Libertarian Party reiterates its call for Iraq withdrawal

Talk of Iraq in Monday's State of the Union address reignites Party's call for Iraq exit

Washington, D.C. - After Monday's State of the Union address delivered by President George W. Bush, the Libertarian Party is renewing its call for a safe and timely troop withdrawal from Iraq. "President Bush's State of the Union address once again emphasized his desire to remain in Iraq without any finite objective or operational goal," says William Redpath, chairman of the Libertarian Party.

"While we are pleased to see a decline in violence in Iraq, this should by no means become a mandate for sustaining our presence in the country," says Redpath. "We were wrong for invading Iraq, and we as a country have paid for that mistake in dollars and blood. Our obligation is not to Iraq, or any other nation in the world. Our obligation is to our soldiers: to keep them as safe as possible and to use them only in the direct defense of our nation. Each day we remain in Iraq is a rebuke of the promise we have made to the members of our Armed Forces."

The Libertarian Party believes in a non-interventionist foreign policy, which stresses trade with all nations of the world, but condemns pre-emptive warfare that initiates hostilities. The Libertarian Party believes the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq violated this non-interventionist stance.

"The president says he will return our troops 'on success,' but never identifies what this 'success' is," says Shane Cory, executive director of the Libertarian Party and a Marine Corps veteran. "Is success a free and democratic Iraq? Is success an Iraq without terrorists? Is success a peaceful Iraq? All of these are things that most of America wants to see, but they are not clear and reasonable objectives for our military to achieve. Without a realistic endgame, the president is setting America up for a perpetual state of war for decades to come."

"We must leave Iraq as quickly as possible in a matter that is consistent with the safety of our troops," Redpath concludes. "Democracy cannot come from the barrel of a gun, and to try to force it into existence only results in catastrophe. Every day that we continue the occupation of Iraq is another day that our troops are in harm's way and another day that we have failed to learn from our mistakes."

For more information on this issue, or to arrange an interview, please call Andrew Davis at (202) 333-0008 during normal business hours, or at (202) 731-0002 during any other time.

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

What is the Libertarian time frame for witdrawal, whatdoes the party plan to do with the oil fields just turn them over to Iran and Syria. What does the L.P. plan to do with the rebuilding of Iraq and helping this young government grow.

If we were to withdraw what plans does the L.P. have for the middle east? Just let Iran and the terrists have it. Should this happen what then for the L.P, what agenda do they have in place for another 9/11, or worse.

The Libertarians want to give the Iraqis their country back and let them run everything (including their own oil fields). Iran cant have everything because there are other powers in the Middle East to balance it, if we are to continue our stay in Iraq the Libertarians believe we should let the UN take over if there needs to be an occupational force.

It is right there that thought where the LP is wrong. The Iraqis's are not quite there, but will be soon. So until they are weak, we should just leave? Iran is the power in the Middle East and when they team up with Syria to take over a weak Iraq, the region is in risk.

So, the LP wants to send in UN forces to protect Iraq and the oil fields as an "occupational" force.