Rep. Nancy Boyda lays it out on Iraq - debt owned by china, predicts flare up in Afghanistan, more

[The Straight Story]

Nancy Boyda

“Our troops are out of equipment and stretched too thin. If people want open-ended conflict then we face two consequences: Reinstate the draft and increase taxes substantially. This war already has cost U.S. taxpayers a half of a trillion dollars in additional debt, ($716 billion) most of which is owned China.”

Boyda was in Iraq earlier this month and visited with U.S. troops.

“To the last one, U.S. soldiers said ‘We’re OK. But our wives and children aren’t,’” she said, commenting on the hardships military families are experiencing because of their extended stays in this fourth “surge” called by Bush.
Most soldiers viewed their duty in Iraq as “important,” she said. Though others questioned their mission and others were “furious,” about their deployment.

Boyda’s take on the war is that a favorable outcome is not possible.
“I used to think we had to win this war. Not now. We are going to leave a very unstable Iraq,” she said.
Fritsche asked Boyda why it takes so long to adequately train Iraqi troops. The teams that do such training are stationed at Fort Riley.


Boyda predicted a flare-up in Afghanistan this spring. “That’s where the real terrorism is.” As for the U.S. threats of invading Iran, Boyda urged citizens to let their congressional leaders know that they think diplomacy, not military action, is the best course to take. “I want to say, ‘For crying out loud. Please do not take us into Iran. We have not exhausted diplomatic efforts.’”

Boyda also sympathized with the families of National Guardsmen and those in the Reserves.
“We have recalibrated the role of Reserves and Guards,” she said. “They are out there (the Middle East) by themselves without the support of the military. Is this how we want to use our Guard and Reserves,” she asked.

Boyda noted that recruitment for both of these military components is down 10 percent.

http://www.iolaregister.com/Local%20News/Stories/Iraq%20talk%20dominates%20visit.html

A lot more at the link from a town hall.

[ComerPerro]

1. kick for Boyda

[kansasblue]

2. She's great. I did GOTV for her. Go Nancy!

[madfloridian]

3. I have been impressed with her. Here is the video from the DNC press conference.

I was impressed with her at that meeting. I know Dean specifically asked her and Tim Walz and someone else to speak.

Boyda organized anti-war protests in KS

I wrote about her speech. I had to do a search at C-Span for the speech as the link changed, but I found it. She appears about 20 minutes in.

http://12.170.145.161/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=boyda&image1.x=26&image1.y=10

[Rydz777]

4. Congratulations to the people Kansas

for putting Nancy Boyda in Congress. Gen. William Odom (three stars, head of the NSA under Reagan, now Yale professor) has been saying the same thing: our troops are worn down and their equipment is worn out. Bush has wrecked both the Army and the Marines. He says the time to get out is NOW.