FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 31, 2006
CONTACT: Will Coghlan, (212)-982-9699,
Iraq Vets on President Bush’s Speech to American Legion: “If the President truly supports America’s veterans, he should do more than just use us for photo ops.”
Bush’s speech a stark contrast from reality
NEW YORK – The nation’s first and largest Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans organization, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, released the following statement today from Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff in response to President Bush’s speech to the American Legion:
“President Bush had an opportunity to show the nation that his policy on the Iraq War was adapting to the evolving situation there, but instead he went with the same, tired pep-rally speech that has been his script for the last three years,” said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq War veteran and the executive director of the nation’s largest organization of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. “Furthermore, it’s time for the President to fully commit himself to addressing the needs of this new generation of veterans.”
“The President continuously touts his leadership in the war on terror, but his leadership on veterans’ issues is conspicuously absent,” Rieckhoff said. “Iraq Veterans face issues ranging from PTSD, to high unemployment, to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), yet the president addressed none of these issues. If the President really has a commitment to the Troops and Veterans, he should do more than just use us for photo opportunities.
“Congress is currently planning to cut half the budget for research and treatment of TBI – one of the leading causes of injury for Troops in Iraq – but the President has been silent on the issue,” Rieckhoff said. “If the President truly supports America’s troops and veterans, he should call on Congress to restore funding for TBI research and treatment.”
For more information, or to schedule an interview with Paul Rieckhoff or any of IAVA’s member Veterans, please contact Will Coghlan at 212-982-9699 or . # # #
