Ending The War In Iraq
Ending The War In Iraq
I opposed the decision by George W. Bush to invade Iraq because I felt at the time that the Bush Administration was rushing into a war without proper planning, without necessary international support and without finishing the job against Al Qeada in Afghanistan. I felt so strongly about the failure and blunders of the Bush Administration that I co-chaired the John Kerry Presidential Campaign Colorado in 2004. I firmly believe that if John Kerry were president our policies would be vastly different than they are today.
No issue is more crucial in getting our country back on track than successfully ending the war in Iraq. With more than 2,400 soldiers dead, more than 20,000 seriously wounded and disabled, and at a cost estimated to be more than one trillion dollars we don't have, there can be no doubt that the Iraq War is the Bush Administration's costliest mistake. Former Colorado Senator Gary Hart (who supports my candidacy) has put it best, after the Bush Administration's misjudgments, "there are no good choices left in Iraq".
I am the only Democrat in this race to support Rep. John Murtha's Resolution calling for an expedited redeployment of our forces in Iraq. If I am elected in November, I can tell you that my first act as a Member of Congress will be to add my name to Rep. Murtha's list of co-sponsors. John Murtha is a highly decorated, 37 year veteran of the Marine Corps who served our country in the Vietnam War and is a respected leader at the Pentagon. The Congressman has much better insight into what is transpiring in Iraq than Don Rumsfeld and other officials in the President's cabinet. America should look to him for guidance.
The Murtha Resolution calls for a redeployment of forces out of Iraq as soon as practicable. The redeployment calls for the transition of security to the Iraqi police and military, the creation of a multinational reconstruction effort and movement of troops to nearby bases for quick strike capability.
In addition to supporting Congressman Murtha's Resolution, I believe we should listen to our soldiers who have had experience in Iraq, including the generals who are expressing concern about the condition of our Army and National Guard.
I do not claim to have an easy answer to the problems in Iraq but I have ideas for changing our direction includes the following:
* Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should resign and be replaced by a competent, experienced and bi-partisan leader.
* The Bush Administration must be honest with the American people about the real costs of the war in the budgetary process.
* We should establish an international "contact group" of nations willing to enage in the reconstruction and security of Iraq.
* We should redeploy our forces in a safe and orderly manner as progress is made in training Iraqi security forces.
* John Bolton should be replaced as our Ambassador to the United Nations in order to forge a new United Nations Resolution and Security Council plan for securing Iraq in the way we have done in Afghanistan.
* Congress must establish a "Truman Commission" to investigate contractor abuses and the whereabouts of a billion dollars which has yet to be accounted for.
* America needs to lead a regional security conference in Iraq to bring the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiite faction into dialog with one another, backed up by security forces from countries in the region like Jordan and Turkey that all have a stake in avoiding civil war in Iraq.
* Finally, we must find a way to create a new dialog with the Islamic world that focuses on securing resources to fight terrorism and the Al Qaeda network.
When I am elected to Congress I will never be a rubber stamp for presidential actions no matter who the president is, no matter what the subject matter is, especially when it comes to placing our service men and women in harms way. In the war on terrorism we must be strong but also smart.
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