Congressman McNerney's statement on Iraq War bills

Congressman Jerry McNerney has released the following statement regarding his congressional votes Thursday on two bills addressing the war in Iraq (Rep. Jim McGovern's bill and the Iraq supplemental funding bill):

I want an end to the war in Iraq. But ending the war must be done in the most responsible way.

Today, I followed my conscience, after evaluating what I considered to be the most effective method of bringing America's involvement in this conflict to an end. That is why I voted for the supplemental bill and against the McGovern bill.

I am reminded every day of the terrible cost of this conflict.  In fact, on Tuesday, I received notice that a Marine from Manteca was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Our brave men and women in uniform serving in Iraq are caught in the middle of a religious civil war.

Hundreds of billions of dollars have already been spent.

We have been fighting in Iraq longer than it took us to win the Second World War.

I feel strongly that ending the war must be done in a way that respects our soldiers, honors our veterans, provides the best chance to reduce the violence in Iraq, and prevents the violence from spreading to neighboring countries.

That's why tonight I voted again - for the third time - for the supplemental plan, which I believe is the most responsible course to take. It's the only way to ensure that Iraqis begin to take responsibility for Iraq.

The supplemental plan I voted for provides the framework to end this conflict by bringing about a diplomatic solution, which experts from across the political spectrum recognize is the only way to end the war responsibly.

I could not, in good conscience, vote for legislation like the McGovern bill that included neither specific provisions to bring about a diplomatic solution nor funding for the needs of this newly created generation of veterans.  The supplemental does both.

We have to be tough but smart to bring about a responsible close to the war in Iraq. Continuing the war any longer than necessary would be unconscionable.

This was a vote of principle and one I stand behind.

Comments

[William Spier]

Dear congressman,

You say in you explanation for voting against the McGovern Bill "The supplemental plan I voted for provides the framework to end this conflict by bringing about a diplomatic solution..." What you fail to say is what is a diplomatic solution in Iraq; who are the players who can realistically broker a solution in a matter of months,not years; and how long a broken military force can hunker down while the likes of Saudi Sunnis, Syrian Bathists, a not very unified Iranian government, and the Turks jockey for maximum influence? Then throw in British and American Oil interests who will make it very difficult for the U.S. to come clean at the table. Are you going to make sure that we do not keep troops in Iraq to protect their interests? Where do you stand on this?

"I feel strongly that ending the war must be done in a way that respects our soldiers..." This feckless statement sounds like Republican soundbite. Respecting our soldiers is something you and others profess;but the endgame is near and this word "respect" is like puring molten iron on a wound.

Finally, I would think that saying,"Our brave men and women in uniform serving in Iraq are caught in the middle of a religious civil war."--is a simplistic analysis of what has transpired in Iraq over the last five years. You owe your constituents a more layered analysis that includes discussions of class issues, Sunni and Shia gangs, and national infrastructure
ruination.

I am disappointed..
Dr. William Spier
New York City

[Lee Pettenger]

Dear Congressman,

I'm disappointed in you vote against the McGovern Bill and your Republican taking points about the war. Jerry, I worked hard to get you elected, money, time etc. I feel you let us down!

[CDHowells]

Thank you for explaining to us your reasons for the nay vote on the McGovern bill. However, I am deeply disappointed.

[Dave]

I agree with your explanation. We cannot leave behind a failed state such as occurred in Afghanistan after the Soviets left.
We should never have started this war in the first place but the danger of another terrorist state a la Afghanistan circa 2000 or a Rwandan / Cambodian genocide is too great.

[Paula Dodd Aiello]

Jerry - I'm disappointed in your vote because I strongly believe the only real way to support our troops is to bring them home NOW and get them out of harm's way. I still support you, but I am sad that you are following this line of argument. We need to stand firm AGAINST THIS "WAR".

[Donna Norton]

I, too, worked very hard to get you elected and am extremely shocked and disappointed in your vote on these bills. I have both a daughter and son-in-law in the military, which makes me even more disheartened by you vote.

The most important point right now is to change the direction of this bloody and utterly senseless occupation. Once the DIRECTION is changed (which would have been accomplished by McGovern's bill), then all efforts could have been focused on providing the details (HR 508 provides excellent details to do just that). By voting against these measures, you have done nothing to work toward the end of refocusing those efforts. THIS IS A NECESSITY WE MUST FACE.

Your explanation is simply not sufficient. You say:

I feel strongly that ending the war must be done in a way that respects our soldiers, honors our veterans, provides the best chance to reduce the violence in Iraq, and prevents the violence from spreading to neighboring countries.

Your vote has accomplished none of these things. Please explain how ANY of these objects are accomplished by continuing this occupation through a pattern of surges to put out brush fires that merely re-ignite once we move our troops to a new hot spot. We are NOT gaining the support of the Iraqis. We have established a government of OUR choosing (a la Bremer). We have unleashed private contractors (Blackwater, CACI, Titan, etc.) who have abused and offended Iraqis in our name and are allowed to operate outside the law and with little, if any, oversight. And how are our current actions preventing violence from spreading to other countries? WE ARE OCCUPIERS and we are demanding that Iraq conform to our dictates in respect to their culture, economy, politics, and of course CONTROL OF THEIR RESOURCES. There is no basis for our right to do this. We have no right to force our military to maintain this unjustified occupation.

