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Scathing Letter Follow Up

I haven’t checked to see how everyone voted on the White House ‘compromise’ Iraq funds bill. I did, however, get a letter back from Peter DeFazio. He didn’t vote for the bill (hooray). Here’s what he has to say;

Dear Mr. Rutledge:

Thanks for your message regarding the war in Iraq. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

On May 24, 2007, I voted against H.R. 2206, legislation providing $100 billion to continue the war in Iraq. Unlike earlier versions of Iraq legislation considered in the House this year, this bill, which was negotiated with the White House, included no enforceable benchmarks for the Iraqi government and abandoned binding timelines for redeploying U.S. troops out of Iraq. Because of the failure to include binding benchmarks and a timeline for bringing U.S. troops home, I voted against the bill.

In addition, on May 10, 2007, I voted in favor of H.R. 2237, legislation requiring the redeployment of U.S. troops and defense contractors out of Iraq beginning within 90 days of enactment and to be completed within 180 days. Unfortunately, this bill was defeated by a vote of 171-255.

The aforementioned votes are just the latest in my four and a half year-plus record of opposition to the war in Iraq. I voted against the original authorization for the war in October 2002. Even at that time, months or years before it became conventional wisdom for others, I said that the administration’s arguments about weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda were bogus. I was not fooled. I introduced legislation in February 2003 to repeal the congressional authorization before the war ever started. In February 2005, I first proposed a detailed strategy, including a timeline, for withdrawing from Iraq. I have introduced my own legislation, H.R. 2031, requiring U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq within four months with a binding deadline for complete redeployment of March 31, 2008. My legislation is the House companion bill to the legislation introduced by Senators Feingold and Reid. I have also cosponsored several other bills that would mandate a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq within six months to a year.

The Iraqi people have repeatedly indicated their support for a U.S. withdrawal. A majority of the American people want U.S. troops to come home. And the Iraqi parliament is reportedly weighing a resolution calling for a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It seems that only the President, his allies in Congress, and the leaders of Iran want the U.S. to remain mired in the civil war in Iraq, which is sapping our military and diplomatic strength.

Our troops have done all that has been asked of them in Iraq. It is past time to end the open-ended commitment the president has made in Iraq. The bills I have voted for do that. Democracy and stability cannot be imposed on unwilling parties. Being confronted with the reality of a U.S. withdrawal should force the Iraqi factions to reach the compromises necessary to move their country forward. If not, there is no reason to prolong the U.S. involvement in Iraq if we want a stable country more than the Iraqi people and their elected leaders do.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with me. Please keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Rep. Peter DeFazio
Fourth District, OREGON

So, he didn’t vote for the bill. That’s good news. I’ll keep you posted with any replies I get from our Senate delegation.

A scathing open letter to my congressional delegation

Dear Representative DeFazio, Senator Smith, and Senator Wyden,

It is clear to me, and to most Americans, that the war in Iraq was knowingly begun under false pretenses.

On the first anniversary of the September 11attacks the Bush administration began trumpeting the importance of some aluminum tubes. Condoleezza Rice went on television and said “we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.” Donald Rumsfeld made similar comments. It was clear, however, to the intelligence community that the tubes were not of sufficient quality to be used in centrifuges.

On September 25th, 2002, Rice stated that there had been “important contacts” and that there was “a relationship there” between Al Qaeda and Iraq. It was clear at the time that no such relationship existed. Nonetheless, on the same day President Bush warned of the danger that “Al Qaeda becomes an extension of Saddam’s madness.” Your colleague Bob Graham (D, FL) was the chair of the Senate intelligence committee at the time. His spokesman told USA Today that the Senator had seen no intelligence linking Saddam to Iraq.

Fellow intelligence committee member Richard Durbin (D, IL) also did not see the threats as they were publicly discussed by the administration. He said, “The most frustrating thing I find is when you have credible evidence on the intelligence committee that is directly contradictory to statements made by the administration.”

On October 1, 2002, the CIA released the now fateful National Intelligence Estimate that made the Administration’s case for war. It must have been clear to anyone aware of actual intelligence (including the DOE’s assessment that the aluminum tubes in question were not suitable for use in uranium enrichment) that the NIE was politicized. Senator Wyden, you sat on the intelligence committee at the time, and I am pleased that you voted against the Iraq war resolution.

Not only is it plainly clear that this is an illegal war of aggression, begun under false pretenses without the support of the international community, it is also clear that the US presence in Iraq continues to fan the flames of resentment and violence. We are seen as an occupying power, and while some Iraqis would like the occupation to continue in order to stave off the explosion of sectarian violence, many others are radicalized daily by frustration at what they correctly see as an illegal occupation.

Today it has been reported that a ‘compromise’ has been reached between the White House and leaders in Congress. The administration will get continued funding for their illegal war until September, with no accountability. In place of holding Bush and his cronies accountable, the deal will cut off reconstruction funds unless the Iraqi government meets specific benchmarks. This is not an acceptable compromise; it is a capitulation to the Bush administration. Nancy Pelosi says the compromise is a step toward ending the war. I think that it is a step backward.

I will consider a ‘Yea’ vote on any bill that provides continued funding for this illegal war without tying those funds to clear benchmarks for progress by the United States government and armed forces toward a withdrawal an act of treason against the United States. I apologize for my strong wording, but it is truly the way I feel; you may not continue to fund this illegal war without holding the warmongers to account for the lies that they have told. You may not write a blank check to continue funding the military occupation of Iraq without tying those funds to some measure of progress by OUR forces (not theirs).

Let me be one-sentence clear. If you vote for this bill, I will not vote for you ever again.

Lest you think that my position is purely negative, allow me to present you with a plan for peace that I favor. The Network of Spiritual Progressives has put forth a three-point plan that they call “An Ethical Way to End the War in Iraq.” Their strategy can be read here. Just as clearly, if you support this three point plan I will probably continually vote for you in every election until I move or you retire. And, hey, if you want to let your favorite democratic primary contender in on this little secret, I’ll be basing my vote on whose Iraq plan looks the most like this one.

Sincerely,

Samuel J. Rutledge

Visit with the Greats

This Friday, my Grandparents Joe and Arlene came for a visit all the way from Ontario, Canada. They’re Arthur’s Great Grandparents, and we were very excited for their visit. The three of them hit it off very well, and we all had a wonderful time chatting and catching up. This is a picture of all of them.

Arthur is doing wonderfully well. We just went to see the Doctor, and he officially weighs more than 20 pounds. He’s a happy healthy boy. He loves Strawberries - and we just planed a whole patch so that he can have fresh ones every summer. It won’t be long now before he crawls. He’s up on his hands and knees, rocking, taking a few steps at a time. We’ve got our living space 90% prepared for a crawling baby. I’m certain that there are some things we’ve forgotten, and when the boy starts getting into them we’ll know what they are.