Letters to the Editor

• Lloyd Doggett I

  [Read the article: A one-day guide to war supporters and their enablers]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  Dear Casual Observer:

  As you know from my earlier correspondence, I again spoke out this morning against the President's surge on the floor of the House of Representatives. I have attached the speech below, but you can also view it here:

  http://www.house.gov/doggett/speeches/09102007IraqSpeech.wmv

  Shortly, at 11:30 am CST, General Petraeus will present the President's latest report on Iraq before a joint meeting of the House Armed Services and the Foreign Affairs Committees, with questioning continuing until 5:30 pm CST. In anticipation of that testimony, I have also sent the communication attached below to my Democratic Colleagues along with Paul Krugman's recent column from last Friday.

  I welcome your continued good counsel.

  Rep. Lloyd Doggett

  ******

  "SURGE FAILS"

  September 10, 2007

  The troop surge in Iraq has clearly failed to achieve its purpose. The troop surge has failed not because of our troops-but because of politicians in Iraq and in Washington, who have not done their jobs. The President's surge is as successful as the President's boast to capture Osama bin Laden "dead or alive."

  We now have three reports from entities at least somewhat independent from the heavy hand of the Bush propaganda machine that confirm the obvious. The National Intelligence Estimate provided the thinking of the intelligence community that instead of getting better, the situation in Iraq will get worse-"the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next 6 to 12 months."

  The Independent Commission on the Security Forces concluded that the Iraqi Interior Ministry is "dysfunctional." And the National Iraqi Police is in such dire shape that it cannot be fixed and should be disbanded.

  The Government Accountability Office's report card on Bush's policies judged by his own criteria is a resounding F, a clear failure, a fatal flop, a fiasco, with only 3 of 18 benchmarks met.

  Today, General Petraeus can cite whatever selective statistics that his political bosses may permit him to disclose, but the facts are that each and every month this year has involved more deaths of American troops than each month, including August, last year. And despite the ethnic cleansing that has already displaced 3 million Iraqis, the increased violence continues to inflict an increasingly deadly toll on Iraqi families.

  What is life like for those who survive? Almost half earn less than $1 a day, 70% lack access to adequate water, and one third remain in dire need of emergency food aid.

  When the surge was announced, the White House said: "wait til summer." As summer approached, the cry was "wait til September." Now that this much overrated September has arrived, the new cry is "wait til next year."

  The only real mystery about President Bush's September decision, has been what new excuse he would offer to justify staying the same old failed course. And as the American people have seen through the duplicity of every other excuse, the President has returned to his original ploy- invoking 9/11. Coincidentally we get this new report on the anniversary of 9/11. He claims that "the same folks that are bombing . in Iraq were the ones who attacked us in America on September 11." That is false, and he knows it is false. But fear with deception is all he has left to rationalize the pain of so many, the sacrifice of the brave, and the loss of $3 billion every week on this debacle.

  As usual, this President is dead certain and dead wrong. What he seeks is war without limits-war without end. Under his direction, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker propose a war that continues for probably another decade-the George Bush trillion dollars, 15 years war.

  Now Congress must respond to the President's propaganda surge with a truth surge, with a memory surge that reminds America of repeated false cries of progress and phony excuses that have only brought our families more insecurity. Congress must learn from the courage of our troops. Appeasement will not stop this wrongheaded administration policy. More blank checks will only drain our national treasury while fueling more death and destruction that only endangers American families.

  And so today we respectfully thank General Petraeus and all who serve America. We know you will do your job, but it is long past time for all in Congress to do ours. Our best hope remains a safe and orderly, fully-funded phased redeployment that begins immediately.

  Permalink Monday, September 10, 2007 11:46 AM