| Eric's Position on The Iraq War |
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As a career military professional, I have actively participated in numerous operations and deployments around the world. While working for the House Armed Services Committee, I saw firsthand the poor planning and lack of preparation that characterized the Administration's approach to Iraq and I authored several briefing papers vigorously opposing the invasion. Our armed forces are the best trained, best equipped, and most capable in the world, yet there are some objectives that cannot be achieved through military action alone. The White House and Congress failed to comprehend the realities on the ground, ignored the advice of senior military advisors, and rushed to war without securing a broad international coalition. Now, we are mired in a brutal religious conflict, with insufficient resources and no plan for victory.
Although the war was ill advised and poorly conceived, the men and women of our armed forces have executed their orders with a high degree of efficiency and professionalism. I am proud to have served among them, and I will ensure that our military remains the best in the world. This means not only having the most advanced weapons and training. It means providing our forces with competent, responsible, and experienced leadership.
There are three key components to my position on Iraq:
- A Political Solution: Separate the Warring Parties. There are limits to what military power can accomplish alone. With a sensible diplomatic and political strategy, and with the cooperation of our allies, we can implement a solution similar to the NATO plan that resolved the Bosnian conflict. In that ethnic and religious civil war, we separated the warring parties, created a loose federation of three semi-autonomous states, and then allowed them to develop their own government. Without addressing the underlying ethnic, religious, and economic tensions, no peace treaty or constitution can endure.
- An Exit Strategy: Out in less than 24 Months. In 2006, President Bush announced: "We're not leaving so long as I'm the President." This is unacceptable.We need to stand up and tell the world, "We're leaving, and we're starting right now." Right now there are some 300 million metric tons of equipment that we absolutely cannot leave behind such as tanks, bombs, guns and supply materials. We simply are not capable of just picking up and leaving tomorrow since there is one road out of Baghdad, one airport, and one port -- and none of them are safe. However we need to start the process openly and honestly.
- Accountability: The Key to the Future. Congress has a Constitutional obligation to hold this administration accountable for its failures and for the ever-rising human cost of this endless war. Republicans in Congress, who should themselves be held accountable, have continually failed in their oversight responsibility. That's not leadership -- and the veterans, voters, and taxpayers of the 29th District deserve better.
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| Articles |
Sanchez Blasts Post-War Actions from Other on May 5
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the senior commander on the ground in Iraq after the administration announced the end to major hostilities there five years ago, says post-war actions taken by the Bush administration resulted in the wounding and killing of American troops and "amount to gross incompetence and dereliction of duty."
Sanchez, in a new book being excerpted by Time magazine, said the Pentagon had but never implemented a 12- to 18-month plan that could have helped stabilize Iraq after Saddam Hussein's forces were defeated. Instead, it buried the plan, officially ended major hostilities, and permitted the Central Command staff that had overseen the war to walk away, he writes in Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story.
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Military progress in Iraq cheers Kuhl from The Democrat & Chronicle on Sep 12
by Erin Kelly
Washington bureau
(September 12, 2007) -- WASHINGTON -- Rep. Randy Kuhl said Tuesday he was encouraged by testimony from Army Gen. David Petraeus that this year's increase in U.S. troops has made Iraq more secure.
But he said he is disappointed by failure of the Iraqi government to make progress in bringing together rival factions and create a stable government.
"One of the most important revelations has been the increased emergence of tribes and local citizens in rejecting al-Qaeda and local extremists," Kuhl said in an interview. "And the fact that the Iraqis are enlisting thousands of new recruits for the security forces in Anbar also is a definite sign of progress. On the flip side, there is frustration with the slowness of movement on the political, diplomatic and economic fronts."
The Hammondsport, Steuben County, Republican said he supports Petraeus' proposal to withdraw U.S. troops to pre-surge levels by next summer.
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Protesters Invite Kuhl to Meeting from The Leader on Aug 17
(Page 3A)
Group wants to talk stance on Iraq War
Roughly a dozen anti-war protesters left an invitation Thursday for U.S. Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr., to meet with them to discuss his stance on the war in Iraq.
...
