Sen. Leahy's response to Petraeus (e-mail)

[babylonsister]

Today, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker testified before two House committees about the status of the war in Iraq. The war is one of the most important issues facing our nation, and I would like to share my thoughts with you about today's testimony.

By invading Iraq, President Bush led us into one of the biggest foreign policy disasters in our nation's history. He incorrectly tied Saddam Hussein to the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, and since then he and his Administration have consistently attacked the patriotism of anyone who dared to criticize their mismanagement and failed leadership.

The war on terror could and should have been handled very differently. Six years ago, U.S. soldiers almost captured Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. But because President Bush had focused his attention on Iraq and diverted our resources away from Afghanistan, bin Laden escaped and still remains at large. The war in Iraq has distracted our country from the real culprits of terror, and has wasted hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayers' dollars.

The President's "surge" strategy has not brought Iraqis any closer to a political resolution to end the war. Instead, our military presence continues to discourage Iraqis from taking responsibility for the direction of their own country. In the meantime, Iraqi civilians and U.S. soldiers are dying every day with no end in sight.

It's clear that President Bush intends to continue this war until he leaves office, and then burden the next president with the aftermath of his failures. There are no signs of improvement in the Iraqi civil war, and the only reasonable solution to end the violence is to bring our troops home.

Tomorrow, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will testify before the U.S. Senate where they will face more tough questions from my colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee. I promise to work with other Members of Congress -- both Democrats and Republicans -- to bring this bloody war to a close. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Maybe Leahy Can Run For President?

Finally, a member of Congress who calls it like it is.

How come, of our three frontrunners for President, one voted to attack Iraq and continues to claim that it was the right way to vote, and one co-sponsored the infernal thing but now apologizes (oh swell, it was only a war that we're talking about - no harm done).

[cali]

2. Excellent. No mincing of words.

says what needs to be said. k&r

[madokie]

3. I was looking for where I could sign up for his emails but couldn't find it

help anyone. I like Sen. Leahy because I see in him a person who is honest and who loves his country, loves his country enough to keep fighting for her even in his days he could be kicking back and taking in a fishing trip or so.

[cali]

5. I'd just go to his website and use his "Contact

Senator Leahy" link, and asd to be put on his email list. Staffers will surely do it.

[Breeze54]

6. Visit LeahyForVermont.com

http://ga3.org/leahyforvermont/home.html

[madokie]

16. thank you, that was easy enough to do

I googled earlier but wasn't having any luck

[Breeze54]

4. Patrick Leahy rocks!! I got the same at 8:19 pm!

K & R'd!

[hisownpetard]

21. Me, too. (I love Leahy. Dignified and a man of conscience.)

[spanone]

7. Yes Sir!

[quiet.american]

8. YES. YES. YES! n/t

[cali]

9. I have one quibble with this letter

in the second paragraph, he says bush "incorrectly" tied 9/11 to Saddam. He should have used the word falsely.

[soothsayer]

13. he also makes it sound like OBL was behind 911

[cali]

17. Probably because

that's what he's saying. I also believe OBL was the likely perpetrator.

[hisownpetard]

23. Wow - excellent pick-up, distinguishing between "incorrectly" (which has

the connotation of being inadvertant), and "falsely" (which connotes intent).

If you're not an Editor, you could be/should be!



Edit:parens

[Gregorian]

10. Senator Leahy is a great man.

I thank him for his words of truth. They are not heard as often as they should be.

[C_U_L8R]

11. You tell em Pat

light up the grill, it's gonna be a firey hot roasting

[cali]

12. and keep telling 'em

this stuff has to be repeated again and again- and he should have addressed the 4.2 million refugees.

[bdamomma]

14. Senator can't anyone of you guys challenge this SOB???

or do we??

[cali]

15. er, did you read the email?

It did challenge Petraeus. In fact, it rejected his testimony.

[cali]

18. kick

isn't this the kind of stuff we've been demanding from our congress critters?

[snappyturtle]

19. Wonder if Leahy will have Petraeus under oath in his testimony tomorrow! nt

[cali]

20. I don't believe

he's on either of Committees questioning Petraeus.

[pacalo]

22. Leahy sounds just as disgusted as we are. K&R.

[defendandprotect]

24. CHEERS to Sen. Leahy who also says no new funding!!!! And he's an Anthrax victims . . .. !!!!!

Pretty Courageous, I'd say ---

[cali]

25. morning kick

because some dems aren't complicit.

[druidity33]

26. yup

Leahy has been consistently outraged. But guldarnitt nothing ever seems to come of his outrage!

He often issues strongly worded statements...

[cali]

27. Let's see

He's issued subpoenas. He deserves considerable credit for the resignations of Rove and Gonzo. Under his leadership, a great deal of information and truth has emerged on topics ranging from the Warrentless surveillance to the firing of U.S. attnys. He's introduced legislation to restore habeas rights. He's succeeded in restricting the sale and use of cluster mines. He's worked for years to ban land mines. He's spoken out for over 5 years against the war. He's spoken out in support of defunding the war. And that's just off the top of my head.

Not that I expect a response from someone who issues a content free accusation, but I'd love to see you respond substantively to this.

[druidity33]

28. whoah. touchy lately?

read my response please:

"Leahy has been consistently outraged. But guldarnitt nothing ever seems to come of his outrage!

He often issues strongly worded statements..."

is anything i said here not true? i didn't throw the rolling eyes in did i? I NEVER said he hasn't done everything he could. It's like the rest of the whole shebang... Conyers appears to be doing as much as he can too! Kucinich crafts legislation and speaks out about injustice too. Can you blame me for decrying the lack of some small victory? Perhaps the ellipses confounded you...

I'm just frustrated, aren't you?

not that i think it glaringly shows, but if i was, could you blame me for being cynical?

:shrug:

[cali]

29. I apologize.

I clearly took what you said the wrong way. It's just I do think there are a number of democrats who are busting ass, and they don't deserve our cynicism.

[druidity33]

30. it's ok

i could definitely be more positive... so my wife says. But shit, it's really hard. I have my own personal life stress, and on top of that everything seems to be going wrong in the world.

I'm doing a craft show this weekend and i've painted large signs saying "embrace peace" and "reject war". I'll also be handing out hand made flyers about Dennis Kucinich and his positive views, along with a reminder about the MA primary date...

sometimes cynicism creeps out of me... though i prefer sarcasm when i can manage it. Maybe i read too much Wilde as a youth...