CONGRESSMAN PETER ROSKAM'S JULY REPORT CARD ON IRAQ WAR

Dear Representative Roskam:

Its time for your monthly report card, your seventh, on Iraq.

You are fond of requiring a report card on progress of Iraqi cooperation with our murderous, unnecessary and immoral occupation of their country by our diminished and demoralized military.

But you, Congressman, receive a seventh consecutive failing grade for your blind, unending support for this madness. Please cease boasting how you proudly voted to squander another ten billion dollars in July for the further disintegration of that pitiful and defenseless country we invaded fifty-two months ago. For the record, seventy-four American soldiers died propping up the Bush administration’s collapsing Iraq war policy in July. Hundreds more were injured, some horribly. Iraqi casualties are uncountable but this week we learned that eight million Iraqis, almost one third of the populous, suffer from inadequate food, water, electricity, sanitation and medical assistance. This humanitarian catastrophe is paid for by the ten billion dollars you voted for in July.

The tens of thousands of us in the Sixth District and the tens of millions of us across America would be better off with a cardboard cutout look-alike of you propped up in your congressional chair, instead of you in Washington. At least it wouldn’t be able to push the “Aye” button to squander another ten billion dollars in August for another seventy-four or so needless dead soldiers.

Every failing report card must end with remedial action to improve. End your support for this disaster initiated with lies, fear, propaganda and intimidation by your President. Join the Congressional majority which is being prevented from implementing American withdrawal by Congressmen like you and administration delusions. Vote to end funding for all but the safe and prompt removal of our soldiers. Salvage your Congressional legacy whether it be one term or the sixteen fashioned by your predecessor, Henry Hyde, who never could shed his moral failure on Iraq.

If you do you can still be a hero, a patriot, a statesman, a Congressman we can be proud of.

Respectfully yours,

Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn, IL

Origianlly published in Daily Herald, August 17, 2007

LET THEM DIE

The mantra of the Bush administration can best be summed up with the three words: Let them die”.

The “them” refers to our deceived military personnel in Iraq who are being sacrificed at a rate of nearly three per day in the made up, unnecessary and ultimately failed war in Iraq.

Their real mission is not to win a war that has no sides, no clear enemy, no measure of victory and no end in sight. It is simply to fight and die in the 130 degree heat wearing sixty or more lbs of gear so their Commander In Chief does not have to admit his wrongdoing. And three thousand, six hundred twenty-eight have done just that while the Commander In Chief continues his delusional speeches about achieving victory in the amorphous civil war that his naked aggression ignited.

Let them die at three per day and when military manpower falls short, raise the enlistment age to a man’s fifth decade, wink at previous criminal records and overlook IQ’s that fail to crack three digits. No shame or dishonor is great enough to dissuade this administration from waging endless war in Iraq while they trumpet a needless new war in Iran. When we attack Iran, their mantra will be let them die there too.

What we need even before the next election is a new government which will take as its three word mantra one that serves the needs of: “We the People”.

Originally published in Glen Ellyn Sun, August 15, 2007