Democrats

Senator Carl Levin Responds To Voteswagon About War Issue

December 18, 2005 ⋅  E-Mail Article ⋅  Print Article ⋅ Post a comment

I recently contacted Senator Carl Levin, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, about the War in Iraq. I will share with you the response I have received.

Response from Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich):

Thank you for contacting me regarding the United States involvement in Iraq.

I am grateful to all of our men and women who were sent into harms way for their bravery and sacrifice. Along with the rest of the country, I mourn for those whose lives have been lost and pray for those who have been wounded and injured.

I have had serious disagreements with the Bush administration regarding the war in Iraq from the very beginning. In response to the administrations unilateral foreign policy approach leading up to the Iraq war, I voted against the resolution that authorized the President to take us to war without the support, through the United Nations, of the international community. Instead, I offered an alternative resolution, which was not adopted, that would have authorized the President to conduct military operations to overthrow Saddam Hussein as part of a multinational coalition authorized by the United Nations. I also strongly disagreed with the administrations decision to disband the Iraqi army. Additionally, I continue to be concerned about the Pentagons lack of planning for the problems we have encountered in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime.

The members of our Armed Services and the American people deserve an objective assessment of the situation in Iraq and a clear outline of our next steps. Unfortunately, they are not receiving either from the Bush administration. I believe it is important that the U.S. make it clear to the Iraqis that if they are unable to come together politically and make the required compromises on their constitution, we must reconsider our presence in Iraq and that all options will be on the table, including withdrawal. We must demonstrate to the Iraqis that our willingness to bear the burden of providing security has limits.

I also believe we need a detailed road map for drawing down U.S. forces in Iraq. Such a plan would provide reassurance to the American public, which is expressing growing concern over simply being told we need to stay the course and to the Iraqi public, which needs to see that U.S. forces will not be in their country indefinitely.

On October 21, 2005, I spoke before the Council on Foreign Relations as part of their series Iraq: The Way Forward. The full text of my remarks can be found on my website at

http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=247535

Thank you again for contacting me on this very important matter.

Sincerely,

Carl Levin

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