I would like to thank the more than 200 residents of the Ninth Congressional District who attended our "Forum on U.S. Involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan" at Curry College on February 6. I appreciated the opportunity to have an open and frank discussion about the situation in those countries and the prospects of bringing our troops home as safely and quickly as possible. I was also encouraged by many of our Armed Services veterans who attended and made their voices heard.

     This is a difficult and emotional issue, and I was grateful that everyone involved expressed their views in a thoughtful and respectful manner. I was proud to see that, despite the diversity of opinion, people from all sides of the issue demonstrated clear, unwavering support for our men and women in uniform.

     My thanks to Curry College for hosting the event and to our moderator President Ken Quigley, whose impartial guidance and participation were central to the success of the forum.

     Congressman Stephen F. Lynch

     Ninth Congressional District