It turns out that the seventy percent are uninformed and wrong in our assessment of the situation in Iraq. It turns out that the Iraq Study Group and Middle East Experts Panel are flawed in their thinking as well. It turns out that all polls of the Iraqi citizenry suggesting that they unanimously want American troops out of Iraq are fabricated. It turns out that fifteen-hundred to two thousand Iraqi citizen deaths per month this summer signifies that the surge is succeeding. It turns out that American troops have unanimously informed Rep. Lamborn that "We can win this if you let us." Isn’t that what we have been letting the military do for the past five years? Anyway, I had it all spelled out for me in Congressman Lamborn’s legislative update today.
Congressman Lamborn’s report, comments, and poll after the fold.
"On My Recent Visit to Iraq" by Doug Lamborn (R-CO 5th)
With five military installations located in the 5th Congressional District and with many men and women from Colorado serving in Iraq, I felt it was vital for me to travel to Iraq this August to witness the situation on the ground firsthand.
During my visit, I was able to meet with a number of our servicemen and women. Their attitude was confident and positive. When I asked them what message I should give the people back home, they said "We can win this if you let us." I believe the testimony of General Patreaus and Ambassador Crocker provides the way forward – as long as Congressional micromanagement does not stand in the way.
As we visited local neighborhoods, we were informed of how people in those communities feel a greater sense of security. This feeling of security is not only a direct result of the troop surge initiated by General David Patreaus, but also a result of a greater awareness on the part of the Sunni tribes who are becoming more engaged in handling the Al Qaeda threat.
A Way Forward
It is important to remember that terrorist leaders themselves describe Iraq as the central front in their war against America. A hasty and defeatist withdrawal from Iraq would, as recent history should instruct us, embolden terrorists because they see retreat as evidence of American weakness and vulnerability. This would make them more likely, not less likely, to come after us closer to home.
Regardless of one’s views of the war, an abrupt American withdrawal would clearly be cataclysmic for Iraq and would likely lead to deadly regional turmoil far beyond Iraq. After so much sacrifice, we cannot simply pick up and go home at a time picked arbitrarily by Washington officials.
It is time for Congress to look beyond personal agendas and come together in a bipartisan fashion to recognize and support the progress we are seeing in Iraq.
(Fallon’s comments)
From the heart and soul of the war machine in this Country (El Paso County home of Peterson Air Force Base, Norad, and Fort Carson) Congressman Lamborn espouses the right-wing fear and fraudulent politics of the GOP and Bush Administration. El Paso County where law enforcement and the courts routinely deny due process as a matter of inconvenience. Are you beginning to see a pattern?
Congressman Lamborn is one in a long line of sock puppets for war profiteers in El Paso County and around the Country who want the profits to keep on coming regardless of the human toll. President Eisenhower first warned the American people about the corporate war machine for profit that had perpetrated every level of our government in January of 1960 prior to leaving office and their network has only grown stronger over the years. You know their supporters as the government pundits who espouse: patriotism, support our troops, stay the course, don’t cut and run, and they’ll follow us home. Damn them and their hedonistic and immoral agenda.
You can send your comments directly to Congressman Lamborn at:
http://lamborn.house.gov/...