Act on conscience

If the general consensus is that the addition of 20,000 more troops will not achieve our objective, what can we hope to expect from the force now in Iraq? Our presence is only serving to inflame and intensify the insurgency. We must accept the fact that our military can play no part in determining Iraq's future. The diplomatic approach and reconciliation of differences among the contending factions are the only hopes for peace. Congress must end its face-saving posturing and act on its conscience. It must take positive steps to end this senseless sacrifice of American lives. Nonbinding resolutions are not going to end this president's intransigency. Congress must demand that the president withdraw our forces as required under the War Empowerment Act of 1973. It must withhold all funds for this war except for those required to ensure the safe return of our troops. Leonard Satz, Blackwood - Courier Post, February 12, 2007

In the end, Bush does as he pleases

We, the free American people, our moral religious preachers, our intelligent schools and universities, our smart independent mass media, our courageous Democratic Congress, and our brilliant Republican president have reached an amicable working arrangement. We, the people, can believe whatever we want to believe. Our preachers can preach whatever they want to preach. Our schools and universities can teach whatever they want to teach. Our mass media can broadcast, or propagate, whatever they want. Our congressmen can say whatever they want to say — and our president will do whatever he wants to do. Ali Wassil, Atlantic City - Atlantic City Press, February 11, 2007

Support bill

President Bush is sending our troops to Iraq knowing they will probably die. They are being sent into the middle of a civil war with both sides attacking them. Bush has fired all those who have disagreed with his policies. Call, write or e-mail your senators and representatives and ask them to support HR508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraqi Restoration Act of 2007, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif. The act calls for a "no" vote on supplemental appropriations that continue to fund the war on Iraq. Block troop escalation. Work toward speedy withdrawal of troops and no permanent bases in Iraq. Return control of resources and economic affairs to the Iraqi people. One definition of stupidity is to do the same thing over and over with the same results. It seems that this administration never learns from its mistakes and doesn't care how many people die. Noel Maley, Southampton - Courier Post, February 10, 2007

Investigate reasons why Bush invaded Iraq

A recent Harris poll asked Americans if they favored investigating President Bush's reasons for invading Iraq. Fifty-six percent said yes. Given the evidence of Bush's impeachable offenses, dozens of cities and state legislatures have introduced impeachment resolutions. House Resolution 635 would create a committee to investigate the manipulation of information during the lead-up to and execution of the war in Iraq. It's necessary because the administration rebuffs Congressional inquiries. Bush ignores any statute that conflicts with "his" interpretation of the Constitution; in five years, he's added "signing statements" to more than 750 bills passed by Congress, more than five times the number Clinton signed in the eight years of his administration. On Jan. 18, Bush issued amendments to Executive Order 12866 that would increase his control of federal agencies that protect our privacy, health, safety, civil rights and the environment. Congress grants the civil servants in those agencies authority to interpret laws and develop regulations. This latest move takes power from agency experts and gives it to political appointees. I abhor impeachment. Clinton's impeachment, supported by only 28 percent of Americans, led to a government standstill and we don't need such a distraction. Nevertheless, Bush must answer for the damage he has done in Iraq and to America. We've lost about 3,100 of our men and women and spent tens of billions of dollars, while the president condones torture, cover-ups, and illegal surveillance. How devastating it is to realize that we have twice elected a man who places himself above both the rule of law and our Constitution. If he is not held accountable, what's to restrain the next president from taking on the mantel of the imperial presidency and believing that he or she is also above the law? Bettie J. Reina, Milmay - Daily Journal, February 9, 2007

Big brother

I'm beginning to worry about where America is headed. As an older citizen, I value my rights and freedom in this country, a democracy. My concern is that sometimes our government can look at our private mail without a warrant, listen in on our phone conversations, track us through the Internet, burst into my house any time, day or night, and not only give me a speeding ticket, but also search my vehicle. I have nothing to hide, but that is not the problem. My rights are being violated. Generally, all of the aforementioned is in the guise of Big Brother is protecting me. Not too many years ago, we thought a country such as the Soviet Union, with its KGB secret police, could do those things. We believed it was wrong because we didn't do it. We were the good guys and they were the bad guys. It seems to me if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. It's like a crack in the sidewalk, it only gets wider. As Alexis de Tocqueville said in Democracy in America, too much power can lead to tyranny. I wonder how much longer I can express my freedom of speech to the people before some parts of this right are taken away. Richard P. Stoetzer, Southampton - Courier Post, February 6, 2007

Student debt

On behalf of more than 7,000 students I represent at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, I would like to thank U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, D-Haddon Heights, for voting for H.R. 5, the College Student Relief Act of 2007. Deep student debt squeezes graduates out of public interest careers and deters those eligible for college from pursuing a degree. At Stockton, 64 percent of the student body carries loan debt. On average, it is $15,875, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. The House of Representatives passed an interest rate cut that will save students going to Stockton $2,330 starting in 2007 who take out loans and $4,510 for students in 2011 over the life of their loan. Andrews should be commended for voting to make college more affordable in Pomona and throughout the nation. Andrew Klimkowski, Student Trustee Board of Trustees, Richard Stockton College, Pomona - Courier Post, February 5, 2007

