| December 4, 2007
Senator Jay Rockefeller
Chairman, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
211 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Representative Silvestre Reyes
Chairman, House Select Committee on Intelligence
H-405, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515-6415
Dear Chairman Rockefeller and Chairman Reyes,
As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are extremely concerned about news that has emerged over the past few days regarding the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran, what it says, and when the President knew about it. We believe the mass confusion over when the President knew of the report's findings, and whether he continued to ramp up Iran war rhetoric anyway, warrants an immediate investigation by your committees.
Our concern, primarily, is that such rhetoric only serves to stoke hostility towards our troops currently in Iraq, and that, if military action against Iran is launched, it has serious repercussions on the lives of our troops and our very military.
As you know, the NIE found that, "in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program." Additionally, it found that even if Iran started up that program again, it was at least 2 to 3 years away from developing weapons-grade material.
Despite the White House having this information in its hands, administration officials continued to use rhetoric designed to sell the American public on the idea of taking military action against Iran. Some examples of this kind of rhetoric after the NIE was in White House hands are:
• "So I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. I take the threat of Iran with a nuclear weapon very seriously." (President Bush, 10/17/07)
• "Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions . ... The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course the international community is prepared to impose serious consequences." (Vice President Cheney, 10/21/07 )
• "The problem is Iran, and Iran has not stepped back from trying to pursue a nuclear weapon, and - or reprocessing and enriching uranium, which would lead to a nuclear weapon." (White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, 10/26/07)
• "We talked about Iran and the desire to work jointly to convince the Iranian regime to give up their nuclear weapons ambitions, for the sake of peace." (President Bush, 11/7/07 )
• "We're in a position now, clearly, especially when we look at Iran, where it's very, very important we succeed in our efforts, our national security efforts, to discourage the Iranians from enriching uranium and producing nuclear weapons ." (Vice President Cheney, 11/9/07 )
• "We are convinced that they are developing nuclear weapons." (Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, 11/13/07)
Statements such as these certainly aggravate Shia elements in Iraq who are already hostile to U.S. troops, and loyal to Iran. At the current moment, there is a delicate calm among such elements, as one of their leaders, Muqtada al Sadr has called for them to cease fire. However, statements like the above put that calm at risk, and thus serve to put our troops in greater danger.
Additionally, if these statements did lead the way towards military action, our troops in Iraq would almost certainly be targets of retribution by those Iranian proxy forces, forcing our overextended military to expand operations to deal with the increased threat.
What it most worrisome to us are conflicting reports about what the President knew and when he knew it, regarding the NIE. According to a Stephen Hadley, the National Security Advisor, the President was told about this report "in the last few months" (Hadley Press Conference, 12/03/07).
Yet, in a press conference today, the President said, "I was made aware of the NIE last week. In August, I think it was John -- Mike McConnell came in and said, "We have some new information." He didn't tell me what the information was. He did tell me it was going to take a while to analyze."
We must know the truth. Questions that must be examined by your committee are:
1) Did the President know our intelligence found Iran stopped its nuclear program in 2003, and still make comments and order others to make comments that fanned the flames of war with Iran? If so, is it still a truthful statement to say he learned of the NIE "last week?"
2) When the National Intelligence Director McConnell informed him in August that there was new information on Iran, did the President order McConnell to tell him what that information was, or was the President negligent?
3) Regardless, was the President made aware that comments such as the ones above could put our troops in increased danger from Shia forces, and did he make these comments, and order others to do so as well, anyway?
These questions must be examined and a determination must be made as to why comments such as the ones above were made. If not for legitimate security reasons, did the administration put our troops at increased risk for domestic political reasons?
We are happy to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have, and look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets.org
Peter Granato
Iraq War Veteran
Vice Chairman, VoteVets.org
Brandon Friedman
Iraq and Afghanistan War Veteran
Vice Chairman, VoteVets.org
George Zubaty
Iraq War Veteran
Brandon Day
Iraq War Veteran
Ernesto Estrada
Iraq War Veteran
Terrence O'Rourke
Iraq War Veteran
Brian Baldwin
Afghanistan War Veteran
Jason Wold
Iraq War Veteran
Nick Suhr
Iraq War Veteran
Brian McGough
Iraq and Afghanistan War Veteran |
