WHY ARE 1000 HIGHLY REGARDED VETERANS QUESTIONING THE WISDOM OF THIS WAR...???
veteransforcommonsense.org
March 10, 2003
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We, the undersigned veterans who have served our country in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the 1991 Gulf War and other military conflicts, respectfully request an opportunity to meet with you about the threat of war between the United States and Iraq.
Mr. President, we are patriotic citizens and veterans who respect the office of the President and the ethics and values binding us together as Americans.
As such, we feel duty-bound to share with you our serious concerns regarding issues of national security, the appropriate use of our military strength, and the health and welfare of our active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. Those of us who are veterans of the 1991 Gulf War can offer particular insight into the ongoing troubles in the Middle East, and the likely consequences of another war in that volatile region.
A dozen years ago, we helped liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, and in the course of combat operations came face to face with brutality and the consequences of modern warfare. We learned how unpredictable the nature of war can be. And we learned that war-related losses are not simply experienced on the battlefield.
Following the 1991 Gulf War, we collectively failed to prevent Saddam Hussein’s violent repression of a popular uprising and the unprecedented refugee flight that ensued. As a result, tens of thousands of innocent civilians died. In addition to those deaths, the war and immediate post-war conditions resulted in the excess deaths of 46,900 children under the age of five, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (September 24, 1992).
Over the long term, the 1991 Gulf War has had a lasting, detrimental impact on the health of countless people in the region, and on the health of American men and women who served there. Twelve years after the conflict, over 164,000 American Gulf War veterans are now considered disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. That number increases daily.
The possibility of large-scale war between the U.S. and Iraq looms before us once again. For this urgent reason we would like to meet with you to discuss steps the United States and its allies can take to protect U.S. soldiers, allied forces, and Iraqi civilians from known and suspected hazards that would result from military operations.
We understand the risks that come with war and that there are times when such risks are necessary. However, we strongly question the need for a war at this time. Despite Secretary of State Colin Powell’s report to the Security Council and the testimony of others in the administration, we are not convinced that coercive containment has failed, or that war has become necessary.
Our own intelligence agencies have consistently noted both the absence of an imminent threat from Iraq and reliable evidence of cooperation between Iraq and Al Qaeda. Again, we question whether this is the right time and the right war.
Further, we believe the risks involved in going to war, under the unclear and shifting circumstances that confront us today, are far greater than those faced in 1991. Instead of a desert war to liberate Kuwait, combat would likely involve protracted siege warfare, chaotic street-to-street fighting in Baghdad, and Iraqi civil conflict. If that occurs, we fear our own nation and Iraq would both suffer casualties not witnessed since Vietnam. We fear the resulting carnage and humanitarian consequences would further devastate Iraqi society and inflame an already volatile Middle East, and increase terrorism against U.S. citizens.
Our concerns about the potential human and material costs of a military conflict in Iraq are well substantiated. In the event of a war, the UN warns that 1.26 million children under the age of 5 in Iraq will be at risk of death. Within the initial weeks of conflict, the World Health Organization estimates 500,000 Iraqis would need immediate medical attention. Ten million Iraqis would need immediate humanitarian assistance and over 2 million Iraqis would be made homeless.
The scale of the crisis would be so large that the international community would be unable to prevent widespread suffering. For these reasons and more, it remains in our nation’s best interest to avoid another war. The risk of 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.
Mr. President, as our Commander-in-Chief, we recognize the immense responsibility you have to protect our homeland and keep our nation secure. As veterans who honorably served our nation in its wars, we believe that our perspectives, knowledge and expertise can aid you at this crucial time, as you continue to deliberate on whether or not to commit our nation to war.
We therefore request a meeting at your earliest possible convenience. We look forward to any opportunity to come together with you to discuss the matters we have raised.
