October 14, 2004

President Bush:

The war in Iraq and the war on terror are very real for us.

As the families of those serving in Iraq, and as veterans who know the risks of war, we want to win the war on terror.  But we will not blindly follow a commander in chief whose poor leadership in Iraq and the war on terror has actually heightened the risk to our nation and our military men and women.

There are many questions we would ask President Bush about why he has led our nation in the wrong direction, but it is well documented that citizens who engage in critical thinking and hold divergent ideas are not welcome in Bush/Cheney campaign events.

Therefore, we hope you will ask President Bush the following seven questions, and let us know the answers.

1)  NOT EQUIPPING OUR OREGON SOLDIERS

On June 13 of this year, Bravo Company Spc. Eric McKinley of Corvallis, was killed when his open-backed Humvee -- equipped with "armor" consisting of plywood and sandbags -- was struck by a grenade. Why is President Bush not giving our soldiers the protection they need to stay safe in Iraq?
 
 

2)  LACK OF CONNECTION BETWEEN IRAQ AND 9/11

Vice President Cheney continues to link Iraq to the tragedies of 9/11.  But the September 11 Commission said in July that there is “no evidence of any kind to show Iraqi involvement in attacks by Al Qaeda against the United States” and on September 12 of this year, Colin Powell said, “I have seen nothing that makes a direct connection between Saddam Hussein and that awful regime and what happened on 9/11.”  Who is misleading the American people - your Secretary of State and the September 11th Commission…or Vice President Dick Cheney?
 
 

3) DIVERTING FOCUS FROM WAR ON TERRORISM

Why does President Bush think that diverting resources to Iraq from our war with Osama Bin Laden's terrorist network, and squandering the world unity we had after 9/11, makes the American people safer?
 
 

4) INCOMPETENT PLANNING IN IRAQ

Why did President Bush rush to war with no plan to win the peace, and why did President Bush recently blame his own lack of post-war planning on our troops for taking Baghdad too fast?
 
 

5) HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS AND FAMILIES

 Some Oregon veterans must wait six months or more to see a doctor, 180,000 Oregonians lost their health insurance under your presidency, and those Oregonians with insurance saw their premiums rise an average of $3,660 in the last four years?  As your go-it-alone war creates thousands of new disabled veterans in Iraq, why do you allow no-bid contracts for Halliburton and push new tax cuts for millionaires at the same time you deny Oregon veterans and families the health care help they need?
 
 

6) SUPPORT FOR SOLDIERS NOW AND JOBS WHEN THEY RETURN

When Oregon servicemen and servicewomen come home from Iraq, many will look for jobs.  But under your presidency, Oregon has had some of the highest unemployment in the nation – up 54% in last four years.  You have also proposed cutting combat pay for our soldiers and their families.  What do you have to say to Oregon soldiers whose economic needs you have sought to undermine and who will come home to an empty Oregon job-market under the Bush-Cheney economy?
 
 

7) SENDING HIS DAUGHTERS TO WAR

President Bush, do you believe enough in the quality of your leadership to send your own daughters into Iraq?  For the families of our military men and women, this is not a hypothetical question.  They deserve stronger, more effective leadership than they have now.  They deserve a president who brings allies together and conducts a truly effective war on terror.

Our voices are among the voices that have been left out of Bush/Cheney events in Oregon, because the President and Vice President have set a tone for their campaign that they will speak only to those who favor the wrong choices they have made for our country.  But today, we are making our voices heard.
 

Sincerely,
(signed by 226 service connected citizens)

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Copyright 2004 Jack Dresser, Ph.D.