You, as a resident of District 5, what have you gained from this war in Iraq?  Inflation?  An unstable stock market? Is the yellow troops ribbon scratching your car trunk?  Compare that against the loss of 2,500 American soldier's lives, 18,358 other soldiers wounded in action, and 300 Billion dollars and counting.  Is it an equitable trade?

You may believe the US is stopping terrorism by fighting this war in Iraq, however just this month Al Queda planned to storm the Canadian Parliament building and behead the Prime Minister.  One year ago this month the London Subway was bombed by Al Queda killing 40 and wounding 700.  How is a war in Iraq going to stop the uncurtailed flow of immigrants through the Mexican and Canadian borders?

When Governor Napalatano wanted to rename the Sqaw Peak Parkway, Piestawa Peak Parkway after the first woman killed in Iraq, everyone jumped up and down and called it a political stunt.  However, when a resolution comes to congress (specifically HR 861) proclaiming that the Congress refuses to attempt to end a war of questionable merit, that reaches the very bottom of the barrel.

And who will you find at the very bottom of this barrel of ignorance?  Why, that would be JD Hayworth.  When the composer of HR 861 tried to sweeten the deal on staying indefinitely in Iraq by throwing in some arbitrary language about honoring our troops, JD took the bait hook, line, and sinker.  JD's site quotes him with regard to HR 861:

"The American soldier does not falter, does not hide, and does not quit. Neither should we. That is why I voted in favor of this resolution.

"Terrorism doesn't have an expiration date. September 11th made us realize that the cancer that is terrorism is now a part of our world and must be eradicated no matter how long takes. You don't put a timetable on the safety and security of our nation and citizens."

According to JD because of September 11^th (a terrorist act that even our President admits had absolutely nothing to do with Iraq) has simply occurred, we must stay and fight in Iraq forever.  Right.  That makes sense.

On June 3, over 100 Army reservists were forced to leave their homes and their families to return for yet ANOTHER tour of duty in Iraq.  The Department of Defense has no other choice but to keep reservists in the revolving door of active duty. 

Why?  Because this war created by the Bush administration has a need for bodies.  Instituting a draft would be certain suicide for today's Republican-controlled government.  Congress could take steps to pull out of Iraq, instead warmongers, including the likes of JD Hayworth, habitually vote to keep extending the duty of our reservists.  The East Valley Tribune wrote:

Despite Friday's tearful send-off, Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., said it's wrong to
look at activated reservists as victims. Instead, he called them citizen soldiers.
The congressman said he thought the situation through carefully before voting to activate reserve troops for the Iraq war.

"An introspective moment for me took place when I cast that vote," he said. "I knew the day I cast my vote that some of the soldiers would not come back."

Instead of trying to end this war, in a backwards effort to save face, JD supports sending the "Citizen Soldiers" to Iraq again and again.  JD does not understand what war is - look how he mocks it posing in front of that Uzi.  This is not a game where you position your G.I. Joe dolls on the lawn and run about making gun noises….these are real people JD is sending to die. 

And for what?  Saddam has been caught.  Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been killed.  What is the goal?  It used to be to catch Bin-Ladin (remember, the mastermind behind the invasion of our country), but now the Bush Republicans "just don't spend that much time thinking about him" anymore.  

What is the goal of this war?  Ask JD next time you see him and you will probably be thrown out of one of his town hall meetings. 

Who would have thought that a mild-mannered, moderate Democrat would have JD shaking in his boots?  But this is exactly how JD has been reacting to the recent polls that show him loosing ground fast to local Tempe hero, Harry Mitchell.  Read his diatribe  for yourself (it is quite ridiculous).

Press Release - June 8, 2004 - Senator John Kerry’s email encouraging his supporters to give money to Harry Mitchell raises some very disturbing questions about where Harry Mitchell stands on Iraq.  Kerry's weakness and incoherence on Iraq were key ingredients in his defeat to President Bush.  Kerry still gets it wrong, most recently calling for a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by year's end.

"John Kerry would have us get permission from the likes of France before defending our national interests, he voted to deny troops in the field the weapons they need to do the job, and now he supports an artificial deadline for U.S. withdrawal," said Hayworth for Congress campaign manager Todd Sommers.  "This is a recipe for weakness and defeat and Harry Mitchell needs to publicly reject John Kerry's cut-and-run strategy.  One thing is for sure, Arizonans won't vote to commit Harry-Kerry in Iraq."

I smell fear.