Many of your writers are stuck with the misconception that the “members of Congress who are so outspoken against the war are the same ones who voted to finance” the war. But they fail to mention the events leading up to the vote.
At the time, the administration was trying to persuade the UN that they should depose Saddam Hussein because he supposedly had weapons of mass destruction. President Bush asked the Congress to support him by giving him the power to declare war. He also assured the Congress that he had no intention of using this power, he just wanted to exert pressure on the UN and show a united front. He also wrapped himself in the flag and denounced anyone who didn’t support him as being un-American. So, many members of Congress were pressured into voting for the War Powers transfer under the assumption that it would never be used. A few members saw through his lies and voted against the transfer and the funding.
This administration’s use of intimidation and lies has given birth to the “Chicken Little” form of politics and made skeptics out of most of us. Serious news reports or security threats make us question the source, the link to the White House and the underlying reason for the report. Where is the trust? This administration has done its best to diminish the role of Legislative and Judicial Branches of our government. Where are the checks and balances?
After four years of the Bush War, over 3,500 American deaths, thousands of injured American soldiers and billions of wasted dollars, the American people are finally waking up to protest a failed policy.
The Iraqis were promised democracy and freedom but they now live in chaos and fear. They have had an average of 100 Iraqi casualties a day since the war started and millions injured. We don’t have expendable troops and resources to sustain an ever-growing war. Since the administration has no exit strategy for a civil war that is out of control, it is prudent that Congress should start setting limits, negotiating with the neighboring countries, and getting our troops out of Iraq.
Tom Valdez
Oak Harbor
