Bush's Iraq War is Weakening America

[dweller]

By Sen. RUSSELL FEINGOLD

From the Floor of the United States Senate, September 29, 2005

I rise once again to comment on the deeply disturbing consequences of the President's misguided policies in Iraq. I have spoken before about my grave concern that the Administration's Iraq policies are actually strengthening the hand of our enemies, fueling the insurgency's recruitment of foreign fighters and unifying elements of the insurgency that might otherwise turn on each other.

But today I want to focus on a different and equally alarming issue ­ which is, that the Bush Administration's policies in Iraq are making America weaker. And none of us should stand by and allow this to continue.

It is shocking to me that this Senate has not found the time and energy to take up the Defense Authorization bill and give that bill the full debate and attention that it deserves. Our men and women in uniform, and our military families, continue to make real sacrifices every day in service to this country. They perform their duties with skill and honor, sometimes in the most difficult of circumstances. But the Senate has not performed its duties ­ and the state of the U.S. military desperately needs our attention.

The Administration's policies in Iraq are breaking the United States Army. As soldiers confront the prospect of a third tour in the extremely difficult theater of Iraq, it would be understandable if they began to wonder why all of the sacrifice undertaken by our country in wartime seems to be falling on their shoulders. It would be understandable if they -- and their brothers and sisters in the Marine Corps -- began to feel some skepticism about whether or not essential resources -- like adequately armored vehicles -- will be there when they need them. It would be understandable if they came to greet information about deployment schedules with cynicism, because reliable information has been hard to come by for our military families in recent years. And it would be understandable if they asked themselves whether or not their numbers will be great enough to hold hard-won territory, and whether or not properly vetted translators will be available to help them distinguish friend from foe. At some point, Mr. President, the sense of solidarity and commitment that helps maintain strong retention rates gives way to a sense of frustration with the status quo. I fear that we may be very close to that tipping point today.

http://www.counterpunch.org/feingold09292005.html

dp

[bluestateguy]

1. I think he'd make a fine president

I'm sorry that he voted for Roberts, but he has enough political capital with me that I still say that I have a very high opinion of him.

[opihimoimoi]

2. He is CLEAN TOO....showers all the time obssessivly according to Sabato

of Larry Fame...

[Lautremont]

3. It would be quite nice to have a clean president

for a change, instead of one who needs a change.

[necso]

4. Nice speech.

But it's past time to pull out the troops. Nothing that we can (actually) acheive (now) in Iraq is worth the price that we'll have to pay for it. Nothing.

And given this, any further military effort is only putting on a show to try to disguise the catastrophe -- which doesn't justify spending one more penny -- or one more drop of blood.

But any schedule for withdrawal is better than none, I suppose.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Feingold is a stupid twit. He is a sellout.

Why?