Sincerely,
Vice Admiral Ralph Weymouth, USN, Retired
Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, USN, Retired
Brigadier General Evelyn P. Foote, USA, Retired
Colonel David H. Hackworth, USA, Retired
Colonel Larry Williams, USMC, Retired
Colonel James E Unterseher, USA, Retired
Colonel James B. Burkholder, USA, Retired
Colonel Roger F. Strand, USAF, Retired
Colonel Virginia A. Metcalf, USA, Retired
Colonel Mary H. Yeakel, USA, Retired
Colonel Henrik O. Lunde, USA, Retired
Colonel Bruce S. Jarstfer, USA, Retired
Colonel Thomas Patrick Chisholm, USA, Retired
Colonel James Steven Chandler, USA
Colonel James J. Kent, USA, Retired
Colonel Grace E. Squires, USA, Retired
Colonel Carol Anne O’Donnell, USA, Retired
Captain Kris Kristofferson, USA, Retired
Captain Thomas C. Tindall Jr., USNR, Retired
Captain Herbert A. Blough, USN, Retired
Captain M. David Preston, USCG
Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth K. McGillicuddy, USMC, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Ron T. Coley, USMC, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Walter M. Langford, USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Ben T. Granade, Jr., USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Frank L. Houde, USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Richard M. Renfro, USA, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Gretchen T. Vanek, USA, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Richard L. Schmitt, USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Vernon E. Whitney, USA, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Graydon Causey, USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel William R. Smith, USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel David C. Dellinger, USCG, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Anne N. Philiben, USA, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel James A. Adams, Jr., USAF, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Eldridge Pate, USA, Retired
Lieutenant Colonel William J. Jacobs, USA, Retired
Commander Robert A. Wood, USNR, Retired
Commander John J. Kaso, USN, Retired
Commander Eugene M. Maresca, USNR, Retired
Commander William H. Busse, USNR, Retired
Commander David Bailey, USCG, Retired
Commander Philip Butler, Ph.D., USN, Retired
Commander Michael A. Kennedy, USN, Retired
Commander Theodore I. Bahn, USN, Retired
Commander Theodore Curtin, USN, Retired
Lieutenant Commander Daniel Fecko, USNR, Retired
Lieutenant Commander Jim W. Turnage, M.D., M.P.H., USN
Lieutenant Commander John Paul Brennan, USMC, Retired
Lieutenant Commander Thomas A. Egleston, USN
Lieutenant Commander Robert Swan Lawrence, USCG
Lieutenant Commander Dennis C. Hayzlett, USN
Lieutenant Commander Howard L. McFann, USN
Lieutenant Commander Lawrence George Thorne, USN
Lieutenant Commander David H. Gundy, USN
Major Kenneth E. Mayers, Ph.D., USMCR, Retired
Major Thomas J. Treadway, USA, Retired
Major William McEwan Cross, USA
Major Donald McNellis, USAF
Major Jon Bjornson, MD, USA, Retired
Major James W. Strader, USAF
Major Dean Wilson, USA, Retired
Major Willie Fuller, Jr., USAF, Retired
Major Ford A. Anderson, USAF, Retired
Chaplain Major Kenneth J. Nettles, Ph.D., USAF, Retired
Major Christopher M. Robinson, USA, Retired
Major Heidrun Mlodzik, USAF, Retired
Major William D. Cooke, USA
Major Mark W. Gieringer, USAF, Retired
Major Jon Bjornson, MD, USA
Major James E. Kinzer, USAF, Retired
Major Johan M. S. Muller, USAF, Retired
Captain William Clifford Ellerman, USA
Captain Paul A. Hellweg, USA
Captain Jerry Dowling, USA
Captain David P. Leaf, USA
Captain James C. Ryan, USA
Captain Charles P. Dillon, USA
Captain James Clayton Lockwood, USA, Retired
Captain Daryl Hobbs, USA
Captain Raymond E. Kemble, USA
Captain Herbert S Hathcock, USA, Retired
Captain Dr. Delphia M. Clarke, USA
Captain John R Phelan, USA
Captain Bert A. Bender, USA
Captain Simeon K. Heninger, Jr., USA
Captain Philip Zipser, USA, Retired
Captain Dorothy Pakula Whittaker, USA
Captain Thomas N. Stern, USA
Captain Dan W. Holbrook, USA
Captain David Berlin Eye, USA
Captain Robert Joel Master, USA
Captain Brenda Lasarzig, USA
Captain James J. Jablonski, USA
Captain Robert W. Ferrell, USA, Retired
Captain Bob Gaiek, USA
Captain John L. Long, USAF
Captain John J. Blase, USAF
Captain John Lovejoy, USAF
Captain Troy Carlyle, USAF
Captain Lawrence Hugh Boyd, USAF
Captain Theodore T Odell, USAF
Captain Gregg A. Matous, USAF
Captain Larry T Harnish, USAF
Captain Karl Schmitt, USAF
Captain Hugh F Cline, USAF, Retired
Captain Kathryn J. Hammond, USAF
Captain Neal F Bowyer, USAF
Captain Lucia Jameson, USAF
Captain Michael L. Glenn, USAF
Captain Landon Kimbrough, USAF, Retired
