First District candidates speak out on Iraq death toll

With the U.S. death toll in Iraq reaching 4,000 today, Democratic First Congressional District candidates Adam Cote and Ethan Strimling released statements on the war:

"The continuing war in Iraq is a deeply personal issue for me - I spent a year of my life there; I lost friends to the violence there and I treated people who died out there. My heart goes out to all of those directly affected by the continuing conflict,” said Cote, who served as an officer in Iraq 2004 until February 2005.

“The only ‘shock and awe’ this war has produced is the devastating economic and human cost. Who could have imagined five years ago that the Iraq war would last longer than our involvement in World War II and lead to the loss of so many American lives, including more than 20 soldiers from Maine, and the death and displacement of millions of Iraqis," said Strimling.

In their releases, both Strimling and Cote attributed the war in Iraq as a motivation for their candidacies:

“My experience serving in Iraq is one of the primary reasons I decided to run for Congress,” said Cote.

“I’m running for Congress to end this war now and get our economy back on its feet,” said Strimling.