Letter To President Bush

This is a letter I recently sent to President Bush, the Vice President, the Republican and Democratic national party groups, and my Texas senator and representative regarding the Iraq situation.

I voted pretty much Democrat for the first time in my life yesterday. It doesn't look like the Democrats have any better of a plan than the Republicans other than taking advantage of the situation for their own political gain, but at least the possibility of a Democratically-controlled Congress may throw a wrench in the works.

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President Bush,

This letter is to address concerns with the state of our nation, and our relationship with the rest of the world. I come in the Spirit of Love, and I also come in the Spirit of Truth.

I and many others are concerned about what is going on. I pray for the world and I pray for our leaders and I pray for you everyday. We have hard truths in America that we need to acknowledge, face and correct. It is time to get out of Iraq. All the bloodshed that is going on in Iraq is not worth any benefit that the world may get out of our continued occupation there. In fact, it is inciting more anger and hate towards the US in a new generation of Iraqi and other Middle Eastern people with increased anti-US sentiments.

Even the Iraqi leader wants America out of there. He is recognizing the current cause for violence in Iraq. It was never about the US winning, it was about Sadaam Hussein being ousted out of power. He's obviously out of power now. Often we here that now that we've started it, we can't get out of it. They said the same thing in Vietnam, but, we did leave, and they are doing fine.

It's more than about the US merely saving face. It's about saving lives. It's about avoiding future conflict and avoiding future terrorists bred in Iraq. For all the anger that has been fostered it may be too late for that. It's just the right thing to do, it's time to go home.

It's about the US paying reparations to Iraq. Not through American companies or American people. It's about rebuilding Iraq in a non-militaristic way. War does not rebuild.

I don't know about your intentions about continued conflict in Iraq, the Middle East or elsewhere. The very fact Vice President Rumsfield states that it doesn't matter what public opinion is on the war, that the US is going to uphold current direction, "full speed ahead".
But the president or party that I'm going to vote in the next election is going to promise these simple things. I don't care what else.

*Complete military from withdrawal from Iraq.

*Reparations made-simply sending aid, but no assistance from American people. This will empower the Iraqi people to do it themselves.

*A frank and honest look at the state of the American economy and a willingness on the part of everyone to have the courage to do what we have to do.

*A change in the vision of America-backing away from being a 'policeman to the world' to the leader in steps towards a peaceful world. This would be done by assisting poorer countries in helping them to be able offer a way of life and opportunities to them that we in America have. What is prosperity if we can't help anyone else get there, too? Doing this will eradicate the terrorism and hatred toward America.
*A reigning in of the power and the secrecy of the military industry. Which includes-stopping the practice of using new technologies solely for defense and instead, using them in ways that would benefit our society and our world.

There is nothing else that needs to be accomplished in American society but these things. These will set us on a new vision away from the warring vision that our legacy is based on. This will take a long time to correct. Any step towards this end will be a marked improvement over the steps that are being taken now.

I know that you probably get lots of negative mail about this situation. I disagree with those that believe in a protest of hate towards the administration. In global relations and in societies, hate does not eradicate hate. For future generations, please change course in Iraq.

Thanks,
Brian Hamby