Delusional or Brainwashed?: Thelma Drake Spends 6 Days in Iraq, Pronounces It Good

Drake's `upbeat' progress report during heavily protected trip to Middle East Doesn't Square With Reality: 680 More U.S. Soldiers Killed, Over 5,000 Wounded in Iraq Since Bush `Surge' Plan Announced

Congresswoman Out of Touch With Majority of Virginians Demanding Responsible End to the War in Iraq

Norfolk, VA - The Virginia `Iraq Summer' Campaign questioned Rep. Thelma Drake's cursory, `upbeat' assessment of the President's Iraq war `surge' plan following her brief, heavily protected 6-day visit to the Middle East this week in the face of the reality that 680 more U.S. soldiers have been killed and over 5,000 more have been wounded in Iraq since President Bush announced his `surge' plan in January.  `Iraq Summer' noted similar claims that `we're making good progress' from the Bush administration virtually every week since `major combat operations' were declared over on May 1, 2003, as well as the administration's July 12th report to Congress revealing that of the eighteen `benchmarks' for success in Iraq that the President outlined in January - zero have been met.

"With the war in Iraq well into its 5th year, how many times has the President and his allies in Congress told the American people `we're making progress ' and pleaded for more time," said Andres Moreno, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and field organizer for the Virginia "Iraq Summer" Campaign. "It's ridiculous that Congresswoman Drake would return from a heavily protected, dog and pony public relations offensive on behalf of the Bush administration and expect her constituents to believe that the violent civil war in Iraq has suddenly been turned around.  The numbers tell a different story: since President Bush announced his `surge' plan in January, 680 more U.S. soldiers have been killed and over 5,000 have been wounded in Iraq - there's been 331 multiple fatality bombings.  Is this what you call progress, Rep. Drake?  With more than 70 percent of the American public calling for the withdrawal of nearly all U.S. troops from Iraq, Thelma Drake is one of the few left still pleading to give the President's costly, irresponsible and failed Iraq polices another chance." 

"It's time for Congresswoman Drake to start representing her constituents and vote for a firm timetable for getting U.S. troops out of harm's way.  Rep. Drake, why should our fighting men and women continue making incredible sacrifices refereeing this violent civil war when the Iraqis would rather go on vacation for a month than sit down and resolve their differences?  The time for second or third or fourth chances is over - it's time for Thelma Drake to vote to bring our troops home safely, responsibly, and now."

"Iraq Summer" is a nationwide, 10-week long campaign with nearly 100 organizers in 15 states and 40 congressional districts to turn up the heat on Republican members of Congress, including Senator Warner, Reps. Frank Wolf and Tom Davis, who have opposed setting a timeline to bring a safe and responsible end to the war in Iraq. The effort will culminate with a national "Take a Stand" day on August 28th, when Members of Congress will have the opportunity to explain their stance on the war to their constituents in a town hall setting.

From Americans Against Escalation in Iraq