Statement by Congressional Candidate Lee Zeldin

MASTIC, NY (03/19/2008)(readMedia)-- I am honored to have served our nation as a United States Army officer in a wartime military.

My proudest moments in uniform came in Iraq during the summer of 2006, where I was a paratrooper and attorney with the 82nd Airborne Division, the fabled All Americans. While deployed, my first-hand perspective of war was untainted by media, public opinion polls and divisive party rhetoric.

After serving in Iraq, I came to the informed conclusion that regardless of whether we should have entered the conflict in the first place, failure is simply not an option. We cannot and must not concede defeat at the hands of Islamic extremism.

I am pleased that the surge is working. I am encouraged that General David Petraeus’ plan for Iraq is making a positive impact and Iraqis are taking more ownership of their nation. Most importantly, our warfighters have started coming home gradually.

My knowledge of the Iraqi conflict is firmly based on a foundation of experience, facts and first-hand analysis.

Unfortunately, my opponent has little experience in terms of national security. He chooses only to follow selective facts endorsed by his party leaders and lacks any first-hand experience of the conflict. My opponent did not serve in the military and despite his status as a member of Congress he has yet to visit Iraq during the defining foreign policy issue facing American during his tenure in office.

A visit would have been a strong showing of support for the brave men and women of New York’s First Congressional District currently operating in the Middle East.

It is impossible to “support the troops” and not give us the ammunition, supplies and equipment to defend ourselves in combat. To my opponent, I issue the following challenges:

• Visit Iraq, Mr. Congressman, and consult with our battle-hardened warriors, listen to them and then let us know if you still believe the surge isn’t working.

• Go to the battlefield, look our troops in the eye and explain to them why you voted against necessary funding. Tell them why they don’t need ammunition, supplies and equipment before you tell us that you honor, thank and salute our military.

• Finally, before talking to us about our nation’s priorities, you must stop supporting useless, unrelated earmarks attached to Iraq War expenditures that inflate the costs of war and empty our wallets.

If you want to truly honor our sacrifices, supply our warriors on the battlefield with the ammunition, supplies and equipment they need to survive. We are blessed to have soldiers, sailors, Airmen and Marines standing strong at the tip of our nation’s diplomatic spear.

Unlike the status quo in New York’s First Congressional District, I promise my comrades in arms that I will never pin them under the tip of a political spear. They are national treasures. I will never degrade their honor and allow a silly political agenda to take precedence over their vital combat mission.

We are not yet out of the woods, and challenges await, but in our nation’s proud history no truer words have ever been spoken, nor tried and tested over the centuries than the simple fact that: Freedom Is Not Free.

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Zeldin served as an aide to State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. The Shirley resident studied at the University at Albany, graduated from Albany Law School, and earned his commission through Army ROTC. He was a paratrooper, prosecutor and magistrate with the 82nd Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps. In the summer of 2006, he was a JAG attorney deployed to Iraq. He is currently an attorney at Raiser & Kenniff on Long Island.

For more information on Lee’s campaign please visit us at www.zeldin08.com

Paid for by Lee Zeldin for Congress