Letters to the Editor - Kane and McHenry Counties

Best support for troops a ticket home

The recent long fight between Congress and the president over the supplemental appropriation for the war in Iraq for 2007 is barely over.

But already a new battle is about to begin over a brand new supplemental appropriation for the war.

The president has requested yet another $145 billion for the year ending in September 2008.

The Democrats in Congress began the last fight with strong rhetoric about standing up to the president. In the end they surrendered even their timelines for withdrawal.

The Democrats caved in because the administration and the mainstream media accused them of betraying the troops by denying them the basic necessities for survival in the field.

But the accusation is bogus. There was and is plenty of money in the Pentagon pipeline to sustain the troops and to carry out an orderly withdrawal.

We can expect the debate over the new supplemental appropriation to be carried out in the public discourse in the same distorted terms.

But of the request for 2008, $36 billion is for procurement of weapons, most of which won't be delivered to the field for 18 months to three years.

There is no way to construe this as necessary for the day-to-day survival of the troops. Even the procurement for ammunition, if it were to be approved, would pay for items which would not be delivered to Iraq until September 2008.

Another $46.2 billion is requested for operations and maintenance.

This large category includes weapons repair and other logistical items which would indeed be necessary for our troops if they were going to stay in combat in Iraq for an indefinite future.

But if they were brought back to their bases and withdrawn from Iraq in a timely fashion, most of this money would not be needed.

We fear that a substantial percentage of the funds, if they are appropriated, would end up in the pockets of defense contractors who have already made fantastic profits from this war.

These companies not only profit from war, they also lobbied for the Iraq war and are now lobbying for future wars. Such war profiteering would have been considered treason during World War II.

We call upon members of Congress of both parties to say "no" to the 2008 appropriation for the war in Iraq.

We call upon them to challenge the phony arguments put forth by war supporters and the media about how this money is needed to "support the troops."

Let us support the troops by bringing them home now.

Mary Shesgreen

Elgin

For Fox Valley Citizens

for Peace & Justice

Small progress on illegal immigration

Illinois is beginning to make progress in the effort to end the flood of illegal immigrants who are invading our communities.

Towns like Waukegan, Carpentersville and Hampshire are no longer allowing themselves to be intimidated by immigrants who have broken into our country and are demanding rights to which they are not entitled.

But we have a long way to go. Waukegan has made a good start by putting in place the measures necessary to deport violent criminals.

They should be held up as an example to other towns and cities across America.

However, until we become unafraid to deport anyone who is here illegally, we will continue to surrender our sovereignty.

Sherman Reinhardt

Elgin