September 26, 2003 Letter to Senators Warner and Allen
PO Box 8208
Alexandria, VA 22306-8208
September 26, 2003
The Honorable John William Warner
United States Senate
225 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4601
The Honorable George F. Allen
United States Senate
204 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4604
Dear Senators Warner and Allen:
I am writing to urge you to vote no on Mr. Bush’s request for $87 billion for our occupation of Iraq unless and until steps are taken to prevent this from becoming a quagmire.
Mr. Bush came to Congress in the fall of 2002 and was given a blank check to invade Iraq. He did so without leveling with Congress or the American people about weapons of mass destruction or about the likely costs of the military campaign, the occupation or reconstruction. Indeed, Mr. Bush’s economic advisor, who accurately predicted the cost, was forced out in disgrace for telling the truth.
Now Mr. Bush is back and the situation is quite different. We have not found weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi people who are pleased that Saddam is out of power do not want us as an occupying force.
Yet Mr. Bush proposes to spend more on the military occupation in one year than we spent on the Marshall Plan after World War II, and more than the Federal government spends on education.
The vast majority of our once allies have refused our requests for either troops or funds, or both. Much of the international relief community has pulled out. And countries without nuclear weapons are accelerating their search to obtain them.
I urge you not to give Mr. Bush another blank check. It is time to ask the United Nations to assume governance of Iraq as a protectorate, with both U.S. and other troops there until the Iraqi people can write a new constitution and hold elections. And it is time for Congress to authorize a full and independent investigation of the misleading reports of weapons of mass destruction by which this war was promoted. Until both happen, I urge you to vote no on $87 billion for occupation.
As a former Marine who served in the first Gulf War in 1991, I am appalled at the state of affairs my comrades-in-arms are persisting under in a nation that doesn’t want them there any longer. It is time to begin the process of bringing our boys and girls back. Giving the Administration another blank check will only allow them to continue this perilous situation indefinitely. Please tell me what you intend to do on this critical matter. The lives of real men and women are at stake as you read this. Human lives matter more than politics. It is time to do the right thing.
Sincerely,
James Landrith
Subject: Correspondence From Senator Allen
From: senator_allen@allen.senate.gov
To: james@jameslandrith.com
Date Sent: 10/21/2003 1:01:54 PM
October 21, 2003
Mr. James Landrith
Post Office Box 8108
Alexandria, Virginia 22306
Dear James:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the continued funding of our troops and the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq. I appreciate your concerns and value the opportunity to respond.
I support the President’s supplemental budget request to appropriate and allocate the necessary funds for the safety of our troops and the sequential steps toward civil government for Iraq. While there is no question that I would prefer that electric and water services be paid for by the Iraqi people, I believe that at this early stage of their reconstruction, grants for law enforcement, border security, telecommunications, health, housing and other infrastructure are appropriate.
Not long ago we came together as a nation and committed ourselves to the War on Terror and the liberation of the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq, knowing that it would not be a short, nor easy task. Now, we must fulfill our commitment to the citizens of these countries by ensuring their social, political and military stability. We are witness to historic times of rebirth and the creation of democracies within a historically repressive region of the world. It is time to stand behind the democratic ideals that we hold so dear, and ensure that the citizens of these countries have the choice and opportunity to live and prosper within a democratic society.
Politics aside, I am forever grateful to the families who have lost loved ones for our greater security. We shall always remember those courageous men and women who sacrificed all for our freedom. We are a safer nation thanks to these heroes and their patriotic families. However, we must remember that the War on Terror is not over. We have soldiers stationed throughout the world risking their lives on a daily basis to root out terrorist and destroy their deadly networks. The war on terror is one that we must fight and we will win, if we see our military commitments through to the end.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (http://allen.senate.gov). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.
With warm regards, I remain
Sincerely,
A George Allen