Here is the letter I sent today via fax to 773-267-6583. Please join me in writing/faxing your Congressman/woman.
In November, the American voters sent a clear message to the electorate: Bring Our Troops Home. I suppose I need to add a qualifier to that: NOW. The news headlines since November 2006 reveal a White House, Pentagon, and respectfully, a Congress that is totally out of touch with the American public.
It is unimaginable that the administration and Republican Congress could act with such utter disdain for the American troops and all Americans. How can a Congress authorize a war where:
a. The troops have to arm themselves to serve in our military;
b. The troops have inadequate life insurance and other benefits
while in service;
c. The troops, upon their return, have no means of obtaining adequate,
competent and necessary medical help, if required;
d. There are no firm mandates for the Iraqi government to achieve
self-sufficiency and self-governance;
e. The cost of this "liberation" is born solely by the American public;
f. Every single reason given for entering this quagmire has proven false;
g. There is no exit strategy;
h. There is no standard, specific and required level of training for
all troops so that they are prepared for combat according to
measurable standards;
i. That necessary equipment, vehicles, and other components of fighting
this asinine war are not covered while the monthly cost is over
$2 billion per month;
j. No mandatory negotiations within Iraq and with neighboring countries
is required for our continued presence in this mess.
The sad part about the above list is that if I took another 15 minutes I could come up with about 20 more failures this administration has amassed on this misadventure alone.
BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW. It is painfully obvious that the Department of Defense and Department of State have absolutely no plan in place to run the current military operation. They are calling audible plays each and every day. I am sure you know the numbers more accurately than I do. Three thousand American deaths with 200,000 injuries (the real number not the fake Pentagon number) along with over one million Iraqi deaths of which estimates are that over two hundred thousand Iraqi women and children have been killed, and these numbers are only continuing to grow. Over two million Iraqis are refugees in other countries. You and I both know that the financial, political, economic and social consequences of this grand adventure will continue to be felt byb the next three generations of Americans and Iraqis.
I am very glad that the Democrats have taken back the majority in the Senate and the House. You have a long list of priorities to meet. Item one absolutely must be to end the war now. The "loss" is a loss due to no planning, no strategy, no diplomacy and no Iraqi internal governmental structure desiring peace.
I have not even addressed the massive misappropriation of military funds to contractors who have cheated and ripped off the U.S. government.
Please, please, please consider this a high priority how. I will help you in any way possible. There cannot be a victory today, tomorrow or at any time in the forseeable future. You know that. The American people do as well. A victory would mean that the Iraqi government, composed of three ethnic groups which have never, in the lst 5000 years, been able to live in harmony, will suddenly, in a moment of truth, decide that the last 5000 years of bitter struggle have been a waste and NOW they will sit down and work together for a lasting peace. Come on.
We have gone from a civil war to now, my prediction, a diplomatic nightmare where Syria and Iran support the Shia (in the full meaning of the word "support") while Saudia Arabia and the other Sunni derived Muslim countries support the Iraq Sunnis. Then, we can add the Kurds in the ever increasing possibility that Turkey will turn and invade the Kurds.
Honestly, we are not all stupid. Please take immediate action and refuse to fund a single dollar of this war. Bring our troops home. Thank you.