Pledges to focus on economic concerns and domestic priorities that Washington has ignored
May 1, 2008
(ALBANY, NY) – On the fifth anniversary of President Bush’s deceptive “Mission Accomplished” declaration, Darius Shahinfar, Democratic candidate in New York’s 21st District, today highlighted all that the Bush Administration has failed to accomplish here at home. Shahinfar pledges to fight in Congress to bring our troops home from Iraq, invest in our economy and Renew America’s Promise to working families.
“This is a war that should never have been waged, started by leaders who had no plan to end it. Half a decade later, we are still no closer to a policy that lifts the burden from our troops abroad and the American taxpayers here at home,” said Shahinfar. “Instead of spending $12 billion a month in Iraq, our hard-earned taxpayer dollars should be focused here at home to fix our roads, educate our children and help our seniors pay for their prescriptions. We should be using these precious resources to invest in job growth and the economy here in the Upstate New York.”
In the five years since President Bush landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” in front of an enormous banner that read “Mission Accomplished”, 4,000 American soldiers have been killed. Nearly 30,000 additional troops have been wounded and there have also been over 85,000 documented Iraqi civilian deaths. To date, over $500 billion has been spent in Iraq over the past half-decade. Oil companies are raking in record profits, while working families here in Upstate New York are forced to pay up to $3.79 a gallon at the gas pump. The Iraq war has also failed to make us “safer” from those terrorist networks that want to harm us. In fact, it may have had the exact opposite effect, as America’s military has been stretched to the breaking point and al Qaeda is a growing threat, not one that is diminishing.
“Our soldiers have served bravely and with honor. But it is time to bring them home to their families, so our resources can be better deployed – both abroad and domestically And when our men and women in uniform come back to American soil, we must support them in every way possible as they re-adjust to civilian life,” said Shahinfar. “In Congress, I will fight to bring about real change and to Renew America's Promise to our soldiers, our families and the rest of the world. I will fight for an America that is safe at home and respected around the globe. And I will fight – here in the 21st District – to make sure that our hard-earned tax dollars are used to fix our roads, fund our schools and help our seniors.”
Darius Shahinfar is the only 21st District congressional candidate to support the “Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.” This proposal calls for the passage of 17 Democratic-sponsored bills and seeks to end U.S. military action in Iraq, repair the diplomatic and humanitarian damage done by the war and subsequent occupation and prevent a repeat of similar foreign policy blunders in the future. The “Responsible Plan” is supported by over 55 other Democratic congressional challengers nation-wide, as well as retired generals and other military leaders
The American people can no longer afford Congress cutting blank checks to foot the bill for a war that is costing us far too much in lives lost and damage to our economy. Darius Shahinfar believes we must empower the Iraqi people – and their government – to take responsibility for their own future. That is why he supports legislation – introduced by Congressman Ron Klein of Florida and supported by Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand - which would provide loans, rather than grants, for the Iraqi government to pay for reconstruction, fuel and security force training.
Darius lives in the heart of Albany with his wife, Noelle, and their 18-month-old son, Jackson. He previously worked as Congresswoman Gillibrand’s Capital District Representative and has experience in all three levels and branches of government. Darius’ congressional campaign to Renew America’s Promise has gained considerable attention and support from Democrats in Upstate New York and progressives all across America.