I am simply at a loss as to how you've arrived at your reasoning and I'm far more than just disappointed.

[Vincent Casalaina]

I worked hard for your election. I heard you say with no equivocation that we must end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home.

after reading your statement, I still don't understand why you could not have supported both bills, as neither is likely to actually become law. your vote against the McGovern bill is seen as a vote to extend the war when the pundits look at the numbers and build the case for "there is still a large majority of Representatives who support the President".

the war was not the only reason I worked so hard for your election, but it is a defining issue for our times. I urge you not to vote for a compromise bill that will fund the war without setting firm guidelines on our withdrawing combat forces from Iraq.

[Laura Deal]

I don't know what the right way to get out of Iraq is. I don't think anyone can know for sure. I'm not even sure there is a "right" way at this point. Sometimes things are so messed up, the best you can hope for is the way that is least wrong.

I don't know if Jerry voted the right or wrong way on these two bills. I don't think Jerry or anyone else can know for sure.

I do know that Jerry put a lot of thought into it and did what he thought was right. That is way I supported him in the last election and that's why I will support him in the next.

[Richard Linville]

Kyle Crowley was killed in Iraq three years ago. He would be one of your constituents if he were alive today. He was a classmate of my son. Kyle joined the Marines. My son will graduate from college next week. Since Kyle’s death there have been tens of thousands of U.S. causalities and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed. Kyle’s memory and the thousands of others killed and militated are not honored by your actions. There is no honor in Iraq, only bloody streets, bombed housed, and graves. You told us that for you it (the war) was personal. Well it’s personal for all of us. How can you vote to extend this national nightmare for one more minute? Why aren’t you pounding on the door of the oval office screaming for an end to this horror? That’s why you and the Democratic majority are in Washington.

[Josephine Perry]

You have made a terrible error in tactical judgment. You were voted in to listen to and obey the WILL of your constituents who overwhelmingly want an immediate pullout from Iraq. This is not about YOUR OWN personal decision, thoughts, ideas. It is about doing what the citizens of your District want. Listen to them and do as they wish. Professor Joanna Perry-Folino, Los Medanos College

[Robert Becker]

copy of my letter to the SF Chroncle:

Do Congressman McNerney supporters forget so fast the extremist loudmouth he deposed? As McNerney doesn't always toe House Speaker Pelosi's line, neither should those who helped defeat Richard Pombo get riled up over one tactical vote against George Bush's War. I disagree with McNerney here, but is there any question he steadfastly rejects more war in Iraq, seeks prudent withdrawal, and sticks to his declared principles?

I hope East Bay voters didn't dump a rightwing ideologue in hopes of getting a leftwing partisan -- or anyone's pawn. This distant McNerney fan is delighted with the Congressman's overall performance and his success across a District that remains a fierce battleground. A trained scientist turned savvy fundraiser and politician, McNerney "the rookie" is remarkably unchanged since he campaigned on old-fashioned American values like knowledge, planning, and accountability!

For me, this first termer is already a winner, making him a model for other benighted Districts still held captive by Bush zealots.

[Carolyn Curtis]

We will not always get the votes we want--from any representative. If you want a representative to vote your way 100% of the time you have to run yourself--and I would not wish running for office on anyone; it is an horrible sacrifice (the strain on families alone) that throws my worker-bee stuff into perspective as tiny. (Even more fun when your erstwhile friends start tearing you up.)

When Zoe Lofgren supported & raised big bucks for Filson I was very disappointed (to use a favorite word here), but I did not cast her into outer darkness. Her support of Howard Dean when it made the most difference outweighs just about anything, plus her many good votes, year after year, plus dealing with the grinding Republican tyranny in the House for 12 years. It's important to take the long view with these human beings who represent us. Another congr. rep, who I enthusiastically worked against in 2 primaries, has proved to be a fine representative; I call & write only to thank her for her excellent votes--in 14 years, all but one.

Voting your conscience, rather than the way constituents & supporters (who are not always constituents) presumably want (did anyone take a poll on this specific bill BTW?), can be leadership; it happens maybe not frequently enough & the person who does it always catches hell. Nor do I doubt for an instant that Jerry wants us out of Iraq, as he did long before he started attending funerals in the district, & it's distressing that some writers are so eager to attribute the worst motives to him.

If Jerry felt this bill was flawed, by his lights, I accept that, even tho the rest of the Bay Area delegation voted differently. We put him there to use his judgment. We knew we were working our hineys off for an honest, thoughtful man. I don't regret one second or one penny.

[Asilomar]

Agreed. This was not a sell-out vote, it was a thoughtful vote.

McNerney is the man we helped elect. Nothing's changed. If anything, he is stronger, knowing that he can vote against what he sees is a fundamentally "flawed" bill. Rather, he voted for the stronger of the two bills.

This was a test for us, too. Can we watch the political process, and *see* the real man in action? or will we blast off radioactive emails that are poorly informed?

