With the reasons for the invasion thoroughly
discredited, the situation in Iraq
has gone from bad to worse. The American presence in Iraq has become a lightning rod for
terrorists around the globe, while the possibility of a Sunni-Shiite civil war
threatens to engulf the larger region. The US occupation is doing more harm
than good. The US
occupation must end and our troops must return home.
On April 27, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI)
introduced an amendment to the emergency supplemental appropriations bill which
funds the war and is now being considered by the Senate. Feingold’s amendment requires the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by December 31, 2006.
The amendment states, “The United
States shall redeploy U.S.
forces from Iraq by December
31st, 2006, maintaining only a minimal force sufficient for engaging
directly in targeted counter-terrorism activities, training Iraqi security
forces, and protecting U.S.
infrastructure and personnel.” It
is expected to be voted on the week of May 1.
The Iraq War is costly
and unpopular. According to a recent Congressional Research Service report, the costs of the
war will reach $439 billion by the end of this year. But that’s just the tip of
the iceberg. The Congressional Budget Office projects total additional costs of
$371 billion for the years 2007 to 2016, making a grand total of $811 billion.
Tragically,
over 2,300 Americans troops have lost their lives and more than 17,000 more have
been wounded. There is not a definite toll of Iraqi casualties, but estimates
are in the tens of thousands.
Not
surprisingly, the American people have turned against the Bush Administration
and its failed war efforts. In a recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll, 62% of
those surveyed disapproved of President Bush’s handling of Iraq and 58%
felt that the Iraq War was not worth fighting. Strikingly, 79% of respondents
felt that Iraq is either
currently in a civil war or close to one and 54% supported decreasing U.S.
forces there.
In June
2005, Senator Feingold became the first senator to offer a resolution calling
on the President to offer a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, suggesting the end of 2006 as
a target date. This will be the first
Senate vote on whether to bring American troops home. By writing your
senator today you can increase the pressure on Congress to end this national
tragedy and bring our troops home.
Tell your senator to end the war.