presence on their soil can only be seen as an occupying force, no matter how benevolent our intent may be. Active military occupation will, of course, cause radical elements of any society to target their occupiers. To only move our forces into safe compounds on the outside of urban areas is a move that would yield little, if any, positive result.

“Complete removal of our forces from Iraq as soon as safely feasible, and neighboring countries shortly following, is the plan of action I advocate. I plan to vote only in this fashion upon my election to Congress in 2009. Six years of war is enough, 3960 U.S. Solders dead is too much. Redeployment of many of these units to protect our own borders rather than inside Iraq’s is what I support.

Originally posted February 14th, 2008

For further information about Richard Matthews and his campaign for Congress in Maryland’s Second District please see www.richardmatthews.org or e-mail info@richardmatthews.org.

Liberty loving individuals can donate to the Matthews Campaign online at www.richardmatthews.org/donate. A donation to the Matthews for Congress Campaign Committee is a donation for a strict adherence to the Constitution of the United States of America.