Four Years Later (Page 1 of 5)

When Congress authorized President Bush to declare war in Iraq in October 2002, the U.S. Central Command’s war plan estimated that only 5,000 U.S. troops would remain in Iraq four years later. In reality, more than 135,000 American soldiers are still stationed there, according to the Department of State, U.S. casualties have climbed to 3,185, and Iraqi deaths are estimated at a minimum of 400,000. Meanwhile, the financial cost of the invasion is approaching $485 billion.

As the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq approaches, we take a look at local plans to make this anniversary the last one, examine the connections tying the South to the military, and hear from a local U.S. Representative who went out on a limb from the beginning to voice his opposition to the war.

"Bring Our Troops Home"

Duncan’s speech outlines his vote supporting the House’s non-binding resolution

Many politicians are jumping on the public opinion bandwagon and denouncing Bush’s plan to increase U.S. troops in Iraq, but Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., East Tennessee’s second district representative to the U.S. Congress, is one of the few whose stance hasn’t changed since the war began four years ago.

Duncan, a Republican, voted against the war in Iraq back in October 2002 as one of only six House Republicans to oppose Joint Resolution 114 authorizing the use of force against Iraq. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 77 to 23, and the House of Representatives passed it with a vote of 296 to 133.

Duncan broke party lines again Feb. 14 as one of only 17 House Republicans to approve a non-binding resolution against President Bush’s deployment of more than 20,000 additional combat troops to Iraq.

Following is the full text of his speech in the House to Speaker pro tempore Michael E. Capuano explaining his vote:

February 14, 2007

“Dick Armey, our former Majority Leader, said in an interview with a major newspaper chain last week that he deeply regretted voting for the War in Iraq.

Mr. Armey said, ‘Had I been more true to myself and the principles I believed in at the time, I would have openly opposed the adventure vocally and aggressively.’

Chris Matthews, on MSNBC on election night said, ‘The decision to go to war in Iraq was not a conservative decision historically,’ and he added that it ‘asked Republicans to behave like a different people than they intrinsically are.’

William F. Buckley, Jr., wrote in 2004 that he felt he should have opposed the war, and in 2005, he wrote that to continue there beyond another year would indicate ‘not steadfastness of purpose, but rather, misapplication of pride.’

But what about this surge?  The conservative columnist George Will wrote in opposition to it and said it would take a miracle for it to succeed.

Very few people, Mr. Speaker, pushed harder for us to go to war in Iraq than the columnist Charles Krauthammer.  A few weeks ago, he wrote that the Maliki government we have installed there cares only about making sure the Shiites dominate the Sunnis.

‘We should not be surging troops in defense of such a government,’ Krauthammer wrote.  ‘Maliki should be made to know that if he insists on having this sectarian war, he can well have it without us.’

But listen to what the enlisted men say — Specialist Don Roberts, 22, of Paonia, Colorado, now in his second tour in Iraq, told the Associated Press, ‘What could more guys do? We cannot pick sides. It is like we have to watch them kill each other, then ask questions.’

Sergeant Josh Keim, of Canton, Ohio, also on his second tour said, ‘Nothing is going to help. It is a religious war and we are caught in the middle of it.’

PFC Zack Clauser, 19, of York, PA, told the McClatchy News Service, ‘This isn’t our war — we’re in the middle.’

Sergeant Clarence Dawalt, 22, of Tulsa, Okla., said, ‘They can keep sending more and more troops over here, but until the people here start working with us, its not going to change.’