We cannot undo what we have done - but we can look squarely and honestly at the reality on the ground - and make the hard decisions that we are capable of making while we still have the chance.
No one knows, no one can possibly know, exactly what will happen when we remove the oppressive US military presence from Iraq.
But after 4 1/2 years of kicking down doors and terrorizing families, after 4 ½ years of causing the deaths of nearly 650,000 innocent men, women and children, after 4 1/2 years of seeing the daily attack toll on American forces rise as we pass each milestone that George Bush and Mark Kirk together promised us would bring stability and security to that war torn country, after 4 1/2 years of sacrificing America’s credibility around the world, after 4 1/2 years of systemically eroding the morale and capability of the greatest fighting force the world has ever known to respond to TRUE threats around the world.
After 4 1/2 years of this trillion-dollar mistake - we do know what will continue to happen if we stay.
2004 – 70 attacks per day in Iraq on civilian and coalition forces.
2005 – 95 attacks per day, 2006 – 121 attacks, and so far in 2007, after the “surge” that was supposed to make it all better, 177 attacks each and every day in Iraq, mostly on American forces.
Not quite nine months ago, I stood with several hundred people in Chicago and then in again in Highland Park, as we mourned the tragic milestone of the 3000th American combat casualty in Iraq.
And we beseeched our Congressman at that time to find the courage to act then to end this war - that if we did not, could not, face the reality on the ground and begin the withdrawal of American troops then - we would surely gather a year later to commemorate and mourn the 4000th death.
It pains me now to say we are only a couple of months away from that undeniable reality.
Let us pledge here tonight not to continue down this reckless path - let us pledge to demand that our congressman take a stand and ACT so that we will not have to gather a year from nowto mourn the 5000th and then the 6000th tragic death.
Let us not have to explain to our children how we were so arrogant as a nation, so unable to admit that we made a mistake, that we allowed 4 million Iraqis to be displaced from the only place they have ever called home. That we were complicit in over 800,000 innocent deaths:
all while mortgaging their future, spending their education money, burning their health care dollars, and killing their future on this , what Ret. Lt. Gen. William Odom, former National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan calls – The greatest strategic disaster in United States history. The damage is truly transgenerational.
So we ask you, Congressman Kirk - Save the children - END the war. Stop the killing- END the war. Congressman Kirk – find the courage to Take a Stand - support our troops – and END this immoral war.
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