Posted on 01/31/2007 1:39:09 PM PST by PhiKapMom
First Senator Inhofe and now Senator Coburn have answered my email to them asking for their support of the troop increase and to stand tall against the DemocRATs. I posted Senator Inhofe's email earlier in the week and now you have Dr. Coburn's!
Last night, Hugh Hewitt had a caller from Portland, OR saying he'd written to Gordon Smith twice....no replies.
Thanks for writing, and sharing.
Great job!
Coburn for Prez!
Good for you! (You lucky dog, having TWO great conservatives representing your state! I am VERY impressed with Inhofe's resistance to the religion of global warming and Boxer's hilarious attempts at a "hearing".)
You certainly are two for two in your state. We used to be also, but no longer, and now I see that dumpy Claire McCaskill padding around the well of the senate looking like she should be an inmate in one of her husband's nursing homes.
Thank you for contacting me concerning Operation Iraqi Freedom.
I understand the public anxiety over the war, and I share many of the frustrations with the pace of progress in Iraq . While we continue to have success militarily, our overall strategy to defuse the sectarian violence and improve the political process is insufficient. It is clear that we must chart a new, specific path in Iraq . We should hold Iraqi political leaders accountable for meeting specific benchmarks for success. We must put more pressure on the Iraqis to defend their own country, to move our troops away from the front lines, and ultimately return home.
In December of 2006, I traveled to Iraq for a second time, and met with Minnesota soldiers, military commanders, and Iraqi leaders to get a candid, firsthand assessment of the situation on the ground. During my meetings, I emphasized the need for Iraqis to move quickly to solve the sectarian violence. Our investment in Iraq cannot be open-ended. The Iraqi police and Army need to assume more responsibility for security throughout the country and especially in Baghdad . Iraq 's political leaders also need to provide a political environment that will foster greater opportunity for reconciliation between its sectarian factions.
Concerning the level of U.S. troops in Iraq , I do not believe politicians should set troop levels. Troop levels should be set by our military leaders including our commanders on the ground. At this time, I would not support any kind of significant increase in troops in Baghdad . Given the sectarian strife and delays in the Iraqi political process, I think a troop surge would only create more targets and place more American troops in the crosshairs of Iraqi sectarian battles. Some military commanders have suggested a surge could be worthwhile in areas outside Baghdad , such as in Fallujah , and I am willing to take a look at that proposal.
At the same time, I think our country's military forces are stretched too thin and I do support an increase in the size of our overall military. America 's all-volunteer military is the best in the world and I will remain committed to lessening the burden for our service people, particularly the Guard and reserve, as they do their work in Iraq .
However, there is no doubt in my mind that the safety of Americans from terror is tied to what happens in Iraq. Leaders of al Qaeda have made very clear that Iraq is central to their efforts to destabilize America and the world. Osama bin Laden himself has said that "the most serious issue today for the whole world is this Third World War that is raging in Iraq." Bin Laden has called Baghdad the capital of a new radical Islamic Caliphate he would like to create, stretching from Spain to Indonesia . On September 11, we learned the consequences of ignoring dangerous developments in the Middle East . It is for this reason that we cannot afford to abandon our efforts in Iraq .
My time in Iraq gave me another opportunity to reflect upon the tremendous courage, skill, commitment and patriotism of our soldiers. These are extraordinary citizens that have a great sense of confidence in what they're doing, a willingness to sacrifice -and sacrifice they have. Minnesota and America have much to be proud of, and I was truly humbled by the things I heard and witnessed from our soldiers in Iraq .
Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me. I value your advice. If I may be of further assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate
Tom Coburn is absolutely my favorite Senator. You Sooners are lucky.
Missouri Bump!
Yea Oklahomans. Pity Nebraskans.
You are so fortunate to have Senators who stand tall. My senator, Maria Cantwell replied to my email, which chastised her for demanding diplomacy, by stating that she will not back down from demanding lowering of troop strength and increased talking. Her and Feingold make a good (ugly) team.
Thank God
Wish we had more Senators like the two Oklahoma Senators in the Senate that would stand up and be counted. These two Senators always reply. Also received a snail mail reply from my Congressman Tom Cole who echoed our two Senataors.
That is because Dr. Tom Coburn is a grassroots Senator not a politician -- we worked hours and hours, walked door after door in Oklahoma, and made call after call all across the State.
Coburn Grassroots movement sprang to life the night of his announcement and we never stopped until election night when he clobbered Carson. Never been prouder to be an Oklahoman that night when they declared Oklahoma for Dr. Tom Coburn. With Dr. Tom, what you see is what you get!
Two years ago at the State Convention, Sen Inhofe passed out literature that showed the junk science of global warming! I love to hear him speak about Boxer and Clinton -- not exactly complimentary! :)
What a contrast to what Senator Inhofe wrote earlier this week and now Dr. Coburn. I told both of them I Thank God they are my Senators.
yeah... I was just thinking..... embarrassed to report what the NE RINO might say. When I called his office last summer to convey my feelings (and those of about 90% of Nebraskans) about illegal immigration, I got a letter a few days later saying that the majority of his constituency favors a process to allow illegals to stay and work in the U.S. ..... I think we all know what he has to say about the war. It makes me ashamed to think I voted for him... and sad at the lack of support from Hagel as my son is about to leave for his 2nd Iraq tour with the USMC.
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