Progressive Ponderings: An Open Letter Regarding Iraq

by Joe and Elaine Mayer

Minnesota First District Congressman Timothy Walz recently held forums in the district regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The following letter was sent to our Congressman and Senators regarding continued funding for the wars. We urge you to contact your Congress members urging them to discontinue funding these illegal and immoral wars.

Dear Rep. Walz:

Thank you for holding the forums on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We attended the forum in Rochester and understand the feedback from the other sites is very similar. The most consistent message from the various participants was utter frustrations with the fact that after electing democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, hoping to change the course of U. S. aggression, these wars continue at an even higher rate of violence. While the audiences (participants) were generally polite, the loudest responses came from the strongest messages sent – impeachment and "no more funds." The miserable approval rating of Congress echoes the forums' frustration.

We, and you hopefully, anticipate a democratic president in just fifteen months. If these wars continue to that time they will become "democratic" wars. And rightfully so, since we continue to fund them we (you) will have "bought" into them. Most disappointing is that the three major democratic frontrunner candidates for president have all bought into the wars until at least 2013 according to their rhetoric. Has the democratic Congress done the same at a time when the citizens show a 70% disapproval rating for continuing war? Sounds like a formula for a 2008 defeat. Already "3rd" party organizing is beginning.

When we last asked you to deny funding for these aggressions you gave us the administration's line "We have to fund the troops." How many troop deaths and injuries has this funded? We ask you to deny the president funds for his lies, for his private mercenaries, for corporate oil, for the privatization of a foreign nation, for funding corruption and cronyism to previously unknown heights.

In Vietnam as the major parties traded turns with the presidency we saw democratic hawks turn to doves and republican doves turn to hawks. So much for principle! But, the citizens did not switch! Eventually the war profiteers couldn't hold on any longer.

On this fifth anniversary of Paul's death, we ask you to "Wellstone" it. Vote on principle! Vote with the vast majority of your constituents! Vote for sanity and world citizenship!

In peace, Joe and Elaine Mayer