Ryan targets Whitfield's war comments

Heather Ryan (D-Paducah) today criticized her opponent in Kentucky’s first US House district for his “praise” of war strategy in Iraq and “ignoring” Kentucky-based troops in Afghanistan.

Yesterday, Republican incumbent Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville) released a statement - in conjunction with the testimony of General David Petraeus before Congress - claiming the “surge” was working and noting that “gains brought on as a result of the surge can just as easily be lost should Congress fail to give our commanders and troops the authority and tools they need to complete their mission.”

In a statement released today, Ryan’s campaign targeted this particular sentiment of Whitfield’s.

“This Bush administration tag line is a strange ‘concern,’ as our troops were never given the ‘tools necessary to complete their mission,’” said Ryan.

Ryan – a veteran of the U.S. Navy - also included a story in her statement she said was told by a veteran of the Iraq War. It outlined an encounter between the veteran and a soldier preparing for his first deployment to Iraq.

“The veteran wished him luck and out of genuine concern, asked him if he and his fellow soldiers had all the equipment they needed to fight,” said Ryan in the statement. “The soldier laughed and said that that very morning his company had visited a civilian junkyard in order to scavenge donated scrap metal to weld to their Humvees. The 101st Airborne, an aggressive front-line unit on their third deployment, did not have enough uparmored vehicles to help their troops survive IED attacks. Remember, this was at a time when Congress was essentially giving the administration blank checks to prosecute the war.”

“This is just one instance of the lack of respect that Mr. Whitfield and the Bush administration have for the safety of our troops in combat,” Ryan continued. “These two entities are lock step in acknowledging armed service members when it is convenient to their agendas, but tend to forget their needs while in combat and after their service.”

Whitfield – while acknowledging the hardships of extended combat in Iraq – referenced Kentucky-based troops in yesterday’s statement.

“Thousands of Kentucky’s own soldiers from Ft. Campbell are now on their third, and even fourth, deployment to Iraq,” said Whitfield.

Today, Ryan categorized Whitfield’s omission of a mention of Kentucky-based troops serving in Afghanistan as “a gross act of disrespect.”

“Whitfield completely ignored the 7,200 101st Airborne soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan,” said Ryan. “It is not surprising these brave soldiers slipped Whitfield’s mind. They are fighting a forgotten enemy, Osama bin Laden, in a forgotten war. They deserve our praise and support as well, and they deserve the leadership that will allow them to complete their mission and return home to Kentucky.”

The 101st Airborne division is based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.