Leave Iraq on Time: Don't Cut Social Security and Medicare to Pay for Iraq Occupation

While some leaders in Washington -- including, apparently, President Obama and Speaker Boehner -- want to cut Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age for Medicare, the White House and the Pentagon are planning to increase spending on the U.S. occupation of Iraq by extending the U.S. military presence without Congressional approval.

Seventy-seven Members of the House, led by Barbara Lee and Walter Jones, have a different idea: obey the December deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq that the U.S. has agreed with the Iraqi government and that President Obama has touted as fulfillment of his campaign promise to end the Iraq war.

In a letter to the president circulating in the House, the Representatives write:

We are writing to urge you to hold to our nation's Status of Forces Agreement with the government of Iraq that commits our nation to bringing all of our troops and military contractors home at the end of this calendar year.

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We are deeply concerned to learn that your Administration is considering plans to keep potentially thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the end of this year. Extending our presence in Iraq is counterproductive - the Iraqi people do not support our continued occupation. Remaining in Iraq would only further strengthen the perception that we are an occupying force with no intention of leaving Iraq.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/lee-jones-letter_b_910064.html

K&R.