OPEN LETTER TO ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN HENRY HYDE ON IRAQ WAR
Dear Rep. Hyde,
As one of your constituents, I have been privately beseeching you for the past year to use your 32 years of experience, credibility and influence in Congress to work for an end to our disastrous Iraq War. During that year approximately 730 more US soldiers have died needlessly and another 5,500 have been wounded. Every day of delay, on average, another two soldiers are killed and 15 more wounded. The Iraqi casualties are staggering - July was the deadliest month yet for Iraqis in the forty-two months since our senseless and precipitous attack on Iraq.
We have plunged Iraq into a deadly civil war where our poor soldiers have no idea who is friend or foe because their government sent them to fight in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. The war has greatly weakened our military and shattered our credibility as a force of peace and sanity around the world. We arrogantly told countries that would not support our foolish venture not to expect any of the Iraq re-building goodies, and have watched helplessly as most token supporters withdrew their support. They found the price of war profiteering too high.
It is disheartening to see an administration so disengaged from reality when they talk endlessly of the wonderful democracy flowering in Iraq and how we must slog on to victory.
The legacy of everyone in government who made up or supported this war will be tarnished by their conduct. But some have had the integrity and courage to stand up, admit the truth and call for our withdrawal. One such person is your colleague John Murtha, (Dem.PA). Like you a 32 year congressman, Murtha also served thirty-seven years in the Marine Corp. becoming a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran. Murtha admits his continued support of this war is a mistake and is willing to correct it.
The sight of two congressional monuments like you and Murtha standing shoulder to shoulder in a bi-partisan show of support to end this futile and self-destructive war might just jolt the administration out of their delusion and denial.
And please don't tarry in your response. There are two soldiers who don't need to die and fifteen more who don't deserve being wounded every day you delay.
Originally published in Glen Ellyn News, August 30, 2006
As one of your constituents, I have been privately beseeching you for the past year to use your 32 years of experience, credibility and influence in Congress to work for an end to our disastrous Iraq War. During that year approximately 730 more US soldiers have died needlessly and another 5,500 have been wounded. Every day of delay, on average, another two soldiers are killed and 15 more wounded. The Iraqi casualties are staggering - July was the deadliest month yet for Iraqis in the forty-two months since our senseless and precipitous attack on Iraq.
We have plunged Iraq into a deadly civil war where our poor soldiers have no idea who is friend or foe because their government sent them to fight in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. The war has greatly weakened our military and shattered our credibility as a force of peace and sanity around the world. We arrogantly told countries that would not support our foolish venture not to expect any of the Iraq re-building goodies, and have watched helplessly as most token supporters withdrew their support. They found the price of war profiteering too high.
It is disheartening to see an administration so disengaged from reality when they talk endlessly of the wonderful democracy flowering in Iraq and how we must slog on to victory.
The legacy of everyone in government who made up or supported this war will be tarnished by their conduct. But some have had the integrity and courage to stand up, admit the truth and call for our withdrawal. One such person is your colleague John Murtha, (Dem.PA). Like you a 32 year congressman, Murtha also served thirty-seven years in the Marine Corp. becoming a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran. Murtha admits his continued support of this war is a mistake and is willing to correct it.
The sight of two congressional monuments like you and Murtha standing shoulder to shoulder in a bi-partisan show of support to end this futile and self-destructive war might just jolt the administration out of their delusion and denial.
And please don't tarry in your response. There are two soldiers who don't need to die and fifteen more who don't deserve being wounded every day you delay.
Originally published in Glen Ellyn News, August 30, 2006
posted by Walt Zlotow at 8:56 PM
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