Monday, June 12, 2006

Support the Defense Authorization Bill!


I almost missed it, but later this week Senate will vote on the Defense Authorization bill, which calls for the removal of all troops from Iraq by January 2007.  This is not a “dump and run” bill, but rather endorses a plan created by a number of ex-army generals that I posted a few months ago.

The bill is based upon a phased withdrawal from Iraq utilizing the Iraqis already trained to fortify key areas, while leaving some US troops in other locations around the region. These troops would be available to train more Iraqis and respond to urgent issues, in Iraq and other countries, such as Iran.  I wrote on this plan 4 months ago, before my site crash, and will try to restore it sometime tomorrow so you can get more information on the plan.

Meanwhile, this bill has been submitted by 4 Senators: Barbara Boxer, Russ Feingold, Tom Harkin, and John Kerry. The specifics of the legislation are not clear, but it appears that it will be voted on this week.  And the Peace Action Education Fund, a site which I support and encourage you to as well, is organizing a campaign to write Senators, in hope they will support the bill as well.  

This is a great thing to do, and it takes one minute at most.  You enter your zip code, and it determines the appropriate Senators to write to. The letter it generates is below, but you can alter it if you wish to.  And it’s sent, and you’ve done your good deed for the day.  Plus, you and I both know the challenges faced by politicians who speak out against the government, so these politicians could really use our encouragement to do the right thing.

Remember, no one is asking if you feel like we should or should not have entered the war. The question is if we should be in Iraq now.  And if you feel, like I do, that our soldiers should not be in Iraq now, then please support this bill, and write your senators.  Sorry for the solicitation, but this is a worthwhile cause, in my book.

The Letter:
Co-Sponsor and Support Amendments to End the War

As one of your constituents and a member of Peace Action, I write to ask you to co-sponsor and support the efforts of Senators Boxer, Feingold, Harkin and Kerry to bring our troops home from Iraq by the end of this year.

I believe that the presence of U.S. troops exacerbates the insurgency and violence in Iraq. Only when we remove our troops from Iraq will the Iraqi’s be empowered to control their destiny.

The United States invaded Iraq on false pretenses. The Iraq War has cost us too much in American and Iraqi casualties, in our pocket books and in good will in the international community. It is time to bring our troops home as soon as possible and to make efforts to ensure that Iraq is rebuilt.

Please co-sponsor and support an amendment that could be offered in the Senate in the next week to require the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of this year.

I look forward to your response and your early support and co-sponsorship of this critical legislation.


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Posted by Scottage at 11:54 PM / | |