Keith Ellison: This vote is only one more step toward peace

As Congress confronts President Bush over the war in Iraq, citizens must demand that
he sign this bill.

Keith Ellison

http://www.startribune.com/562/story/1080860.html

WASHINGTON - The people of Fifth District sent me to Washington to end the war in
Iraq and bring the troops home. On Friday, I voted to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq
by voting to prohibit the building of permanent U.S. bases and setting timetables for
the withdrawal of our troops. I voted to oppose the president's policy of war without
end.
Residents of the Fifth District made the war the most important issue in the November
election. For the first time since the war began in 2003, the war has an end date and
Congress is confronting the president. This Congress has held over 90 oversight
hearings on Iraq; the previous Congress held none. Folks who phoned and wrote their
legislators, attended vigils, marched and prayed for peace made this possible.

I originally envisioned cutting the purse strings as the only way to end the war. I
said I would vote against the supplemental spending bill in order to end this war as
soon as possible. But it became clear that a "no" vote on this appropriation bill
would be a vote to continue the war indefinitely. I could not do that.

Now, we must keep up the pressure to turn our country away from arrogance and death
toward promise and life. This vote is only one more step toward peace. We have a lot
of work to do to make this step meaningful. President Bush intends to veto this bill.
His veto will be an admission that he plans to establish permanent military bases in
Iraq and continue the war without end. By his veto, Bush will prove that he has no
intention of letting the Iraqi people run their own country and has no intention of
honoring the lives and service of the sons and daughters, wives and husbands, mothers
and fathers who are fighting his war. His veto will mean that the deaths, American
and Iraqi, mean little to him.

Every citizen needs to know that this bill provides critical funding to stop the
sinful neglect of our wounded soldiers and provide them with first-class treatment
and support. The bill also requires the administration to provide our troops in the
field with the equipment they need. We must make the Bush administration accountable
for the well-being of our troops.

When the president calls for a "clean" appropriations bill, he is asking for a blank
check to continue current policy. I will absolutely oppose any "clean" appropriation
bill.

We must all demand that Bush sign this bill and change the foreign policy of this
country from one of empire-building to one of engagement, cooperation and peace. A
presidential signature would put our nation's safety above corporate interests, mend
the broken promises to our troops and confirm that their health and safety is more
important than tax cuts for the rich.

There is still much to do. People working for peace have led us this far. Some of us
disagreed on strategy this time, but I assure you I have not wavered from doing all I
can to stop this war. Together, we must carry the soldiers and their families at the
top of our attention at all times and demand the same from our leaders.

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.