The Veterans' Alliance for Security and Democracy released the following statement regarding the "NEW" Iraq policy announced by President Bush. This diary is posted with their permission and at their request.
Ultimately, it will be the American people's outrage and outspokenness that force the hand of the Executive in this crucial and devastating area.
We are extremely concerned that President Bush's new so-called policy in Iraq is a thinly veiled "Stay the Course" escalation, the poker equivalent of doubling down with a busted flush. VETPAC is dedicated to preserving the values for which veterans have served, fought and died. We are concerned with policy issues that affect military and veteran personnel, with issues vital to U.S. national security and with strengthening American democracy. This new policy adversely impacts all three of our concerns.
On the flip their statement continues along with bios of VETPAC officers and advisors.
The VETPAC statement continues:
The President had two choices once he was forced to abandon "Stay the Course". He could accept the position of the military and current team in Iraq: that we should be shrinking the footprint and re-deploy over the next 12-18 months. But this would be a tacit admission that the invasion and occupation of Iraq was a mistake and the full impact of that would be clear before he left office. Or he could make the choice he has to escalate, stake more American and Iraqi lives on a reckless gamble and leave office on January 20, 2009 clinging to the hope that there was still a chance for "victory" in Iraq if only his successor would continue his policies. He chose wrongly.
The hard fact is that escalation will not work. It is difficult to see how 21,500 additional troops can have an effect on the outcome of the chaos and civil war in Iraq. There are currently 132,000 troops deployed so the additional forces will bring the force level to approximately 153,000. This was the force level in late 2005 and early 2006 prior to the increase in sectarian violence and mindless slaughter. How can a force level that could not quell the violence in a less troubled time do it now? Further, the updated Army and Marine Corps Field Manual on counterinsurgency of December 2006, the calculation that at least 20 soldiers are required for each 1000 residents. By this standard, at least 100,000 additional troops would be required in Baghdad alone. The prime mover behind this updated manual was Gen. David H. Petraeus, the nominee as the Commander in Iraq. He should ask the President the question he posed at the beginning of the invasion: "Tell me how this ends."
Escalation will confirm to the Iraqi people and the rest of the Middle East that the United States is determined to have a permanent combat presence in Iraq, a belief given credence by administration unwillingness to clearly state its intention not to have permanent bases. What can Congress do? Congress must assert the authority of oversight that was so badly lacking during the previous six years. Congress must use the confirmation hearings for a large number of Presidential nominations as the President seeks to replace several officials whose support for escalation was lukewarm at best.
The nominees include: Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, the new proposed commander of U.S. forces in Iraq
Gen. George W. Casey, USA, the current commander and new designated Army Chief of Staff,
Retired Vice Admiral, John M. (Mike) McConnell
the nominee for National Intelligence Director (NID), Admiral William J. Fallon, US Navy to become Commander of Central Command
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad the current U.S. Ambassador in Iraq and nominee for United Nations, Ambassador to Pakistan
Ryan C. Crocker, nominated as Ambassador to Afghanistan
and John D. Negroponte, the current NID and nominee for Deputy Secretary of State.
The military nominees should be asked to define the military objectives to be achieved by escalation. The political nominees should all be asked whether escalation requires a new Congressional authorization along the lines proposed by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Congress should demand full and candid answers from them (and their predecessors) and deny confirmation if they are not forthcoming. In addition, the funds required by the Defense and State Departments for this escalation should be passed in the form of a supplemental budget, not an emergency appropriation and should be subject to the "pay - go rules." And authorization and appropriation bills should deny funding for permanent bases.
The VETPAC officers are(alphabetically):
Fred Allingham, VETPAC Board of Directors
Executive Director of the National Association of Radiation Survivors (NARS), representing atomic veterans and radiation survivors, from 1988 to present. Served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960-1967, with tours in Guam and Spain. Allingham is an experienced community/political organizer with a Master's Degree in Political Science.
E. Cooper Brown, VETPAC Treasurer, Board of Directors
Currently an administrative law judge in Washington, D.C. For over twenty years prior to his appointment as an ALJ, Brown was engaged in the private practice of law, including representation of atomic veterans in the early 1980s as General Counsel to the National Association of Atomic Veterans. Brown served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Colonel Richard Klass, VETPAC Executive Director, Board of Directors
Colonel Richard L. Klass is a graduate of the USAF Academy and National War College and was a Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow. He logged over 500 combat hours as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star, DFC and Purple Heart. Since retiring in 1980 he has held international marketing positions in several aerospace and consulting companies.
Lorin M. Walker, VETPAC Vice Director, Board of Directors
Ms. Walker is the daughter of Captain Bruce C. Walker USAF, MIA 1972. She is the business manager for The Technical Committee whose charge it is to manage and oversee Microsoft in its compliance of the antitrust settlement of 2002 in concert with the office of the New York Attorney General and the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. She has been a congressional intern, served as an at-large delegate to the 2004 DNCC and most recently served on the founding Board of Directors for Veterans and Military Families for Progress.
Bios arefrom their website
VETPAC Advisory Committee:
Paul Bucha, US ARMY, Medal of Honor Recipient, Past President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society
David Addlestone, Esq., Veterans Law Attorney
Dan Berger, Esq., senior member and shareholder of Berger & Montague
Acie Byrd, Chief Petty Officer, USN (Retired)
Gregory V. "Skip" Dreps, US ARMY medic (1969-1978)
Lt. General Robert Gard, US Army (Retired)
Bobby Harnage, former President, American Federation of Government Employees
General Joe Hoar, USMC (Retired), Former Commander-in-Chief, Central Command.Vietnam Veteran.
Lt. Colonel Pete McCloskey, USMC (Retired), Former Republican Congressman CA 11th District
Brigadier General Dave McGinnis, NY National Guard (Retired)
Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak, USAF (Retired)
Bobby Muller, Lieutenant, USMC (1968-1969), President, Veterans for America (VFA)
Jonathan Powers, Captain US Army, Associate Director Veterans for America (VFA)
Wade Sanders, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, distinguished combat veteran
Organizational affiliations listed for identification purposes only.
To the VETPAC statement I add this:
VETPAC promises to be a major player in the 110th Congress. The organization brings gravitas to table with specific expertize required to reform VA through Congressional oversite.
The Action VETPAC urges kossacks to take is this:
Contact your Congressman and your Senators and urge them to:
a. Assert the authority of oversight
b. Hold nominees' feet to the fire during upcoming confirmation hearings
c. Withhold funding as ethical and necessary
d. Supply funding (where appropriate) with "Pay-as-you-Go" principles only