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Peace and Justice Fair is Sept 13, 2008 |
Most recent letter to constituents on Iraq Policy from Senator Cantwell. Received 1-29-07 Dear Mr. Ellison (I'm sure this same letter has been sent to others), Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about U.S. foreign policy in Iraq . I appreciate hearing from you on this important matter. As you know, on January 10, 2007, President Bush announced plans to deploy an additional 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq . Under this proposal, 17,500 troops will be sent to Baghdad and 4,000 Marines will provide additional support in Anbar province. In addition, President Bush would commit $1.2 billion to reconstruct infrastructure in Iraq and to provide Iraqi civilians with basic services. I oppose the President's plan to escalate the war by sending additional troops to Iraq . A troop buildup simply will not solve the political problems that continue to plague Iraq . Instead we must significantly change course and hold the Iraqis accountable for benchmarks like taking responsibility for their own security, passing an oil law, and making the necessary political compromises to ease disagreements between Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds. It is disappointing that the President's plan fails to incorporate the recommendations proposed by the Iraq Study Group. I support many of the Iraq Study Group's key recommendations and have previously called for some of these options such as more robust diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region. We need to act urgently to press for a political solution and build international consensus to stabilize Iraq and the region. Additionally, I believe that the United States should engage in direct talks with Iran and Syria . Clearly, it is time to change course in Iraq . The United States cannot have an open ended commitment and U.S. forces should move out of a combat role into a support role for the Iraqi Army. That is why I will support a Senate resolution expressing the Senate's disapproval of the plan to deploy additional troops. In addition to the resolution, tougher steps may be necessary in order to bring Sunni and Shiite leaders to the negotiating table. At this time, I am working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to increase Congressional oversight of the war and to ensure that the Administration places greater emphasis on solving Iraq 's political problems through diplomatic means. At the same time, we need more accountability in Iraq to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively and efficiently. The Iraqi people still do not have adequate access to basic services like electricity, clean water, and sanitation. Efforts to rebuild hospitals and clinics are behind schedule and millions of dollars over-budget; some projects may never be completed. Meanwhile, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has uncovered mismanagement, waste, fraud and abuses in reconstruction efforts. To ensure that the Inspector General can continue to provide the necessary oversight, I joined Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in introducing the Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act of 2006 (S. 4046). This legislation will extend the Inspector General's term that was set to expire on October 1, 2007. I am pleased that the Senate unanimously approved this measure on December 6, 2006 and, with the House of Representatives' approval, it has been sent to the President for his signature. In the months ahead, I will closely scrutinize additional funding requests from the Administration for the Iraq war. While it is important to make sure that our troops are properly equipped and cared for, we must conduct vigorous oversight to hold the Bush administration accountable for its policies. Please be assured that I will continue to press for progress in Iraq , so we can bring our troops home. Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Sincerely, |