Republican Senator Robert Taft of Ohio had this to say about our duty in a time of war: 'Criticism in a time of war is essential to the maintenance of any kind of democratic government.' He was a Republican, it was during World War II, and what he said was right.
Each passing day confirms that the Iraq war has been a grotesque mistake. The defense appropriations bill provides another $45 billion for the war, in addition to the hundreds of billions of dollars already appropriated. And the end is not in sight. This money has been spent in Iraq without question by Congress, without accountability by the Administration, and without success. Congress did not discharge its responsibility to oversee those policies at the start of the war, and it has not done so since. The American people, particularly our troops who serve in harm's way, deserve better.
Sign on as a Citizen Co-Sponsor to the Pelosi Amendment and let the President know you want a clear plan, an accountable President, and our troops home: http://democraticleader.house.gov/bringourtroopshome.cfm
Sincerely,
Nancy Pelosi
House Democratic Leader
This Sunday is Father's Day, and many young fathers will be away from their families. They will be in Iraq, just as many mothers were on Mother's Day. These brave young fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and many others, are fighting a war of choice in which we sent our young people into harm's way without leveling with the American people.
They were sent into war without intelligence about what they were going to confront, without the equipment to protect them, and without a plan for what would happen after the fall of Baghdad. Disagreement with the policies that sent our troops to Iraq, and which keep them in danger today, in no way diminishes the respect and admiration which we have for them. Sadly, the level of their sacrifice has never been matched by the level of the Administration's planning, and now the American people agree this war is not making America safer.
This unnecessary pre-emptive war has come at great cost. More than 1,700 of our troops have lost their lives, and thousands more have suffered lasting wounds. Since the war began more than two years ago, Congress has appropriated nearly $200 billion, and the United States has suffered devastating damage to our reputation in the eyes of the world. The cost in lives and limbs, the cost in dollars, and the cost in reputation has been enormous.
Republican Senator Robert Taft of Ohio had this to say about our duty in a time of war: 'Criticism in a time of war is essential to the maintenance of any kind of democratic government.' He was a Republican, it was during World War II, and what he said was right.
Each passing day confirms that the Iraq war has been a grotesque mistake. The defense appropriations bill provides another $45 billion for the war, in addition to the hundreds of billions of dollars already appropriated. And the end is not in sight. This money has been spent in Iraq without question by Congress, without accountability by the Administration, and without success. Congress did not discharge its responsibility to oversee those policies at the start of the war, and it has not done so since. The American people, particularly our troops who serve in harm's way, deserve better.
I introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill, which says to the President: 'Within 30 days of enactment of this legislation, Congress expects an accounting from you as to what the strategy for success is. What security and political measures have you established that will bring our troops home?'
Sign on as a Citizen Co-Sponsor to the Pelosi Amendment and let the President know you want a clear plan, an accountable President, and our troops home: http://democraticleader.house.gov/bringourtroopshome.cfm
Sincerely,
Nancy Pelosi
House Democratic Leader
