Sacramento Coalition to End the War

Sacramento Coalition to End the War
c/o Sacramento Area Peace Action
909 12th ST, Suite 118
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-448-7157

February 26, 2007

Representative Doris Matsui
501 I St, Suite 12-600
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Representative Matsui:

We respectfully submit the following questions regarding your position about ending the war on and occupation of Iraq and request that you provide us with a written response by no later than March 5, or earlier if at all possible. Thank you.

1. You have stated that you want to “bring the war to a close” and have stated that “the American People sent a message in the last election ... that they consider bringing this war to a close to be the singular imperative of their leaders.”

How does voting for funding that continues the war and occupation “bring this war to a close”?

2. You have consistently voted to fund the war on Iraq. Recently you told a
Sacramento news outlet that you would vote for more funding to “protect the troops”.
Between when you took office on March 10, 2005 and prior to the start of the 110th Congress 1577 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq. Since the 110th Congress went into session on January 4, an average of 3 U.S. soldiers per day have died. This brings the death toll of U.S. troops to nearly 3200; at least another 20,000 have been physically wounded or disabled and an estimated 50,000 have reported psychological damage from the war.

How does voting for funding to continue the occupation, protect the troops?

3. You also stated that “concern about the safety of troops who are in harm’s way is one thing; sending more into harm’s way is quite another altogether.”

Given that additional men and women are sent to Iraq on a continual basis to relieve troops whose tours of duty are over or have not been extended, how does continuing the funding for this war not also continue the sending of additional men and women into harm’s way into what you describe as a catastrophe?

4. You have stated that you “opposed this war from the outset."

If so, then why have you not signed on to proposed legislation bills (HR 413 and HR 508) that would rescind the authorization that Congress gave Bush in October 2002 to use military force against Iraq?

5. You have stated that the Administration “has certainly relinquished the moral authority to send additional men and women into this catastrophe.” You have also noted that the President’s “stubborn insistence on pursuing the present course has been rejected by our military leaders .... and a strong majority of the public ... with good reason.” You also recently voted for a non-binding resolution objecting the President’s proposed surge. These statements and action clearly indicate that you do not have confidence in President Bush’s ability to handle, much less end, this war and occupation.

Then why did you sign on to HR 787 which, although it calls for redeployment to start by May, 2007, gives this President the ability to stop that redeployment at any point in renewable three month increments without Congressional approval? (HR 787 provides that if Congress objects to a halt in redeployment and wants to get it going again, it must introduce and pass new legislation to do so.)

6. You have stated that, “finally, four years into a very controversial war, Congress will begin to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities as representatives of the People.” The Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to fund.

How does voting for more funding to continue the war fulfill the constitutional responsibilities of Congress?

7. As of this writing, the war on and occupation of Iraq has cost nearly $390 billion. There are many, many domestic needs that are going unmet, including lack of health care for millions of Americans, needs for affordable housing and education, cuts proposed to Medicare, and we have still not restored New Orleans.

How does the cost of this war and needs that will go unmet because of it bear on your decision to continue funding the war?

8. The Iraqi people have suffered greatly from the U.S. invasion and occupation, an
estimated 690,000-plus have been killed, tens of thousands wounded or disabled, 2 million are refugees and 1.8 million are internally displaced. These numbers increase daily. Polls taken in Iraq indicate that the overwhelming majority want the U.S. to leave.

How do these facts bear on your decision to continue funding the occupation?

We realize that these are essential questions and must be weighing on your mind as well. We look forward to your response.

Peace,
Sacramento Coalition to End the War