SENATOR COLLINS RELEASES STATEMENT REACTING TO PRESIDENT BUSH’S SPEECH ON IRAQ

WASHINGTON, DC—Senator Susan Collins, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has released a statement following the President's speech on the war in Iraq. Yesterday, Senators Collins and Carl Levin (D-MI) sent a letter to President Bush expressing their views that the Iraqis should meet their own timetable for adopting a constitution, or else the U.S. should review its position in Iraq.

"I join the President in being extremely proud of the men and women who are serving in Iraq, and I stand fully behind our troops in their critical mission. I also agree that it would be a mistake to set a fixed date for U.S. departure from this conflict. Doing so would encourage jihadists and insurgents to wait us out and would increase the chances of a civil war upon our departure.

"Military action alone, however, cannot resolve this conflict. Peace and freedom require the emergence of a democracy in Iraq. We need to reemphasize the importance of this process to the Iraqis and let them know that they must meet their own timetable for adopting a constitution. If they don't, we should review our position in Iraq with all options open, including a reevaluation of our military commitment. Only a constitutional agreement- a political agreement among all parties—can change the status quo and end the current deadly dynamic in Iraq."

####