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Politics : DON'T START THE WAR -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Art Bechhoefer who wrote (20722)	3/14/2003 10:45:10 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 25898

In letter to Bush, war veterans "strongly question" Iraq invasion, and seek a meeting Veterans for Common Sense veteransforcommonsense.org Posted 3/11/2003 9:23:38 PM In a letter delivered yesterday to President Bush, U.S. war veterans questioned the wisdom of invading Iraq now and sought a meeting with the White House to discuss their concerns. Initiated by the Washington-based veterans’ group Veterans for Common Sense, the letter was e-mailed to veterans this weekend and quickly gathered nearly 1,000 signatories, including high-ranking officers and Kris Kristofferson. MEDIA ALERT & INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES - 3/11/03 Source: Veterans for Common Sense Contact: Stephen Kent, Kent Communications 845-758-0097, cell 914-589-5988 In a letter delivered yesterday to President Bush, U.S. war veterans questioned the wisdom of invading Iraq now and sought a meeting with the White House to discuss their concerns. Initiated by the Washington-based veterans’ group Veterans for Common Sense, the letter was e-mailed to veterans this weekend and quickly gathered nearly 1,000 signatories, including high-ranking officers and Kris Kristofferson. The letter (see below) “strongly question[s] the need for war at this time,” noting signatories are “not convinced that coercive containment has failed, or that war has become necessary.” It argues that unlike 1991’s desert campaign to liberate Kuwait, invading Iraq now would likely entail “protracted siege warfare, chaotic street-to-street fighting in Baghdad, and Iraqi civil conflict,” raising fears of “casualties not witnessed since Vietnam.” Citing UN predictions of massive Iraqi casualties, including 1.26 million children under age five at particular risk, it states “excessive civilian casualties like those predicted by the UN pose a grave risk to our national security, making the U.S. more of a target of retaliatory attacks by terrorists.” Its signatories describe themselves as “patriotic citizens and veterans who respect the office of the President,” requesting a meeting at his “earliest possible convenience.” The following signatories are available now for media interviews: * Specialist Erik K. Gustafson, Gulf War Army veteran, co-founder, Veterans for Common Sense, an organization started by Gulf War veterans questioning the wisdom of invading Iraq. * Captain Kris Kristofferson, former 82 Airborne helicopter pilot, celebrated actor, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter. * Colonel David H. Hackworth, Army veteran of 30 years, and a veteran war correspondent who covered the Gulf War. * Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, former commander of the U.S. Second Fleet, former director, Center for Defense Information. * Specialist Charles Sheehan-Miles, Gulf War Army veteran and co-founder, Veterans for Common Sense * Lt. Colonel Gretchen Vanek, a veteran of the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. * Colonel Larry Williams, served 27 years in Marine Corps including in Vietnam and Beirut. * Vice Admiral Ralph Weymouth, Veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. These and other veteran signatories are available for interviews starting March 11. They are based in major cities, including Washington DC. For more information or to request interviews, contact Stephen Kent, 845-758-0097.

To: Art Bechhoefer who wrote (20722)	3/14/2003 12:34:54 PM
From: Doug R	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25898

Mr. President, About That Endorsement... Dubya cited an economists' consensus to support his stimulus package. Just one problem: The survey came out before his plan did President George W. Bush went a bit overboard trying to sell his economic-stimulus plan to small-business owners recently. In a Feb. 20 speech, Bush cited a new Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey predicting 3.3% growth in the gross domestic product in 2003. "The economists are basing this prediction on Congress passing tax relief this year," he said. Then he took a leap: His package of tax cuts "makes sense when analyzed by the economists behind the Blue Chip forecasts," the President declared. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer later called the 3.3% forecast "a new element" in the discussion of the President's economic proposals. Not quite. The Blue Chip forecast for 3.3% growth was issued in January, before the Bush stimulus plan was announced. Blue Chip's editor, Randell Moore, says it's his impression that most of the 53 economists who contribute their forecasts to the newsletter "thought some package would be passed." But that doesn't mean they were counting on any particular stimulus measures -- and they certainly didn't endorse the President's plan, Moore says. In the most recent Blue Chip report, the Bush package isn't even mentioned. "IMAGINARY SUPPORTERS." After complaining to the President's Council of Economic Advisers, Moore says he's now "satisfied" that Bush's team knows that the Blue Chip panel isn't endorsing the White House plan. "It was my understanding that the Bush people understood what I was asking for," says Moore, adding: "It was not their intent to imply that Blue Chip Economic Indicator was endorsing the President's plan." That wasn't good enough for Senate Minority Leader Thomas Daschle of South Dakota, however. The Democrat has put out a press release claiming that the President's team "fabricated the numbers" for their economic plan and are "making up imaginary supporters," in a reference to the Blue Chip economists. At least Bush seems to have his message straight now. Speaking to the National Governors Assn. on Feb. 24, he said the economy was forecast to grow at 3.3% if Congress passed "a" stimulus package -- not necessarily his. ad.doubleclick.net