Obama, Jackson, Lee, Cummings Respond to Bush's Call for Escalation in Iraq

By Robert "Rob" Redding Jr.

Publisher

Jan. 11, 2007, 9:40 a.m. - Here are a string of statements from these select black members of Congress on the escalation of the Iraq war....

Congressman Jesse Jackson (D-Illinois) said: "I'm vigorously opposed to President Bush's plan to send additional troops into Iraq. His decision to escalate American involvement in the Iraq War goes against the interests of the United States and the will of the American people. Make no mistake -- this is George W. Bush's War.

"It's illogical: This is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result. This has been tried twice before and has not worked.

"It's deceptive: This is not a "surge," but rather an escalation of American troops and American involvement, which will tragically cause even more death and destruction -- on top of the more than 3,000 American troops who have already died, and the many more who have been seriously wounded and permanently disabled.

"It's backwards: This is an attempt to impose a half-baked, unworkable military solution, when Iraq needs a political one. Rather than a military escalation, the situation requires a diplomatic and political intensification. The American military must stand down so that the Iraqi people will stand up and assume responsibility for their own future.

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"It's a colossal failure: This ignores reality and plunges further down a dark and disastrous hole. As a result of the White House's delusions and denial, Iraq is in Civil War; the Middle East is in crisis; our enemies are emboldened; the U.S. military has been strained; the U.S. treasury has been drained; our allies have been alienated; and the world is more dangerous.

"In the November Elections, the American people sent a clear message: DO NOT stay the course in Iraq, squandering billions of our tax dollars and recklessly putting our brave soldiers into harm's way -- smack in the middle of a bloody civil war. But, the White House refuses to listen. They reject the views of the Iraq Study Group, most of the nation's top military officials, the American people and their elected representatives.

"As Democrats, we support our troops. But, we don't support the commander-in-chief sending our bravest on a fool's errand -- to die for a lie in the desert.

Jackson concluded, "We must start to come to grips with reality, reverse course and withdraw our military forces from Iraq, now!"

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Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued the following statement:  "Tonight President Bush went on prime time television to present to the nation the results of his listening tour on what to do about Iraq.

"Four years into this war, the President has suddenly taken an interest in listening, but he certainly is not hearing the American people.

"The President proposed an escalation of the war in Iraq at precisely the time when the American people are calling for us to bring the war to an end.  He's like the man who finds himself stuck in a hole and decides the best way out is to keep digging.

"The question that Congress and the American people must now answer is how many people should die so the President can avoid admitting he has staked his presidency and his legacy on an unnecessary war whose implementation his administration has botched at every turn?  How many have to die so the President can save face?"

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U.S. Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Maryland), who believes we should support our troops in Iraq by implementing a plan to bring them home, made the following statement regarding President Bush's primetime address on a "new" strategy in Iraq. 

"Tonight President Bush proposed a so-called 'new' strategy for our involvement in Iraq.  However, his words demonstrate that he has once again disregarded reality, ignored the advice of top military experts and most of all, forgotten about the concerns of the American people.    

"This November, voters sent a resounding message that we should get out of Iraq immediately. 

"Instead, President Bush is proposing the opposite-another increase of troops to be sent into the civil war mayhem of Iraq. 

"Military and foreign policy experts have said that sending more troops to Iraq will escalate the sectarian violence that is the core of the current situation in Iraq.  Further, they say this surge would make the Iraqi government more reliant upon the United States-when the stated goal has been to make Iraqis self-sufficient.

 "Giving a man an extra set of crutches won't help him learn to walk on his own.  

"After having spent more than $379 billion in taxpayer's dollars, losing more than 3,000 American lives, and causing more than 22,000 war-related injuries, this war needs a substantive change in course.  

"We must implement a carefully-crafted exit strategy now. 

"Shortly, I will join my colleague Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) in introducing a House Concurrent Resolution that would express a sense of Congress that the President should not order an escalation in the total number of U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq. 

"Further, I will join with the Democratic Majority in continuing to question a long-term involvement in Iraq. 

"A surge in troops will not expedite or support our overall goal to combat global terrorism.   

"I question whether the President's latest announcement constitutes a good faith change of course or a last ditch effort to save his quickly dwindling legacy by bequeathing the Iraq war to the next President."

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