I got an email from my Senator, Bob Casey, today.
He assures me, "As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you can be assured that I will continue to press the Bush administration and General Petraeus in upcoming hearings. And I will continue to urge my Republican colleagues to join me to pass legislation to change the Bush policy in Iraq."
Well, tomorrow is where the rubber hits the road pal. Time to put up or shut up!
Not to be rude Senator, but after that ridiculous dog and pony show I witnessed in the House today I am in no mood for more empty rhetoric. We waited patiently for magic September and according to your own letter "... the signs are clear that the Bush troop surge did not achieve its goal..."
the letter:
In February, I voted against President Bush's decision to send more U.S. troops to Iraq. Seven months later, the signs are clear that the Bush troop surge did not achieve its goal of buying time for the Iraqis to get their country in order.
While in Iraq, the security problems are clear to see. Baghdad is a city of massive concrete barriers erected to restrict access of suicide bombers. The streets were too dangerous to travel on so we were transported by helicopter that flew close to the ground and very fast to avoid missile attacks. And while I was at a patrol base, one of my meetings was punctuated by the sound and explosion of a rocket landing a few hundred yards away.
Assessments of the progress in Iraq have been grim. The Bush administration's own assessment in the National Intelligence Estimate says that al Qaeda has regained strength to pre-9/11 levels. And governmental reports give failing grades to progress by our own Department of Homeland Security to improve security at home and to progress by the Iraqis on key military, political and diplomatic objectives.
My trip to Iraq and these reports have redoubled my resolve and the sense of urgency to change our policy in Iraq. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you can be assured that I will continue to press the Bush administration and General Petraeus in upcoming hearings. And I will continue to urge my Republican colleagues to join me to pass legislation to change the Bush policy in Iraq.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
Now here's the full list of committee members set to hear testimony tomorrow, September 11, from General Petraeus representing the Defense Dept. and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, representing the State Department.
I will be contacting my Senator immediately by email and by telephone first thing tomorrow morning (the hearing is set for 930AM) - if you can please contact a Senator or two or three... Let them know how you feel about what you saw today and how it would be nice not to see a repeat of that (Be as nice as possible.)
Democrats:
Chairman
Joseph R. Biden
Christopher J. Dodd
Connecticut
John F. Kerry
Massachusetts
Russell D. Feingold
Wisconsin
Barbara Boxer
California
Bill Nelson
Florida
Barack Obama
Illinois
Robert Menendez
New Jersey
Benjamin L. Cardin
Maryland
Robert P. Casey Jr.
Pennsylvania
Jim Webb
Virginia
Republicans:
Ranking Member
Richard G. Lugar
Chuck Hagel
Nebraska
Norm Coleman
Minnesota
Bob Corker
Tennessee
John E. Sununu
New Hampshire
George V. Voinovich
Ohio
Lisa Murkowski
Alaska
Jim DeMint
South Carolina
Johnny Isakson
Georgia
David Vitter
Louisiana