Open letter to Congress from Military Families Speak Out:
February 15, 2007
Dear Senators and Members of Congress,
We are members of Military Families Speak Out, whose loved ones are currently serving in Iraq, or are soon to be deployed or re-deployed to Iraq. No one is more concerned about the safety and well-being of our troops than we are - they are our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fiancés, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, mothers and fathers.
You will soon be voting on President Bush's supplemental budget request that will allow the war in Iraq to continue. Many of you are saying that in order to support our troops, you must once again fund the war. The President is not asking for funding for our troops - he is looking for funding to continue this war that is so damaging to our loved ones and all of our troops. The most important thing you can do to protect those who swore an oath to protect us all is to vote against this supplemental appropriations request.
We know that there are funds available to bring our troops out quickly and safely. If more is needed, funds from the Department of Defense budget could be re-programmed for this purpose.
Senators and Members of Congress, you need to know that by continuing to fund this war and leaving our loved ones in Iraq, you are abandoning them.
Make no mistake about this, you can not both oppose and fund this war.
You may be afraid for your political futures, and afraid of being "swift-boated" if you were to vote to de-fund the war. We are afraid for the lives of our loved ones. Three U.S. servicemen and women are dying each day, along with countless Iraqi children, women and men. We are afraid that if we are lucky enough to get our loved ones home, they will return as hollow-eyed strangers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The Constitution gave Congress the 'power of the purse' for a reason. We urge you, we expect you, to use this power now. And we will stand with all who will now support our troops by voting against the funds that allow this war to continue.
But if you vote to continue funding the war in Iraq, it will no longer be President Bush's war. It will be yours. If you fund it, you've bought it and you own it. And we will remember.
We are asking that you show the courage and leadership that our loved ones have shown when they signed up to defend the Constitution of the United States. Ending this war is the right thing to do. And you are the people who can make it happen.
Don't abandon our troops - de-fund this war.
Sincerely,
(See four pages of signatures attached)Download the letter here:
http://www.mfso.org/downloads/OpenLetter.pdfLearn more about this campaign here:
http://www.movecongress.org http://www.mfso.org http://www.unitedforpeace.orgNGU.
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