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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Ruben K. Zamora
Progressive Candidate (D) (2006 election)
14th Congressional District
US House of Representatives
zamora4congress@sbcglobal.net
www.zamoraforcongress.org
PO Box 1003
Montgomery, IL 60538
630-677-7169
ZAMORA SPEAKS OUT ON THE FAILURES
OF HASTERT AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
Commentary by Ruben K. Zamora
As stated in today's Chicago Tribune article, "Call to Exit Iraq
Escalates Fierce War of Words," and more specifically because of
Representative Dennis
Hastert's comments, there is evidence that it's time Hastert and the
Republican administration stop using Presidential Advisor Karl Rove's
tired liturgy and
instead started listening to the American people.
"They (Democrats) would prefer that the United States surrender to
terrorists, who would harm innocent Americans," said Representative
Hastert recently.
How many times before have we heard this phrase used for political
gain? This country demands statesmanship from representatives in
Hastert’s
position, not tired rhetoric. This rhetoric has been used because the
Bush Administration has no realistic plan to bring our troops home or
to win the conflict
in Iraq.
Unfortunately, the Democrats and like-minded Republicans now must “pull
this administration's fat out of the fire.” The Democratic Party has
plans, but House Spokesman Scott McClellan wrongfully accuses Rep.
Murtha of being like Michael Moore and "the extreme liberal wing of the
Democratic Party." This flippant
remark seeks to hide the growing disapproval of this administration's
handling of the Iraq War and our own democracy. Included is the
declining number of
Americans who support Congress and the increasing numbers of those who
feel the administration "misled" this country in its intelligence
leading up to the war. But because of the damage that the "extreme
right wing of the Republican Party" has created with this war and their
desires to "stay the course," shouldn’t
it be imperative that we look at all our options, no matter what party
suggests them?
I think the time has come for solutions and plans, not more “Rove-like”
attacks, rhetoric and propaganda. It is time that Hastert and others in
the Bush administration stop defending the "cut and pasted" pre-war
intelligence as unbiased, complete and true. The "cut and run" argument
is old and they should be ashamed for constantly making use of it.
It's time for new workable solutions. It’s time to stop using scare
tactics, which allege that if we give sovereignty to Iraq soon and give
them power to dole out infrastructure rebuilding and oil contracts as
they see fit, that somehow the United States and its citizens will be
in danger. I thought the sovereignty of the Iraqi people was the major
reason for "liberating" Iraq.
Shouldn’t we be more concerned with "homeland insecurity?" Our borders
with neighboring countries are still porous. Not all shipment
containers are being checked at our ports, and security of our nuclear
power plants still remain suspect. Our delayed response to natural
catastrophes, like Rita and Katrina, only magnifies our current
administration's inability to adequately respond and protect the people
of this country. What other example do we wait for, a "dirty bomb?"
Also, America is getting sick of political attacks on people,
especially on decorated war veterans—like Representative John Murtha,
Senators John Kerry, Max Cleland and John McCain—by undecorated,
non-veteran, war hawks, like Representative Hastert, Vice President
Dick Cheney, Representative Tom Delay and Senior Advisor Karl Rove.
By his attack on our American hero Rep. Murtha, Hastert is continuing
attempts to parlay the same playbook of ideas Republican leaders have
continuously used
against those who question their lack of leadership in the Iraq War.
Perhaps they should follow real Republican leaders like Dwight
Eisenhower who said, “I think that people want peace so much that one
of these days government had better get out of their way and let them
have it.”
The Republican ruling majority has helped create this quagmire and
rather than admitting mistakes, they choose to call anyone opposing
their views unpatriotic or detrimental to our troops' morale. I believe
the low morale of our troops is documented, not because people are
speaking up against this war, but because they
have been overextended, under-equipped and are exhausted. When a leader
like Rep. Murtha has the courage to right a wrong he was misled into,
he should be
commended, not attacked. Theodore Roosevelt stated, “To announce that
there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by
the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but
is morally treasonable to the American public."
Where is the respect for every American's right to petition our
government for a redress of our grievances, if our government is wrong?
Hastert and the others, who are finding fault with anti-war protesters
and leaders like Representative Murtha, should spend more time
addressing the Bush administration's own lack of action and start
planning to bring our dedicated troops home safely.
It's time our government worked together through non-partisan
means to correct the ills of this war. The sickness of thought that
sent our troops to Iraq should be replaced by intelligent, rational
reasoning that will help heal our nation's divides.
As you bicker and attack, Representative Hastert, you undermine the
morale of the troops by refusing to do your job and to lead us back to
peace and security using bipartisan support. Maybe you should go to the
veterans' hospitals, or even visit the troops in Iraq, and open a
dialog with valiant men like Rep. Murtha and heed the valuable advice
and insight he could offer from the perspective of "one who has been
there."
Ruben Kanhai-Zamora
Progressive Candidate (D)
14th Congressional District
U.S. House of Representatives
zamora4congress@sbcglobal.net
www.zamoraforcongress.org
Snail mail:
PO Box 1003
Montgomery, IL 60538
630-677-7169 (C)
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