SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

We have turned the War In Iraq into just another political GOTCHA game. With the chess like moves and outrageous actions last Thursday and Friday in the United States House of Representatives, Congress hasn’t just lost it’s political bearings but they’ve lost their marbles!

Our government entered the War In Iraq as part of the broader War On Terrorism and yes because of Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Contemporaneously the Congress acted on the same information that the Administration had, the international community had, and that President Clinton had as far back as 1998. Remember that Saddam refused to allow United Nations weapons inspectors and thus forced the embargo on his own people, whom he even used some of these weapons on. Remember when terrorists blew up the World Trade Center the first time, America did not act.

After 911 and the second World Trade Center bombings, it became clear there is an enemy that wants to terrorize us, kill us, and restrain our freedoms, President Bush acted. Our President gave Saddam the opportunity to alter the course and avoid a broader war in Iraq, but Saddam refused. At that time the Congress and the public supported going to war in Iraq.

Going to War is never and easy thing and it is not something that should be done just because the polls say it is supported. Wars are expensive both in human and economic terms. The time to ask hard questions is before engagement not from the critic’s gallery once action has begun. That does not mean that hard questions should not be asked about the War’s conduct but partisanship shouldn’t be injected into the debate. When we enter a war our objectives, military and political need to be set and then we should settle for no less than Victory. President Bush aptly said today "We will stay in the fight until we have achieved the victory that our brave troops have fought for."

Michael Moore, Mrs. Sheehan, or Tom Daschle saying that the troops need to be brought home is playing politics. Because the President is politically weak and Americans are tired of the war, those trying to obtain political advantage using the War as an issue are wrong. (These dissatisfactions are really just a manifestation of the broader feeling that the public has lost faith with the government’s effectiveness on many issues). With their actions, the Come Home America Party of George McGovern now looks like they are becoming the party of withdrawal.

The great Congressional Shouting Match Friday was dishonorable, hurts the war effort, and hurts our Country. Republicans should not be playing politics with the War either, it’s more important than the next election. Using our Army as a political pawn in a domestic partisan political game hurts the war effort and undermines troop morale and our allies, the Iraqi people. While the President’s polling numbers are the lowest of his Presidency they are probably 10 points higher than Congress as a whole that is becoming dysfunctional. Coach Tom Osborne, Congressman from Nebraska could not have said it more eloquently. "We can do better."