I keep pestering this woman in the hope that she'll actually DO
something about the debacle in Iraq--a war she voted to support. Though
I still disagree with the concept of leaving American troops in Iraq, as
it just seems like a pretext for permanent occupation, she has more say
in this matter than I do and at least her staff took the time to write!
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 13:37:59 -0400
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Mr. Rabello:
Thank you for your letter concerning the situation in Iraq. I appreciate
hearing your views on this very important issue.
I am deeply concerned about our Iraq strategy. President Bush sent our
military to Iraq using faulty intelligence and inadequate planning. The
Administration has ignored the advice of high-ranking military
commanders, our allies around the world, Congressional leaders on both
sides of the aisle, and the Iraq Study Group, by refusing to acknowledge
that there is no military solution to the violence in Iraq.
Conditions in Iraq continue to get worse, with more U.S. troops dying
and hundreds of Iraqis killed weekly in horrific violence. Our troops
are caught in the midst of a complex civil war. This sectarian conflict
cannot be solved by military intervention but only by the Iraqi
leadership taking tough political actions to stem long standing
grievances and hatred between Sunnis and Shi'as. More than 3,300 of our
brave men and women in uniform have lost their lives and over 25,000
have been injured; tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been
brutally murdered. The current situation is simply unacceptable
For this reason, I joined my colleagues in the United States Senate in
supporting a provision in the fiscal year 2007 Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations bill, to require the President to begin a phased
redeployment of our combat troops from Iraq no later than October 1,
2007, with the goal of completing it by March 2008. This bill allows for
the continued deployment of a limited number of troops in Iraq beyond
the final withdrawal date to train and equip Iraqi security and police
forces, carry out targeted strikes against al-Qaeda terrorists and
foreign fighters, and protect U.S. diplomatic and civilian personnel in
Iraq.
I am very disappointed that the President has yet again ignored the
calls of the American people to bring our troops home, and chose instead
to veto the Emergency Supplemental bill, which would have provided $95.5
billion to support our servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, I will continue to work hard to bring our troops home as I
push for a political and diplomatic solution to the situation in Iraq.
Again, thank you for writing. For your review, I have included my most
recent floor statement on this issue. If you have any further questions
or comments, please visit my website at http://feinstein.senate.gov, or
contact my office in Washington, D.C. at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.
Statement of Senator Dianne Feinstein
In Support of the Fiscal Year 2007 Iraq Supplemental Bill
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, in 1999, when George Bush was a candidate
for the presidency and President Clinton was Commander-in-Chief, George
Bush had this to say about American troops in Bosnia: 'Victory means
exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain what the
exit strategy is.'
Well, the Congress has been asking for that exit strategy, year after
year, for four years now. In fact, President Bush has no exit strategy,
and so the United States is bogged down in an impossible situation -
'Shock and awe' followed by ineffective 'follow on' efforts.
Today, in the fifth year of this war, the United States is enmeshed in
what has become a vicious and terrifying civil war. It cannot be won
through the use of American military force.
This war can only be won through political accommodation between Sunni
and Shia, which means only the Iraqis can settle it, which means only
the Iraqi government can settle it.
To this date, they appear to be unable to do what needs to be done to
stop this conflict. So without an exit strategy, the war goes on. The
killings continue. The casualties rise. Nearly 25,000 Americans injured,
with many tens of thousands of Iraqis killed and injured, and hundreds
of thousands of people displaced from their homes by this war.
Estimates put Iraqi civilian deaths, in the first three months of this
year, at more than 5,500 in the Baghdad area alone.
And on Monday, two truck bombs killed nine members of the 82nd Airborne
Division, and wounded 20 more. It was the deadliest day of combat in the
division's history since the Vietnam War.
I fear that unless Congress acts and puts forward that exit strategy,
this bloodshed will continue, year after year. And that's intolerable.
Today we have before us a measure that offers a solution and a strategy
to fill the void left by the Administration.
The Iraqi Supplemental Spending Bill responsibly funds our troops, and
changes the course in Iraq.
And most importantly, it sends a message to the Iraqi government: That
the United States' commitment is not open-ended; that benchmarks will
measure the progress, and that political accommodation is crucial.
Under this legislation, the Iraqi government would be judged on how it
disarms militias, pursues Sunni-Shia reconciliation initiatives,
establishes fair oil-sharing laws, reforms de-Baathification laws, and
protects the rights of minorities. This is as it should be.
This legislation ensures that our troops have sufficient rest and
training, and are provided well-maintained equipment. This is as it
should be.
And it allows for a redefined mission for American forces, limited to
anti-terrorism operations, training Iraqi forces, and protecting
American civilians and members of the armed forces. This is as it should be.
And it begins the process of bringing our troops home. And into the
fifth year of a war, this, too, is as it should be.
The American people spoke in a clear voice. Today the Senate of the
United States will as well.
Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Further information about my position on issues of concern to California
and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov.
You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my
e-mail list at http://feinstein.senate.gov/issue.html.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the question is: "Will this make any difference?"
robert luis rabello
"The Edge of Justice"
"The Long Journey"
New Adventure for Your Mind
http://www.newadventure.ca
Ranger Supercharger Project Page
http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/
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