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A Letter to Congress from a Former Soldier

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To The Congress Of The United States From A Former Soldier,

I have read in the newspapers, and seen on TV that the President wants to "Surge" more troops into Iraq. I read on Friday where the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and The Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi, had asked the President not to do so. I understand that this President feels that he must do what he believes is the right thing to do I would not expect him to do any less than what he considers is right, even though I have to state that he has yet to be right on anything concerning Iraq in his six years of office. I do expect however, that Congress should also do what they believe is right. I read in the NY Times today that some in Congress do not want to be seen as not supporting the troops by cutting off funds that would stop President Bush's new plan.

I am writing this as a former soldier. I am sure that the troops in Iraq know that Congress does support them irregardless how Congress votes for funding or not funding this "surge". I am sure that there are many soldiers that don't believe in extending this war any longer, just as there are many civilians that don't want to continue to waste our countries best and brightest young people in this war.Even the Iraq Study Group has been ignored. There are so many soldiers that are on their second and third tour in Iraq, and I can tell you as a former career soldier that there comes a time when even the military tires of pursuing a failed strategy. I believe that if you really want to support our troops in Iraq, you will stop the funding of this needless and ill conceived war, so that more of our soldiers can come home to their families instead of chasing the dream of a failed President.

The people of The United States of America voted out the Republican Congress that the people of this great nation knew would continue to support the President at every opportunity. If the people of this nation would have wanted Congress to support the President, they would have left the old Congress in place, and would not have voted the opposition party in. This is just common sense. The people in Congress already have their answer by the way the electorate voted in the last election. Just as we would want the President to follow his conscience in regard to this war, we also pray that the members of Congress follow their own conscience and do what is right and stop this escalation of violence and war. This I believe is why this Congress is no longer controlled by the Republicans and is controlled by the Democrats for the first time in twelve years. To think otherwise would be a foolish mistake, and it would leave the people that campaigned for you totally frustrated and hopeless.

This is a test of the principles that have made this country great. The checks and balances that our founding fathers put into our Constitution were put there for just such a scenario as this. We have a war that was started on a premise that has proved to be a lie. The American people and it's soldiers are pinning what is left of their hope for peace on this Congress. Please don't let us down.

Sincerely,

Timothy V. Gatto
SSG US Army (RET.)
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Tim Gatto is Ret. US Army and has been writing against the Duopoly for the last decade. He has two books on Amazon, Kimchee Days or Stoned Colds Warriors and Complicity to Contempt.

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