Now since the media is running over itself to hype up the few Iraq veterans who are speaking out against the war, and even go so far as to allow a US Senator cherry pick statements from troops in the theater of operations and ignore those who support the mission and victory, RF is going to bring you a different side of the story.

The National Commander for the American Legion has a few bones to pick with the Democratic proposal to micromanage the Iraq war from Committee rooms in DC.

Supplemental Deadlines Unacceptable, Blueprint for Disaster in Iraq

Washington, DC (March 16, 2007) – The National Commander of The American Legion Paul A. Morin voiced his organization’s strong recommendation that Congress consider the President’s FY 2007 Defense Emergency Supplemental Appropriations request, minus any additional amendments.

Yesterday, the Appropriations Committee marked up and passed, as amended, the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act. The funding requested in this bill is now some $23 billion more than the President’s initial Defense Emergency Supplemental Appropriations request.

However, even more disturbing is the fact this proposed legislation contains specific provisions that attempt to direct the conduct of military operations in Iraq, a task The American Legion unalterably believes rests with the Commander in Chief and the military leadership.

“This is an attempt to implement a congressional strategy by imposing timelines for the withdrawal of military personnel from combat zones through a “slow bleed” process by eventually reducing military funding,” Morin said. “Rather than the President’s and General Petraeus’s reinforcement policy that is making progress in securing Baghdad.”

The American Legion is supportive of many of the other provisions contained in the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, but we strongly believe the President’s initial request is not the vehicle for these provisions, especially the specific language that sets congressional deadlines and mandatory troops movements. The other emergency funding recommendations to the FY 2007 budget should be openly addressed in a subsequent appropriations package in a timely manner.

“The men and women of the armed forces in the theater of operation are dependent on this emergency funding to sustain and achieve their military missions,” Morin explained. “Members of Congress should not be armchair generals.”

“Recognizing our history as a Nation, The American Legion supports the Commander in Chief, the commanders on the front lines, and the men and women serving in harms’ way,” Morin said. “We entrust Congress to do the right thing in supporting our military men and women who are fighting to protect our values and way of life.

Thank God there was no mandated timetable after the Battle of the Bulge or Iwo Jima. Thank God, there was no mandated withdrawal or imposed exit strategy at Valley Forge or our Country would have lost the American Revolution.”

Absent the removal of the restrictive language designed to influence military operations, The American Legion calls on all Members to defeat the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 19th, 2007 at 7:23 am and is filed under Know Thy Enemy, National, Politics, SOTH Pelosi, War on Terror. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.