Petraeus testimony to Congress

[recovering democrat]

As I do frequently, I write our two Repub Senators about Iraq issues, and as expected, usually receive party-line responses with which I strongly disagree.

The current "spin" about who will report to Congress - i. e. the President, and Gates and Rice instead of Petraeus and Crocker - is not what the Republican congress critters have been saying. Just thought I would include a post with this quote (in bold) from my reply from Isakson on this subject. Feel free to join me in calling him on it. I am still looking for the almost identical response I got from Chambliss.

Isakson e-mail letter July 24, 2007:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your thoughts on the War in Iraq. I am glad to hear your opinion on the issue and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

I believe that it was right to invade Iraq and to eliminate Saddam Hussein as a threat so that the Iraqi people, the Middle East and the entire world will no longer be terrorized by the ruthless dictator. I have traveled to Iraq twice since my election to the U.S. Senate and I have seen the great progress that has been made by Iraqi people and by the U.S. troops stationed there. However, I do believe it is time for a change in direction in Iraq. I have told the President that while most Georgians have been very supportive of our efforts in Iraq, they are looking for a resolution and a comprehensive plan.

I applaud the President's decision to appoint new members to his strategic military team, including Robert Gates to be Secretary of Defense and General David Petraeus to lead the Multinational Forces-Iraq Command. President Bush has proposed a plan that increases the number of American troops in Baghdad and al-Anbar province to serve in conjunction with Iraqi security forces. Their mission is to provide a secure environment for the Iraqi government. Only when security is established will the Iraqi government have a better chance at reaching the political compromise necessary to unify the country and end sectarian violence.

I strongly believe that the President's plan will succeed only if the Iraqis buy into it and fulfill their side of the deal. I sincerely hope that Prime Minister al-Maliki honors his side of this bargain and responds with the military commitment necessary to make this plan work. Furthermore, I do not support proposed nonbinding Senate resolutions that condemn the President's decision to increase the number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Such resolutions send a mixed message to our troops and to our enemies at a time when our country is committed to a major battle in the Global War on Terror. That's why I choose an opportunity for success over a recipe for failure.

Finally, I believe that in order to achieve lasting peace in the region it is necessary to exercise an ambitious diplomatic approach that brings together all the countries in the region. Each of Iraq's neighbors have a crucial stake in a peaceful and stable outcome in Iraq, and each must be willing to work together to assist the United States and our allies in bringing security to the region. I am especially glad that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made it a high priority to initiate peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

While the situation in Iraq is grave, it would turn dire if we prematurely withdraw our forces and withdraw the funding that is necessary to move Iraq forward. It is important for us to continue to pursue the goals of the surge, and have a debate after we know the facts as they stand. We may in fact have to change our strategy, but we owe it to ourselves, our brave men and women in uniform, and the people of Iraq to wait until our military general's report back on the progress of our strategy in September.

Thank you again for contacting me, and I hope you will not hesitate to call on me in the future if I can be of assistance to you.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

Please note, these are Isakson's words, not mine.

[bunkerbuster1]

1. Not to defend Johnny I-suck, but...

I'm not sure how he was to know on July 27th that the report was, in fact, to be authored by the White House, and not the general.

By all means, let us know what kind of reply you get on your "correction" letter.

[recovering democrat]

2. Should have known

I might otherwise be willing to cut him some slack on this, BUT how he and any other Republican can continue to postpone confronting Bush about this is insane. They just keep falling for his alternate reality version. Besides, since I send letters to both Senators, and get almost identical words from each, I figure there is someone in DC who writes a boilerplate letter that all of them are supposed to (or required to?) use.

Before retirement, I had one of those jobs held accountable for what I "knew or should have known". I like holding elected officials to that same standard!

[bunkerbuster1]

3. You get virtually-the-same letter back from both Senators?

That is interesting. I'd like to see that posted (and out there--it'd be useful ammo, methinks, in casting the G.O.Pee as uniformly nasty).

[recovering democrat]

4. Keeping copies

I will start keeping copies of all of them. Frankly, I get so disgusted when I read their replies, I normally throw them away (or erase them if via email) - just happened to find the last one from Isakson and thought I kept Chambliss' letter but I can't find it.

Maybe it is just they have the identical message - but I will start looking more closely to confirm my opinion they have the same source - and keep them for posting as appropriate.

Main difference in emails from each of them is that Johnny has a professional header with his picture on it and Saxby replies in plain text. I do prefer not having to look at them.