When I read the Tracy Press article on Jerry's position on this vote, I was completely reassured. The citizen I worked for on the campaign (full disclosure here), is the Congressman who cast that vote.

I always told people that Jerry is a "still-waters-run-deep-kind-of-guy."

Now I can tell them that he has passed a first important test, and passed it with flying colors.

His opposition to the war in Iraq is a strong as ever.

We need not doubt this, or doubt him.

[Swanee A. Edwards]

Jerry,

I have waited a long week to respond to those that are "disappointed" about your vote against a bill that was nothing more that a defiant statement to the President. The Bill had no provisions for our Veterans when they return home nor did it include any diplomatic provisions for the people of Iraq, including taking responsibility for their own government.

This is really not about your vote or that doomed bill. My letter to you tonight is about trust and your commitment to those who voted for you.

I trust you and knew there was an awfully GOOD reason that you voted the way you did. I have really listened to you when you have spoken and I know that this was a difficult but necessary vote.

Jerry, I will continue to trust you and believe in your well thought out decisions because I know they are not made lightly. I know the hours of agonizing and courage that it took to get you to vote the way that you did. After reading your statements to the press I knew I was right to trust you.

Jerry, there are thousands of us in the South Bay! We are going to continue the good fight and so are you! You do not need us to "defend" your vote; it only takes a moment to read and understand your statements about it to realize that you made the correct decision.

I am SO proud of you! I will work even harder to get you re-elected! All of us in Santa Clara County want you to know that you ARE our hero and that you showed incredible courage and backbone last week. We will be standing with you all of the way.

While my writing skills are not those of many of your supporters, I hope my message comes across loud and clear: YOU ARE THE MAN!

EVER ONWARD!

Swanee Edwards,
Morgan Hill

[Charmaine Jabr]

We elected you to Congress to represent us. Like Carolyn stated above, if we thought we could do it better we should have run, but I didn't see many takers in '04 or '06. I did see however a brave soul taking up the challenge from a son who was up close and personal to the situation, and who helped guide this vote.

What we tend to forget here is that most of us never see the entire text of these bills, rather we know only the hype that makes it in the news. I trust you to study these bills and to do what you believe is right.

After such a long dry spell, what we thirsted for in this district was a principled, thoughful representative, not another dumb lackey. Someone who bows to pressure from any side is exactly that, someone's lackey! Being elected to office does not require one to "obey" the will of the people as some have said here. (Maybe a lesson in civics class would be wise for such folks.) Rather we elected you because we thought you were the best person for the job and trusted that you would vote your conscience when provided with the information that none of us has the time to study or comprehend the unintended consequences of such legislation, now matter how well intended.

We elected you because you are intelligent, deliberative and honest. We were not wrong and you have not disappointed many of us. Being one of those that helped organize much of the effort in this part of the district, I have a good sense of the pulse in Morgan Hill on this issue and I believe your vote is very well understood and respected here.

What we need are more representatives like you and then I'm sure we would see legislation that truly brings the troops home, takes care of them when they do and does not completely destroy the entire region. We all want the troops home as soon as possible but it needs to be done wisely. Just ask a dear friend of mine here in town, whose husband was one of the very last in Vietnam as the helicopters were swooping in to rescue others. He never did make it home to her and her daughter.

I believe we can do better this time in cleaning up an impossible mess created by those that were not careful, deliberative, intelligent or wise!

[Marshall Dinowitz]

As someone who walked your precinct and worked hard for your election, I am very disappointed in your vote against the McGovern bill.

The first comment on your vote, the one by William Spier's, pretty much sums up my response.

The bill was clearly designed to strongly demonstrate that Congress intends to withdraw the blank check given to Bush. We all know that a Bush veto was assured. It is not clear if your "no" vote was cover for your record for re-election, or if you didn't really understand or agree with its intent. In any case, your "no" vote was a bad decision.

[mike kaelin]

Your "honor?"----I am a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. It was congress that got us out of Vietnam, not Pres. Nixon. You have bought into the Republican ideolog that maybe an "orderly" wihdrawal (read "2 more years +) may be in our best interest.
You were elected to get us out of Iraq, sir, not to re-anlyse the situation (read "quagmire") in Iraq.
Sorry, I will be voting for someone else in the coming primaries.

[Mel Walker]

I believe Jerry made a bad vote based on some ill-read political purposes. I don't think he did it our of bad motives, but he did display very bad judgement.

After this vote, assuming he doesn't find some way to do better, it would take a very bad primary opponent for me to vote for him again. I vote for people with good judgement, and he hasn't displayed any with this vote.

[rickhauptman]

Jerry:

We need to get out of Iraq Now. Not one more red cent or one more minute.

Please. Haven't we had enough breast-beating and parsing and quibling?

Out Now.

Rick Hauptman
Progressive Caucus
CDP

[WatermelonGrower]

As a non-combatant Vietnam-era veteran, I give some credence to your wish to be in solidarity with combat troops, notwithstanding the horrific waste that this disastrous and illegal war entails. But I also surmise that more CD11 voters will accept than reject your rationale for voting no on the McGovern withdrawal-timetable bill. Voting against funding the ongoing slaughter takes more courage than drawing a line in the sand nine months from now.