Mark believes that it is time for America to safely and responsibly redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Our troops have served admirably, but political leadership has failed them with no plan, inadequate equipment and diplomatic neglect. Simultaneously, we need the Iraqi government to take responsibility for its future. While we have high expectations for the Iraqi government taking a larger responsibility for their future, Mark recognizes that the current leadership has not addressed the destabilizing nature of the humanitarian crisis stemming from the sectarian civil war.

We must end our military's participation in Iraq's civil war so we can shift our attention back where it belongs: fighting al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere. Mark Begich will ensure that our military is not stretched too thin to meet other national security needs by using all the tools at his disposal as a senator to chart a new course the Bush/Stevens administration's failures in Iraq. Restoring our military will mean providing the resources to replace damaged equipment, investing in necessary training for our troops, and providing our servicemen and veterans with the full education and medical benefits and care they deserve from the country they served. With new ideas and a determination to find solutions, Mark Begich will provide the leadership needed to bring an end to the war in Iraq and restore security at home.