This morning I faxed some letters to Congress. Subject: can Rumsfeld.
I completely disagree with the argument that we want Rumsfeld to stay so the problem will linger. First, forcing out the Secretary of Defense six months before an election, during a war, will a) bring home the point that this is a really huge problem and b) damage the Dear Leader politically, so that the press and Democrats will be more willing to attack (the blood in the water theory). But those are political arguments. In the real world, we have the overriding problem that Rumsfeld is completely incompetent. At this point the guy is too blinded by ideology to run a McDonald's. We desperately need him out of there. I don't think he will be replaced by some miracle worker but there is a chance that, with enough pressure, an old-fashioned conservative not caught up in neoconthink would be really could help. If not, at least we get the confirmation hearings.
Obviously, if you disagree with this argument, you don't want to bug anyone about this. But if you do, here are my letters. Notice: no rude quacking from this duck, only polite arguments. If you want, plagiarize, but cover your tracks: form letters are a lot less effective. So make some changes so it reads a little differently. As I understand it, faxes are the best way to contact congress these days. Make sure you put your home address on there!
First, the happy letter to my congressman, who has called for Rummy's resignation.
Duck's Nest
Boulder, CO 80301
May 11, 2004
Congressman Mark Udall
United States House of Representatives
Dear Congressman Udall,
Thank you very much for publicly calling on the Secretary of Defense to resign. As a supporter (I've volunteered for all of your elections) I am proud of your stand - I think it was quite courageous of you, as was your vote eighteen months ago against authorizing the president to go to war with Iraq
With the current leadership in the Department of Defense, the war is unwinnable. This is a watershed moment. The lives of our soldiers, occupying a country growing more hostile every day, depend upon coming up with a realistic approach to the situation and addressing these war crimes. Our very credibility as a promoter of freedom and justice is on the line.
Please continue to forcefully demand Sec. Rumsfeld's resignation. If his resignation is not forthcoming, I urge you to support Cong. Rangel's articles of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense.
Sincerely,
BoulderDuck
Remember - when someone in congress does something right, TELL THEM.
On the other hand...
Duck's Nest
Boulder, CO 80301
May 11, 2004
Senator Wayne Allard
United States Senate
Dear Senator Allard,
I am writing to express my disappointment in your recent statements in support of the Secretary of Defense.
The war in Iraq is not going well. We are losing control on the ground. One big reason for this is the administration's belief that their tactics are working, despite the fact that they are not. We've recently learned how dangerously off-course things have gone with the infamous pictures from Abu Ghraib prison. The administration is trying to convince us that this is an isolated incident, and pin responsibility on a few low-ranking soldiers. While those soldiers must answer for their actions, this is clearly a systemic problem. It will not be fixed by those who allowed it to occur (at a minimum) and did little or nothing about it until those awful pictures were on the news. With the current leadership in the Department of Defense, the war is unwinnable.
This is a watershed moment. The lives of our soldiers, occupying a country growing more hostile every day, depend upon coming up with a realistic approach to the situation and addressing these war crimes. Our very credibility as a promoter of freedom and justice is on the line.
So far, the administration has failed to properly address this catastrophe. The president needs to start by asking the Secretary of Defense to resign - new leadership is desperately needed. I urge you to demand - publicly, forcefully - that he do so.
Sincerely,
BoulderDuck
Thanks to TealVeal for telling me how to make this diary correctly!