vision2020
RE: Iraq and energy
Greetings 
Visionaires -
 
In March of 1991, 
didn't President Bush (Sr.) say that the Persian Gulf War was going to be purely 
a military action run by generals?  Then a few weeks later tell General 
Schwartzkopf not to advance on Baghdad?
 
Had President 
Bush lived up to his word in 1991, we would not have this 
problem.
 
Just counting my 
blessings that George's brother Jeb (Governor of Florida) isn't intrerested in 
the presidency,
 
Tom 
Hansen
Moscow, 
Idaho
  Visionaries:
... It occurs to me, albeit 
  sneakily, that if we DO invade and occupy Iraq, and then, as several 
  Republican point men on the Sunday talkies suggested, militarily occupy it for 
  a very long time in order to "build democracy", we will in effect then own a 
  piece of the Persian Gulf "oil patch", and be in a position to pump millions 
  of gallons of cheap crude into tankers on a regular basis and send them 
  sailing off to the U S o A.
This entire eminent iteration of gunboat 
  diplomacy may be a deep Republican plot to continue America's dependence on 
  big pickup trucks and "soccer mom" SUV's. Not to mention thumbing our noses at 
  the Saudis, who will then not have such a sweet lock on the oil barrel padlock 
  via OPEC.
Regards,
Don Kaag
On Tuesday, Oct 8, 2002, at 
  13:30 US/Pacific, Charles Fulford wrote:
  Members,
I sent an 
    email of concern to the senators and our representative considering/smaller>/fontfamily>
war 
    in Iraq and asking to consider an energy plan that would cut our dependence/smaller>/fontfamily>
on 
    foreign oil to alleviate our problems in the region. It seems the decision 
    is made and final./smaller>/fontfamily>
Taze 
    Fulford
 
October 8, 
    2002
Charles Taze Fulford
407 North Jefferson St. Apt 4
Moscow, 
    ID  83843
Dear Charles,
Thank you for contacting me with 
    your concerns about Iraq. I appreciate
hearing from you and having the 
    benefit of your views.
As you know, the President recently sent a 
    draft resolution to Congress
authorizing whatever force is necessary to 
    enforce existing United Nations
(UN) resolutions on Iraq. This is in 
    response to repeated violations over
the past 11 years of resolutions 
    dealing with Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction program, respect for the 
    cease-fire agreement, treatment of
the Kurdish minority, and the 
    international weapons embargo. Iraq's
intransigence on all of these 
    issues, combined with its existing ballistic
missiles and known chemical 
    and biological weapons programs, make it a
constant danger to its 
    neighbors in the Middle East and a natural ally of
all states and groups 
    who seek to harm the United States. Even more
dangerously, Iraq has shown 
    that it is committed to acquiring nuclear
weapons and, given enough time, 
    will almost certainly do so.
Authorizing the use of force is one of 
    the most important decisions a
Member of Congress can make. I have talked 
    to hundreds of Idahoans, and
received comments from hundreds more, with 
    their views. I have also
listened carefully to briefings by senior 
    military and intelligence
officials and heard the President's speeches 
    laying out the case for
action.
After carefully looking at the 
    evidence, talking to my fellow Idahoans,
and giving it much thought, it 
    has become clear that the threat of an Iraq
armed with weapons of mass 
    destruction, allied with terrorists, and
hostile to the United States 
    must be dealt with swiftly. The United
States, hopefully in partnership 
    with the rest of the world, but if not
then with close allies such as the 
    United Kingdom and others, should take
steps to end the threat posed by 
    Saddam Hussein and his regime. While I am
hopeful that this can be 
    accomplished without war, it may prove to be a
necessity.
I 
    understand those who remain concerned. We have to balance the 
    somber
decision of sending our young men and women into harm's way 
    against what
may be imminent danger to us all. In my view, we no longer 
    have a choice.
I will vote to authorize the use of force against Iraq to 
    prevent it from
ever threatening the peace of the rest of the world 
    again.
Thank you once again for contacting me.
As always, "Idaho - 
    Esto Perpetua"
?
C.L."Butch" Otter
Member of 
    Congress
CLO/mmj
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