Robert Wexler is the only Democrat worth supporting. He is the only Democrat that did not drop the ball when it came to challenging Petraeus and Crocker in the hearings this week.

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The silence and complicity of Congress is stunning. The way that Congress has allowed Bush and his Executive Branch to usurp its power over this war willfully is a blatant insult to our democracy and the American people. That the silence and complicity is intentional and not just a result of Congress trusting the Bush administration to "do the right thing" is even more insulting to this so-called free nation we Americans live in. 

The Congress' hearings with Petraeus/Crocker were yet another example to add to the potpourri of instances where Congress has outright failed America and its people.

The questions asked by Republicans were virtually all along the lines of being able to continue the "mission" or occupation of Iraq with full support and what America needed to do or think in order to support the operations 

If they were from Democrats, it was even worse. The Democrats, seeking to continue their insidious electoral plan to come off as a purely anti-war party despite their acceptance of campaign contributions from defense contractors, their support of military contractors over in the Middle East, and their refusal to filibuster and stop funding of the Iraq war, asked questions that outright betrayed all the knowledge that Americans have of this war. 

Transcripts of the event show that the Democrats were pushing Iraq as a "mistake." They were blaming the Iraqis for the situation that America is in because apparently when a country violates the sovereignty of another nation, kills millions of Iraqis, obliterates records its culture and history, and destroys that nation's infrastructure, it is that country's fault for all the problems the violator is incurring as a result of the policies the violator carried out. 

It's like taking candy from a baby and then yelling at the baby, "Why is your candy all gone?" 

Sadly, the line that Iraq was a "mistake" and the Iraqis are making it difficult for us to withdraw is how they plan to come off as anti-war this election season. They have no plans to become any stronger in their opposition to the war.  

Those we can't count on to end this war (Republicans) and those we think we can count on (Democrats) have failed us. The Bush administration's actions in connection to this Iraq war should have every member of Congress talking about taking action on impeachment. Unfortunately, even people like Dennis Kucinich, who were highly vocal about impeachment, have gone silent.

Our expectations have been lowered so much that when Joe Biden was joshing or cajoling Petraeus and Crocker at the hearing it was magnificent to many so-called liberals in the blogosphere even though he did not signal he would be filibustering funding for the Iraq war or advocating that the House move on impeachment.

One man, Robert Wexler, a Democrat from Florida, shined in the hearing. He did his job. He asked for questions from his constituents to be asked at the Petraeus/Crocker hearing prior to it and acted upon the comments/questions he received from his constituents.  

This is now the only Democrat worth sending money to for his future re-election or just for his WexlerWantsHearings.com campaign, which is a campaign for impeachment hearings. 

Every other Democrat is a waste of money that could be used to keep us from entering a state of total poverty. Save it. And especially save the money you wish to send to Obama or Clinton. 

Transcript of Wexler's heroic and moving exchange with Petraeus follows:

TRANSCRIPT

Congressman Wexler: 

Thank you.  General Petraeus, last week in anticipation of this hearing I sent an urgent e-mail asking my constituents and other Americans: if they were serving on this committee, what is the one question they would pose to you.

There was an extraordinary response, with more than five thousand questions submitted, these e-mails and phone calls expressed deeply held frustrations about the war in Iraq, and reflect the concerns of millions across the nation who feel their opinions and concerns were cast aside by the Bush Administration.

I want to thank everyone who responded and submitted a question for today's hearings. While many of the respondents rightfully-highlighted the bravery of our troops, a majority of the e-mails expressed a strong desire to see withdrawal of American soldiers from Iraq, and an end to this five year war, that has cost our nation so dearly.

Most of the question! s boiled down to this: General we often hear President Bush and Senator McCain say we must win in Iraq. What is the definition of winning? What would a military victory look like, that was sufficient enough, to allow us to begin leaving?

Then, in a horrific turn of events, two of my constituents: Hester and Linn Wolfer of Boca Raton Florida, learned that this past Sunday their son had been killed for this war. Major Stuart Wolfer was a thirty six year reservist on his second tour. He was married with three young children ages five, three, and twenty months. His family was relieved that he was in the green zone, for they hoped he would be safe there. He was not.

I spoke to Mr. Wolfer yesterday last night, who asked me to ask you, simply: For What, for what had he lost his son? So allow me to combine if you will, the questions from the people that responded to me and Mr. Wolfer: What has all this been for? And please, respectfully, don't tell us as you told Senator Warner yesterday: to remove a brutal dictator. That's not good enough.

There are many dictators in the world. For what did Stuart Wolfer and the other four thousand and twenty four sons and daughters die for? And how will we define victory, so we can bring this never ending war to a close?

And if I will, when Mr. Burton asks for a definition of what is failure, we get a litany of items. But when Mr. Ackerman asks what is the definition of victory, we get little. Please tell us General, What is winning?

General Petraeus:  First of all, Congress, let me tell you that what we are fighting for is national interest.

It is interest that as I stated have to do with Al Qaeda, a sworn enemy of the United States and the free world, has to do with the possible spread of sectarian conflict in Iraq, conflict that had engulfed that country and had it on the brink of Civil War. 

It has to do with regional stability, a region that is of critical importance to the global economy, and it has to do with certainly the influence of Iran, another obviously very important element, in that region.

In terms of what it is that we are trying to achieve, I think simply it is a country that is at peace with itself and its neighbors, it is a country that can defend itself, that has a government that is reasonably representative and broadly responsive to its citizens, and a country that is involved in and engaged in, again the global economy.

Ambassador Crocker and I, for what it's worth, have typically seen ourselves as minimalists, we're not after the Holy Grail in Iraq and we're not after Jeffersonian Democracy.

We're after conditions that would allow our soldiers to disengage, and that is in fact what we are doing. As we achieve progress, as we have with the Surge, and that is what is indeed allowing us to withdraw the Surge forces, again well over one quarter of our ground combat power five of 20 brigade combat teams plus two marine battalions and the marine expeditionary unit by the end of July.

Congressman Wexler: Thank you. 

 

Authors Bio:
Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof Press. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, "Unauthorized Disclosure." He was an editor for OpEdNews.com