Kirk's disturbing silence on Iraq War

I have begun to discern a pattern to Mark Kirk's silence on the greatest issue of the past few years: to be or not to be in Iraq.

In my district over the past year, I've been allotted two public forums by Mr. Kirk (both on the same day, March 10, in the village of Wilmette). But 1) Iraq was not debated unless a constituent forced the subject on Mr. Kirk by him- or herself. If I rack my brains, 2) I don't believe I've been notified of forums in any other village, nor of any districtwide forum. 3) I don't recall any public forum, anywhere, ever scheduled by Mr. Kirk primarily on the subject of Iraq.

Take a look at the issue of Mark Kirk's June 2007 "10th District News." Mr. Kirk describes three town meetings. Since I live in Wilmette, I was notified of Wilmette's March 10 forums. However, I was not notified of Mount Prospect's or Lake Forest's meetings.

I was conveniently denied a chance to express my views concerning Iraq to a larger district audience.

However, the Iraq Summer Campaign is coming to the rescue. It's bringing constituents together in a large public forum today (Aug. 28) at 7 p.m. A districtwide meeting on Iraq will be held at the Renaissance Hotel, 933 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook.

It will be moderated by Aaron Freeman, long-time Chicago-based political activist and commentator on National Public Radio. Kirk, whose home base is Northbrook, has been invited to attend.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, 9th District, also is coming. She'll report on her August 2007 trip to Iraq. She'll give an update on the current status of our troops and the Iraq war.

Mr. Kirk's presence is especially critical since he is one of the "secret 11" Republican Congressmen who went to President Bush in the spring of 2007 to warn about the perils of supporting the Iraq war.

As for today's forum, and for our affairs of state: let us speak.

Let the ghost of Mark Kirk hear.

Paul Wolf

Wilmette