Cut war funding, bring the troops home

The president has urged Congress to give his new war strategy a chance. In terms of body bags, Mr. President, how do you define “chance”? Meanwhile, intimidated by “support the troops” rhetoric, disingenuous Democrats snipe at the president for political gain, while refusing to exercise their constitutional budgetary powers and responsibilities to end the debacle. The best support for our troops would be to get them out of that hellhole as soon as possible. Anti-war legislators with the courage of their convictions should limit funding to that amount necessary to effectuate a timely and orderly withdrawal. Richard Cooper, Ventnor - Atlantic City Press, February 4, 2007

Message sent

For the first time in my life, I doubt our country's wisdom in our commitment to our own nation's integrity and survival. We were bewildered and horrified by the horrendous events that have transpired in our once peaceful nation. We were shocked by 9/11. All of us remember those moments when we learned the terrible news and revenge seemed the natural recourse. America "responded" and we embarked on a mission to right a wrong. I will credit the capture of Saddam Hussein. But why remain in the Middle East attempting to get a foreign country "under control?" We sent a loud and clear message in the November elections about our stance on remaining in Iraq. Incredibly, President Bush has responded to our plea by sending more troops. Our resources are being squandered by a pathetic, self-serving government. One of those potential troops is our daughter, Kirsten Knapp, 19, who is proudly completing basic training, proudly serving the U.S. Army and proudly looking forward to serving our nation. Kirsten will be eligible for deployment this summer and that possibility naturally terrifies me. But it's particularly heart-wrenching because these missions aren't representative of our nation's choice and these actions are needlessly endangering our brave men and women. Jennifer Knapp, Magnolia - Courier Post, February 3, 2007

Money misspent

Once again President Bush is going before Congress to ask for $10.6 billion to rebuild Afghanistan and strengthen its government. Meanwhile, we are missing the picture at home and the struggles that Americans face every day. If Bush asked Congress to pass a bill for the same amount for our school system, we could send more than 100,000 worthy young adults to college for four years at $20,000 per year. Who would have the nerve to reject that bill? Social Security is failing. By the time I am old enough to retire, it could cease to exist. Our health-care system is in poor standing. There are so many pressing issues in our own country and we are in a budget deficit. I am asking Congress to do something good for our country for a change. Take this proposal and give the money back to our country. As much as it pains me to say this, America is failing. We are no longer leaders by example. We have become a vicious nation that, to the rest of the world, looks like a bully. Before looking outward to fix the world's problems, we need to fix what is wrong with ourselves and our country. Joseph Nelson, Mount Ephraim - Courier Post, February 3, 2007

Three words for President Bush:resign or impeach

I always thought the government was for the people and by the people. How can this be? Bush tells us it is his way or no way. We will stay the course and send 21,000 more troops to Iraq. Billions of more dollars will be sent to Iraq for a senseless war that, sorry to say, we are not winning. More than 3,000 men and women have been killed and 25,000 wounded. For what? No weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Saddam Hussein didn't have anything to do with 9/11 and the list goes on. When will we wise up and demand this man resign or be impeached? When President Clinton lied about his affair, we were ready to impeach him. Why? Because he lied. It was a lie that hurt him and his family, not us. Bush lies constantly to the American people and it's like no one cares. How many more men and women have to die or get wounded before we wake up to the fact that we do not belong in Iraq. All this war has done is cause the death of many, the wounding of many and the sending of billions of taxpayers' dollars to Iraq. How about helping the people here in the United States with billions of dollars? We had better do something soon or we'll be the poorest country in the world. God bless the men and women over in Iraq fighting a senseless war and God help them. It's time for Bush to go. June Shinn, Bellmawr - Courier Post, February 2, 2007

Let's get out of Iraq's civil war

In her Jan. 19 column regarding her recent trip to Iraq, Michelle Malkin wrote, “We are fighting a war of the fleas — not just Sunni terrorists and Shiite death squads, but multiple home-grown and foreign operators, street gangs, organized crime and freelance jihadis conducting ambushes, extrajudicial killings, sectarian attacks, vehicle bombings and sabotage against American coalition and Iraqi forces.” Isn't this is what is commonly described as a civil war? What further good can we accomplish there, save for more American GIs brought home in boxes? Haven't we accomplished all that we could by overthrowing Saddam Hussein and his bloody cohorts? What is next on our agenda, besides taking over their oilfields? Establish a democracy? It's never going to happen in that unstable part of the world. Didn't we learn our lesson in Vietnam? There are still grieving wives and parents lamenting that fiasco. Let's give serious thought to the new Congress' agenda and save face while we still can. Chick DeCicco, Hammonton - Atlantic City Press, Febrary 2, 2007

Resign

I am 85 years old and President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are the worst president and vice president in my lifetime. How can any American have respect for their morality and judgment about a unilateral Iraq war begun to win an election and to enrich Republican loyalists. The war has caused the death of more than 3,000 Americans and the wounding of more than 20,000. That is more than was lost on 9/11. Now, in spite of the opposition, they are going to throw another 21,000 into the Iraq meat grinder. This from two spineless leaders who did not serve one day in the active military. This is an enlargement of "the stay the course" philosophy to cover up the fraud, waste and mismanagement of Bush's Iraq blunder. The best thing Bush and Cheney could do for the country is resign. Walter Gollub, Voorhees - Courier Post, February 1, 2007