"I am adamantly opposed to the president's proposal to escalate our involvement in Iraq's civil war,” said Thompson. “The two leading generals in Iraq have said that an escalation will not quell the growing chaos in Iraq and will only further deplete our military's scarce resources. We need a more realistic and comprehensive strategy for Iraq; one which puts more focus on diplomacy, shifts responsibility to the Iraqi government and brings our troops home as safely and quickly as possible."

Thompson continued, "The president's blatant disregard of the advice from those on the ground in Iraq is a mistake. Both General Abizaid and General Casey have said that more troops will not help the Iraqis take control of their government. General Odierno has said that, even with the president's plan for escalation, it will take two or three years for Americans to gain the upper hand in Iraq. Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker has said that if the current pace of the war continues, the Army will be incapable of waging the War on Terror.

“It is overwhelmingly apparent to everyone except the president that escalation will not work. As Vietnam veteran and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel said, 'It is folly.'

"We simply do not have the resources to continue this war. We do not have the troops, the equipment or the funding to stabilize Iraq and at the same time protect our own national and economic security. These are the facts. By ignoring the facts, the president is willingly putting our nation at risk.

"I will not support any of the president's requests to fund additional troops,” Thompson continued. “As I have in the past, I will not support any war spending that does not undergo intense scrutiny from the Congress. The best thing for our country is to end this war as swiftly as possible. I will continue to work aggressively to make that happen."

Thompson has expressed concern about the war's handling throughout its duration over the last several years. A Vietnam veteran wounded in battle, Thompson last fall introduced legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

On the Web: http://mikethompson.house.gov