Letter from Sen. Bingaman & reply

You, and the other Socialists in the Democrat Party are to blame for all the negative press concerning the War in Iraq (which is only one facet in the Global War on Terror), your party has consistently interfered in Military Affairs with absolutely no reason other than to stick your collective thumb in the eye of our President. Could your party be so omniscient as to predict exactly how much money will be spent during the coming year on fighting in Iraq? Neither can my Party, so we'll let that one slide, but the messages your side have been sending to our enemies is that, sure enough, if enough Americans die; the terrorists will have won. I know that you and most of your cohorts have ZERO military experience, due to your lack of service to this Country during any past conflicts, and I also know that when civilian wannabes decide how much and what kind of military support our troops need; our troops will be left naked on the battlefield, without any kind of useful weapons or leadership.
We have lost fewer troops during the 3 years of fighting in Iraq than we have lost during peacetime under your God: Bill Clinton.
You and your ilk have infected America with a defeatist and retreatist view of American might, which has demoralized our soldiers and disillusioned our populace. Talking to terrorists is futile, asking Syria and Tehran to join in talks designed to show weakness on America's part is stupid, and if your party succeeds in removing our troops (like the LAST time we were in the Gulf; without finishing the mission) without resolving the power vacuum left in our wake; we will be in for many more years of attacks and killings by bent-head Muslim extremists who wish we were already dead.
So, while you sit on your overcompensated fanny, well-protected from the very people that put you in a position of authority, and all those that might wish you harm; you have lost the faculties to comprehend your plight: you and almost ALL of your fellow Senators have lost touch with reality. You folks sit up in Washington, thinking of ways to enrich yourselves at the expense of millions of hard-working Americans, playing mind games with one another, while the rest of US have to wade through the bilge you folks consider legislation in the public interest.
Well Jeff, the public interest is what you have in mind when you support the country, support the Commander-in-Chief, and support the soldiers that are fighting and dying to keep you and your pals in a safe, secure place, where you can dream up strategies to defeat the American way of life and end what my Father, Brother, Grandfathers and others have fought and died for over the last 230 years.
If you think that talking to terrorists is the way of enlightenment; might I suggest you take several of your Democrat pals with you to Islamabad, Damascus or Tehran and have yourselves a ball; of course, there will be no military attached to your visit due to your Party's disdain for all things military, and there will be no rescue mission mounted when you are taken captive or beheaded by those misunderstood souls you hold above Americans.
Looking forward to the next election (where your Party is thrown into the street with the rest of the garbage), hope to see you at the polls.
JW

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:51:31 -0500 <senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov> writes:


Dear Joe :



Thank you for contacting me concerning the war in Iraq . I appreciate your sharing your views with me on this important issue and apologize for the delay in my reply. As this continues to unfold, I will be sure to keep your letter in mind.



As you may know, I did not vote to give the President the authority to go to war in Iraq . At the time, I believed that the best course of action was to allow U.N. inspectors the time they needed to determine whether Iraq did indeed possess chemical or nuclear weapons. After my second trip to Iraq last spring, I saw continued evidence that our post-war and pre-invasion planning were inadequate. We are now paying a high price for this lack of foresight. Although I continue to have reservations concerning aspects of the way the war is being handled, I believe that we must focus on creating an independent, stable, and free Iraq . It is my hope that we can bring our troops home swiftly and safely. However, I also recognize that should we leave this mission incomplete, we will be leaving a country that we promised to rebuild in turmoil.



With regard to the ongoing troop surge, I do not believe that the President has made a credible case in describing how such an increase in troops will change the current situation in Iraq . Throughout the past year, American military leaders have testified before Congress stating that additional troops would not help solve the problems we are facing there. Instead, progress needs to be made on the Iraqi political front with further involvement from the international community. I believe the United States should focus its efforts on reconciliation among Iraqis and am unsure how this proposed plan could help.



This is why I have signed on as a cosponsor to the Joint Resolution concerning the phased redeployment of American combat forces in Iraq . This legislation recognizes that American service members have done everything policymakers have asked of them in their brave and honorable service in Iraq . Further, they should not be forced to police a civil war in Iraq when U.S. policy should in fact change to emphasize the need for Iraqi leaders to find a political solution to that country's plight. Instead, the resolution states that American combat forces not assigned to force protection, training and equipping Iraqi security forces, and targeted counter-terror operations, should redeploy from Iraq by March 2008. It also requires that the Administration integrate international diplomacy efforts in the reconstruction process, both with Iraq 's neighbors and with the international community at large. I believe that this bill will be integral in convincing the Administration to modify its Iraq policy based on the realities of the Iraq war, to the benefit of our Armed Forces and nation at large.



I also strongly believe that the manner in which the United States Senate implements policy and appropriates funds in the coming months can either assist with the creation of a self-sufficient democracy in Iraq, or it can work to prolong our troops' deployment by failing to address the mission requirements of the men and women serving in combat and the needs of the Iraqi people. For example, I was pleased to sign on as a cosponsor of a provision that would ensure that no funds from the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery would be made available to establish permanent military bases in Iraq, or to exercise control over the oil infrastructure and oil resources in Iraq. I was pleased to see it included in the final Senate version of the 2007 NDAA.



I am also concerned about the fact that the Administration continually fails to provide an adequate request for anticipated spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan . I strongly believe that the Administration should provide a much more realistic accounting of how much money will be needed for these conflicts. Congress' inability to prepare for and track such spending negatively impacts our ability to determine what is available to spend on other important domestic priorities, such as improving our public education system, ensuring that state and local governments have the resources necessary to maintain quality education and high standards in our schools, protecting retirement security, and working to ensure access to quality and affordable health care for everyone. With that said, as long as American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are deployed in combat, I believe that it is necessary to make their protection and safety a priority. However, the Senate must hold the Administration accountable for its requests and spending of taxpayer dollars.



From the onset of this conflict, Congress has been negligent in its oversight duties. The world continues to witness the negative effects of an unrestrained executive branch, and ensuring that accountability and responsibility are pieces of the Administration's plan in Iraq will be paramount for the 110 th Congress. Creating this accountability requires open debate and extensive hearings to learn the truth about the myriad of issues surrounding the American presence in Iraq . I will continue working to see that the Senate remains open to that discussion and will continue working with my colleagues to hold hearings that can best influence our nation's policies on the war.



Again, thank you for writing. Please do not hesitate to contact me again in the future regarding this or any other issue of importance to you and your community.







Sincerely,

JEFF BINGAMAN
United States Senator