Rep. William "Lacy" Clay of Missouri's First District (north St. Louis) was one of the few Reps who voted against the Force Authorization Resolution that set us on the course for war in Iraq. On Monday (3/27) Rep. Clay gave a
speech to a College Progressives for Peace group in his district wherein he asked the legitimate question:
Why haven't the Bush twins enlisted?
I used to live in Rep. Clay's district, when I was a student at Washington University. It was his father's seat then, but I would be proud to call him my Representative any day.
[speech excerpt below]
THE PAINFUL TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN IRAQ IS CLEAR AND INESCAPABLE.
PRESIDENT BUSH TOOK THIS COUNTRY TO WAR BY CHOICE;
-NOT BECAUSE WE HAD TO FIGHT, BUT BECAUSE HE WANTED A FIGHT.
THREE YEARS AGO, I WARNED THE PRESIDENT THAT THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ WOULD BE A TRAGIC MISTAKE.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE SPIN ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE NONSENSE ABOUT SADDAM'S ALLEGED LINKS TO AL QUEDA AND THE SEPTEMBER 11TH ATTACKS.
I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IRAQI OIL REVENUE WOULD PAY FOR THE WAR.
AND I VOTED NO ON THE FORCE AUTHORIZATION RESOLUTION.
TO DATE, U.S. TAXPAYERS HAVE SPENT THREE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS IN IRAQ AND THE METER IS STILL RUNNING.
BUT THERE IS ALSO A MUCH GREATER COST...ONE THAT WE CAN NEVER RECOVER.
AS OF TODAY... ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE:
TWO THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO U.S. SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN IRAQ.
OVER SIXTEEN THOUSAND HAVE BEEN WOUNDED.
AND THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS ESTIMATES THAT AT LEAST THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND INNOCENT IRAQI CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
AND JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND,
WE BURIED ANOTHER ONE OF OUR OWN FROM ST. LOUIS:
U.S. ARMY SERGEANT,
AMANDA PINSON.
SERGEANT PINSON WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
SHE WAS A GRADUATE OF HANCOCK HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE WAS JUST TWENTY-ONE YEARS OLD.
AND LAST WEEK, SHE WAS KILLED IN A MORTAR ATTACK NEAR TIKRIT.
ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH HER FAMILY AS THEY TRY TO HEAL FROM THIS TERRIBLE LOSS.
AND HOWEVER YOU MIGHT FEEL ABOUT THE WAR,
I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THIS:
OUR TROOPS ARE MAGNIFICENT.
I SALUTE THEIR COURAGE.
I COMMEND THEIR BRAVERY.
AND I HONOR THEIR SACRIFICE.
OF COURSE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS WAR
IS THAT THE SACRIFICE IS NOT BEING SHARED EQUALLY.
SO TODAY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR PRESIDENT BUSH:
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE TWO WONDERFUL DAUGHTERS, BARBARA AND JENNA.
THEY'RE 23-YEARS OLD,
VERY BRIGHT, VERY CAPABLE AND READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SOCIETY.
SO IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE WAR THAT YOU STARTED IN IRAQ IS A FIGHT TO DEFEAT TERRORISM AND TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOMS... WHY HAVEN'T YOUR GIRLS ENLISTED?
WHY HAVEN'T THEY MARCHED RIGHT DOWN TO THE RECRUITING STATION AND SIGNED UP?
AFTER ALL, IN WORLD WAR II, THAT'S WHAT PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S SONS DID.
AND MY FRIENDS, THAT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TRULY COURAGEOUS WARTIME PRESIDENT AND AN INCOMPETENT CHICKEN HAWK WHO PREFERS TO RISK THE LIVES OF OTHER AMERICAN'S CHILDREN...
IN A WAR THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT.
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