CONG. PETER ROSKAM'S NOVEMBER, 2009 REPORT CARD ON MIDDLE EAST WARS
December 10, 2009
Congressman Peter Roskam
150 S. Bloomingdale Road, Suite 200
Bloomingdale, IL 60108
Dear Congressman Roskam,
“Any nation’s attempt to dictate to other nations their form of government is indefensible.”
Congressman, as a former history teacher you surely recognize that quote from President Dwight Eisenhower’s “Chance for Peace” speech from April 16, 1953. Those were wise words from one of the wisest Presidents of the thirteen Presidents in my lifetime, twelve of which I studied while they
governed.
Sadly and tragically, you and your colleagues in the war party, Democrat as well as Republican, haven’t been following that advise in the past eight years; instead prosecuting senseless and criminal wars to take over two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Now three million casualties and refugees later, the horrific violence continues unabated. Did you see the ghastly multiple bombings in the heart of Baghdad Tuesday which killed 133 people and wounded nearly 500 others? Sir, before your war party launched their criminal war in Iraq, there were no bombings in Iraq; that is zero, zilch, nada. Our 118,000 soldiers, who still defile Iraq by being there, even though they are relegated to the sidelines, are powerless to curb the violence our March, 2003 invasion unleashed upon that pitiful country. Every death, every injury, every refugee, can in part be attributed to our illegal invasion which you continue to willingly fund today.
That is why President Eisenhower spoke those profound words quoted above. Unlike you armchair warriors who think nothing of spending a trillion dollars to lust after empire in weak countries that can’t fight back in the traditional sense, he understood how grotesque war is. He fought throughout World War II and watched in horror as fifty million perished due to the evil of the war mongers.
Today the war mongers in the American government know they can prosecute wars
endlessly because less than 1% of our people have to fight them, enduring inhumane multiple tours, while the other 99% don't have to pay even a penny of tax to fund them. These wars are financed strictly on borrowed money which will eventually cripple this once great nation.
You may pretend you are doing the peoples’ business, Congressman, but you are doing the war party’s business, and the product of that business is nothing but death and bankruptcy. Seven years and nine months after Ike’s opening quote above, he said this in his Farewell Address, which I was privileged to have followed as part of my political education:
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
Congressman, you have not done your homework on being a law abiding player and moral force on the world stage, seduced apparently, by the power and wealth that comes from going along with the war party.
Ike was repulsed by these evil people who live for endless war, and I have lived my life following his directive.
So should you.
Respectfully,
Walt Zlotow
IL 6th District resident
Congressman Peter Roskam
150 S. Bloomingdale Road, Suite 200
Bloomingdale, IL 60108
Dear Congressman Roskam,
“Any nation’s attempt to dictate to other nations their form of government is indefensible.”
Congressman, as a former history teacher you surely recognize that quote from President Dwight Eisenhower’s “Chance for Peace” speech from April 16, 1953. Those were wise words from one of the wisest Presidents of the thirteen Presidents in my lifetime, twelve of which I studied while they
governed.
Sadly and tragically, you and your colleagues in the war party, Democrat as well as Republican, haven’t been following that advise in the past eight years; instead prosecuting senseless and criminal wars to take over two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Now three million casualties and refugees later, the horrific violence continues unabated. Did you see the ghastly multiple bombings in the heart of Baghdad Tuesday which killed 133 people and wounded nearly 500 others? Sir, before your war party launched their criminal war in Iraq, there were no bombings in Iraq; that is zero, zilch, nada. Our 118,000 soldiers, who still defile Iraq by being there, even though they are relegated to the sidelines, are powerless to curb the violence our March, 2003 invasion unleashed upon that pitiful country. Every death, every injury, every refugee, can in part be attributed to our illegal invasion which you continue to willingly fund today.
That is why President Eisenhower spoke those profound words quoted above. Unlike you armchair warriors who think nothing of spending a trillion dollars to lust after empire in weak countries that can’t fight back in the traditional sense, he understood how grotesque war is. He fought throughout World War II and watched in horror as fifty million perished due to the evil of the war mongers.
Today the war mongers in the American government know they can prosecute wars
endlessly because less than 1% of our people have to fight them, enduring inhumane multiple tours, while the other 99% don't have to pay even a penny of tax to fund them. These wars are financed strictly on borrowed money which will eventually cripple this once great nation.
You may pretend you are doing the peoples’ business, Congressman, but you are doing the war party’s business, and the product of that business is nothing but death and bankruptcy. Seven years and nine months after Ike’s opening quote above, he said this in his Farewell Address, which I was privileged to have followed as part of my political education:
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
Congressman, you have not done your homework on being a law abiding player and moral force on the world stage, seduced apparently, by the power and wealth that comes from going along with the war party.
Ike was repulsed by these evil people who live for endless war, and I have lived my life following his directive.
So should you.
Respectfully,
Walt Zlotow
IL 6th District resident
posted by Walt Zlotow at 11:12 AM
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