Correspondance with my Senator.

[FlashBack]

This is a copy of an e-mail I just got back from my Senator concerning my thoughts on an investigation of pre-war intelligence and my response follows:

Dear Gene:

Thank you for contacting me. I am always glad to hear from you.

I appreciate knowing your views regarding the need for an independent investigation into America's pre-war intelligence in Iraq. I believe that an investigation is needed, particularly into the pre-war threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. If the President relied on faulty intelligence, or misled the American people about a weapons threat that did not exist, the truth must come to light.

I said before war broke out that I did not believe the President had made a sufficient case for war. I believed that the Administration had not given U.N. weapons inspectors the support or time they needed to do their job. I also expressed doubts about the Administration's claims regarding Iraq's nuclear weapons program and Saddam Hussein's alleged ties to al-Qaeda.

For these reasons, I was pleased at first to hear that President Bush would seek an independent investigation into pre-war intelligence. It was my hope that the investigation would be conducted in a nonpartisan and transparent manner. However, the President's and picked appointments to investigate his own administration create the appearance of a cozy inside job. This process should be above politics, but what is at stake is a crucial question about the leadership and judgment of the current Administration. Americans, including those serving in Iraq and their families, want us to unearth the truth, not bury it.

Again, thanks for e-mailing your views to me. Please don't hesitate to let me know how you feel on any issue that concerns you.

Sincerely,

Tom Harkin United States Senator

And My Response:

Senator Harkin,

My previous contact with you regarding the need for an independant investigation into pre-war intelligence was to make sure that you know that we want the investigation to include the info that the previous administration had access to as well. It seems to me that the same argument has been made for years, not just the last two years. Your statements in the e-mail I recieved lead me to believe that the investigation you would want would not go back far enough to get to the root of the problem. I believe that the reasons for going to war were just and after years of inspections that were being comprimised, resolutions that were being ignored, and continued work on weapon systems that would literally end the world as we know it...it was time to put an end to it before it was too late. One example of an Iraq - AlQaeda tie would be a man know as Ramsi Youseff, would it not? Terror traing at Salmon-Pak? Iraqi intelligence meeting with associates of UBL?

I too was hoping that the independent investigation would have been bi-partisan but it didn't seem to take long for it to turn political such as the recent Judiciary and Intelligence Committees have...a very sorry and disturbing turn of events.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone knows that Saddam had chemical weapons...there is no denying that...what no one knows is where are they now, the fact that we haven't found them should raise questions...just not the type of questions that are being raised though.

I support President Bush in this struggle and I support our troops who are out fighting to maintain the way of life that we all get to enjoy.

Gene

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks for the post. I wish everyone with a Democrat Senator would do the same.

[Support Free Republic]

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[FlashBack]

I hope it does some good, it seems as though he missed the point entirely on my first correspondance on this matter, so sent off a reply to his reply to help clarify the matter.
If this doesn't get the point across I'll have to use my usually more "direct" approach... ;)

[Blue Collar Christian]

Every time I e-mail or write to a senator or congressman, they answer back the same way, as though my message was not the one they recieved. Then they blab about their position on the topic, of which I am already sickly aware of. The problem is that these people only represent the right people at the right time to get votes and media attention.

I don't believe they even read(or have someone else read)enough of the letter to know what was said, just that they got mail.

[Dan from Michigan]

At least you got a response. The one time I got anything back from Lenin was when I agreed with him(and he later sold out on it - MFN for China). Stabmenow is only slightly better on responses(twice), but she flat out lied to me on one of them.

[Ben Hecks]

bookmark bump

[FlashBack]

Exactly!
They go on and on with their TalkingPoints not really addressing the question...but since my 'education' has begun here with the Freepers I've "seen the light" about how John Q. Public's questions get answered by those who think they know whats best for us.

[MEG33]

Harkin is a snake and a liberal partisan hack.His agenda is to play gotcha,not to seek to improve how we conduct intelligence or make us safer from terror.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

DDemocrats now days are Democrats first and Americans second. The only thing they believe in is that Democrats occupying the levers of power is more important than any other consideration.

[texasbluebell]

The same can be said for the man just to the left of Harkin:

[solo gringo]

People like harkin,kerry kennedy clinton leahely and a few others can capture our country and turn it over to the socialist/communist way of life the better for them.IMHO

[wjcsux]

I wish everyone with a Democrat Senator would do the same.
I agree. I haven't contacted Jeff Bingaman yet. It is tough holding ones nose long enough to write a letter to a RAT politician.

[SpinyNorman]

My senators are the Great Bloviator, Kennedy, and the self proclaimed "Great American Hero" and flipflopper, Kerry.

I would waste neither the time nor the paper.........

[Ben Hecks]

I recommend reading "Stolen Valor" by B. G. Burkett. During one of his political campaigns, Sen. Harkin apparently made the claim that he flew combat missions in Vietnam.....a story that was later proven to be false. The story is on page 182.

[Lando Lincoln]

My most recent correspondence was to Senator Durbin of Illinois regarding the filibustering of judicial nominees. No reply, no response. Nothing.

Lando

[FlashBack]

Yes, 'Stolen Valor' is near the top of my "To Get" list.
I have been doing alot of reading lately and I'm still a 'few' behind right now (currently reading Bush Country...How Dubya Drives'em Crazy)...
I started, but never finished, a book title "Kiss The Boys GoodBye" about the Pow/Mia's...I'll have to get it back out.

The responses that I've gotten back from my Senators and Representative (D's) usually have a "foggy" answer that usually does not address the question that was posed, but I see alot of that on Hannity & Colmes too ;) So I guess it's just the political way of answering...by NOT answering!

What I'd have to say disappoints me more is the lack of response from Senator Grassley...one who is supposed to be on the "same side". His lack of response leaves me wondering?????