FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:  573  239 3074

JEFF PARNELL STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN

      Jeff Parnell, Missouri 4^th District candidate for U.S. Congress, released the following statement on American involvement in Afghanistan:

    “As both a columnist and a candidate for office I have consistently supported continued U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan.  I have based this support upon the idea of not squandering the investment made in American lives. 

     However, as I have continued to study our involvement and watch developments I have become increasingly troubled by the lack of defined goals by the current administration and congressional leadership.  I have been a loud voice calling for congressional hearings regarding the ROE (rules of engagement) under which young Americans are not allowed to use available assets to operate and defend their very lives. 

     Therefore, I wish to announce that if elected, I will plan to join Congressman Ron Paul and others in co-sponsoring legislation to bring our troops home from Afghanistan.  Dwight Eisenhower often stated that ‘In war there is no substitute for victory’.  The current administration finds itself unable to define what would constitute victory, and therefore I have no confidence in it at all.

       I remain committed to the doctrine of pre-empting terrorist acts; but I can no longer support the posting of U.S. troops in Afghanistan under the current conditions and leadership.”

Jeff Parnell

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