A note from Maxine Waters

[mmonk]

Dear (mmonk),

The House recently passed an amendment to the Iraq supplemental appropriations bill that calls for a change in policy in Iraq, including a plan to redeploy all American troops within 18 months and a prohibition on the Administration from entering into a security agreement with Iraq without congressional approval.

While I am disappointed that the timeline language was not more stringent, the House-passed language represented real progress. Further, I joined 148 Members to vote against a separate amendment containing over $160 billion in unrestricted war funds for the continuation of the President’s war in Iraq.

Unfortunately, the redeployment language has since been stripped in the Senate while the war funding was kept. I remain committed that funds should be used only for the safe and orderly redeployment of our troops from Iraq, and we must work to ensure that the final bill signed by the president reflects that goal.

No matter what happens with the supplemental, I know we can count on the Progressive Democrats of America to keep the pressure on Congress and demand an end to the occupation of Iraq. We must not allow what might be the greatest foreign policy mistake in US history to disappear from the front pages of our newspapers or from the consciences of those who support President Bush’s failed policies.

As we all know, after more than five years of war in Iraq, over 4,000 Americans have been killed in Iraq, over $500 billion dollars have been spent, and over 5 million Iraqis have been displaced from their homes by the violence. While costs to the U.S. continue to mount, the Iraqi government remains dysfunctional, and political reconciliation between the warring sects seems impossible while our military remains occupying the country.

Furthermore, the Administration’s increasingly inflammatory language and political manipulations against Iran are strikingly similar to what was used during the run-up to the Iraq War. I am increasingly worried that this Administration is looking for an excuse to launch a military strike against Iran. Striking Iran would be a colossal error. We cannot compound the mistakes of the Iraq War with an even bigger mistake.

Most of the greatest changes in the history of this country have come from grassroots advocates such as you, and not from the policy makers in DC. I sincerely hope that those who would support President Bush’s failed policy in Iraq will take notice of your passion and dedication in calling for a more sensible foreign policy.

Thank you again for all of your hard work in support of peace and justice, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Maxine Waters
Member of Congress
Chair, Out of Iraq Caucus

[ThatsMyBarack]

1. Maxine Waters is cool!

B-)

[ColbertWatcher]

2. Yes she is.

[mmonk]

5. This part of her email is of course worrisome:

Furthermore, the Administration’s increasingly inflammatory language and political manipulations against Iran are strikingly similar to what was used during the run-up to the Iraq War. I am increasingly worried that this Administration is looking for an excuse to launch a military strike against Iran. Striking Iran would be a colossal error. We cannot compound the mistakes of the Iraq War with an even bigger mistake.


But we can count on her and others in her caucus to raise a sufficient fuss to probably stop it if there is a chance to do so. Let's hope so.

[bean fidhleir]

6. "But we can count on her and others in her caucus"

Do you really believe that? All the Dems had to do was refuse to continue funding the killing. But they didn't, nor do I recall her making any sort of big stink about it.

[G_j]

3. K&R!

[bean fidhleir]

4. Why not simply refuse funding for *anything* but pullout?

How hard could it be? No funding, no war.