Captain David Louis Harris, USAF
Captain Karl W. Frederick, USAF
Captain Vincent Phelps Ward, USAF
Captain Carlo S. Ascari, USAF
Captain Robert Gregg Chilton, USAF
Captain George Georgieff, DDS, USAF
Captain Joe Stern, USAF
Captain Steven Dellaporta, USMC, Retired
Captain Wesley Scott Hannon, USMC
Captain Fred Johnson, USMC, Retired
Captain Thomas T. Carpenter, USMC
Lieutenant Thomas M. Liston USN
Lieutenant John Dobson West USN
Lieutenant Jerome P. Wallingford USN
Lieutenant David Felix USN
Lieutenant Michael Jay Herbert USN
Lieutenant John Orrin Purkey USN
Lieutenant Ricki J. Estes USN
Lieutenant Walter E. Ziegenhals USN
Lieutenant Frank Lloyd Kramer, Jr. USN
Lieutenant Harvey Bennett USN
Lieutenant William R. Jones USN
Lieutenant Gilbert Marek Zemansky USN
Lieutenant Jordan R. Carpenter USN
Lieutenant Gerald A Burnett USN
Lieutenant John Edward Houx USN
Lieutenant Michael Bruce Elder USN
Lieutenant Kenneth L. Lang USN
Lieutenant Francis C. Zanger (Chaplain Corps) USN
Lieutenant Michelle Birdseye, M.D. USN
Lieutenant Robert James Bournique USN
Lieutenant Glen N. Foss USN
Lieutenant Benjamin Senauer USN
Lieutenant Chris Gleason USMC
Lieutenant Douglas Timothy McGetchin USMC
Lieutenant John Stoddard Glascock Senior USCG
Lieutenant Albert C. Germann USAF
Lieutenant Timothy L. Hanley USAF
Lieutenant John T. Urban USAF
Lieutenant William Henry Reynolds USAF
Lieutenant J.E.O'Kelly McCluskey USAF
Lieutenant Alex Wormser USAF
Lieutenant William Spencer Hall USAF
Lieutenant Roderick D Raabe USAF
Lieutenant Roger Fitch USAF
Lieutenant Dr. Charles DeFreitas USAF
Lieutenant Barry Wolfer USAF
Lieutenant Robert Lowell Hickerson USAF
Lieutenant Danny Paul Dennis USAF
Lieutenant John Milton Wallace USA
Lieutenant Steven Richard Cartwright USA
Lieutenant Robert F. Hornbeck USA
Lieutenant Richard Kenny Sink USA
Lieutenant Donald Pinkel USA
Lieutenant James F Balderson USA
Lieutenant Steven Eli Schanes USA
Lieutenant Hugh Scanlen USA
Lieutenant Barry Dixon Copp USA
Lieutenant Ellie Kennedy USA
Lieutenant Todd Stuart Kneeland USA
Lieutenant Charles DePuy USA
Lieutenant Patrick Maurice Flannery USA
Lieutenant Dennis Spector USA
Lieutenant Alta J. Minthorn Stephens USA
Lieutenant Henry W. Plohr USA
Lieutenant Michael J. Sebetich USA
Lieutenant John DuBois USA
Lieutenant Harold Glickman USA
Lieutenant James L. Sheehan USA
Lieutenant David L. Harten USA
Lieutenant Randall Joel Hain USA
Lieutenant Gary Eschman USA
Lieutenant Roger Simon USA
Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Stebbins USA
Lieutenant Reysha Silverhair, formerly Hoyt Sherman Griffith USA
Lieutenant Douglas Parker Shaw USA
Lieutenant William M. Whitby USA
Lieutenant Robert W. Buttel USA
Lieutenant Thomas W. Shepard, Jr. USA
Lieutenant William J. Simmons, Sr. USA
Lieutenant Robert M. Land, USA
Lieutenant Edmund William Hoelker, USAF
Lieutenant Junior Grade Arthur Lewis Solomon, USCG
Lieutenant Junior Grade Joe Martin Cantrell, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Richard Ralph Groseclose, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Robert A. Collins, USCG
Lieutenant Junior Grade Bruce S. Ertle, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Charles H Nadler, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Richard Fredrick Hickey, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Gregory H. Carter, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jeff Markell, USCG
Lieutenant Junior Grade John Ise Jr, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade DeWitt Linn Sage, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Craig A. Bicknell, USN
Lieutenant Junior Grade Charlton M. Lewis, USN
Command Sergeant Major Robert Grover Smith, Jr., USA, Retired
Aerographer's mate third class Alice B. Gilmore, USN
Airman Albert W. Wilson, USAF
Airman Aram Attarian II, USAF
Airman Cheryl Davis, USA
Airman David Alan Dix, USAF
Airman French Tickner, USN
Airman Irvan F. Adams, USAF
Airman James F. McGowen, USN
Airman James J. Hogan, USAF
Airman John Paul Coakley, USAF
Airman John Stephen Pielaszczyk, USAF
Airman Joseph S. Sims, USAF
Airman Joseph Wistar Huey III, USAF
Airman Lewis Kirk, USAF
Airman Mark Torrey, USAF
Airman Mazie H. Todd (Rogers), USAF
Airman Merl Moncer, USAF
Airman Michael P.Corridon, USAF
Airman Michael R. Philiben, USAF
Airman Pedro Rivera, USAF
Airman Philip G. Brown, USAF
Airman Robert J. Hoffmeister, USAF
Airman Robert T.Hogan, USAF
Airman Roger Peirce, USAF
Airman Ronald Bostick, USAF
Airman Steven T Raynis, USAF
Airman Timothy Charles Frazer, USAF
Airman William H. Davis, USAF
Airman William J Leary, USAF
*MANY MORE VETERANS SIGNED THIS LETTER AND ARE LISTED AT:
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