Nevada Lawmakers, Veterans Join Barack Obama to Mark 5th Anniversary of Vote for Iraq War

October 11, 2007 -- Las Vegas, NV -- State Senator Steven Horsford and Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie joined with Nevada veterans and families at Obama Campaign press conferences in Las Vegas and Reno to mark the anniversary of Congress' vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq. Five years ago this week, members of Congress authorized and enabled the war in Iraq by voting to give George Bush a blank check to wage war. This vote came less than two weeks after Barack Obama spoke to 3,000 Americans in downtown Chicago, where he laid out his clear opposition to invading Iraq.

"This war was planned by Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, two men with some of the longest resumes in Washington. Five years ago today, many other politicians in Congress, relying on their Washington experience, followed the conventional political thinking and voted in favor of this ill-advised war," said Nevada State Senator Steven Horsford in Las Vegas. Drawing on his own experience and judgment, Barack Obama stood up and said 'no' to the war before the vote in Congress and before it was popular to do so. He demonstrated that he's got the right experience and right judgment to be our next Commander in Chief."

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"Since the establishment in Washington voted to go to war in Iraq, thousands of families have lost their children to this war. And until this war is brought to an end, thousands of more soldiers - children of mothers like me - will die," said Robin Darney in Reno, a mother from Carson City whose son Chris served in Iraq. "We need a leader, like Barack Obama, who is going to bring this war to an end and bring our children home."

On Saturday, October 13th, thousands of Obama supporters will go door-to-door to share Senator Obama's vision to turn the page in Iraq during a nationwide "Canvass for Change." Participants will talk with Nevadans about Obama's movement to change the way Washington works and to end the failed policies in Iraq.

Source: Barack Obama campaign