But so far, Kuhl has refused to answer calls and declined other meetings with the protesters, according to Cyril Mychalejko, spokesman for the group.
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Meghan Tisinger, director of communications for Kuhl, said the protestors should call the district office for an available appointment. "They need to go through the same procedure as everyone else," Tisinger said.
Sorry, the full story is not available on line.
Kuhl awaits Iraq report from Elmira Star-Gazette on Aug 9
U.S. Rep. John R. Kuhl Jr. does not blindly back President Bush and could change his support for the Iraq war, depending on the findings of a September report, the congressman said Wednesday.
Responding to anti-war protesters who staged a sit-in at Kuhl's district offices in Bath and Fairport on Monday, Kuhl said he remains open-minded about the war but believes U.S. success in Iraq is critical to national security.
Speaking to the Star-Gazette Editorial Board on Wednesday, Kuhl said he reserves judgment on continued U.S. involvement in the region until Iraq forces commander Gen. David Petraeus gives his report to Congress next month on the troop "surge" that was launched late this spring.
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Protestors call for end to war from The Leader on July 20
(page A3; not online)
CORNING | Three local war veterans requested a change in the Iraq war policy during a rally Thursday near Centerway Bridge.
The veterans, also registered Republicans, addressed U.S. Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport, in their speeches. They said they felt the best way to support the troops is to bring them home from a war that has done more harm than good by creating enemies where none previously existed.
"It's now clear to me that a political and diplomatic solution in Iraq cannot be achieved by continuing our current strategy," said Graham D. Wightman, a Korean War Veteran.
(for more, see the printed paper, Page A3)
Sorry, the full story is not available on line.
Kuhl Not Surprised with Report from The Leader on July 13
U.S. Rep John R. Randy Kuhl Jr. said he's disappointed with results of a report releasted Thursday that shows Iraq has met less than Half of the U.S.-set bendchmarks for its development.
Sorry, the full story is not available on line.
Bring them Home from The Leader on July 7
BATH | The names of the dead are read aloud weekly.
"Tragically, the list has grown and grown," said the Rev. Brad Benson.
The list Benson refers to is that of American GIs killed overseas.
Every week, at both of Benson's parishes - St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Bath and the Church of Good Shepherd in Savona - the names of those killed during the past week are read to the parishioners.
"I'm not an anti-war activist," Benson said Friday. "(But) the best way to support our troops is to bring them home as quickly as possible."
Full Story
Protesters call for end to war in Iraq from The Leader on June 29
ELMIRA | Dan Wesch had no obligation or desire to go to Iraq.
In fact, the Syracuse resident said he has opposed the Iraq War since an invasion was rumored five years ago.
But in 2005, two years into the war, Wesch joined the Army Reserve and by 2006, the 26-year-old found his boots on the ground 9,000 miles away.
Sorry, the full story is not available on line.
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| Blogs |
Better Body Armor Being BlockedJuly 1 by Eric Massa
First, thank you to all of you for the support, both financial and otherwise. Our fundraising totals aren't quite complete yet so I will talk about all that later once the totals are done. My staff and I have been discussing this issue for over a month now. I feel this is a very important issue and one that is related to my New Bill of Rights written to fight against corporate interests taking precedence over the interests of the people. Our troops have a right to have the best body armor available. But they aren't getting it because corporate interests are preventing them from getting it.
Liveblog: No Timetables? No Deal- Why I would Have Voted to Force Congress to go On RecordMay 27 by Eric Massa
This past week, the story on the presses has been that the Republicans won and the Democrats lost the Iraq timetable battle. I want to let you know how deeply committed I was to forcing veto from the White House.
Today I am going to break from the schedule. Rather than publishing the fourth edition from my New Bill of Rights, I thought that I should just go from the gut. There is a whole lot of heart in what I am about to write and some of it is not entirely political advisable from the point of view of a junior candidate.
Billions wasted/lost in Iraq, Billions more unappropriatedFeb 18 by Eric Massa
Just what does Congress not get about this war? I watched, as did the rest of the nation, as a first step was taken to lay down a marker and force every member of Congress to openly and clearly state if they support the increase in troop strength in Iraq -- or not. It is important, and proper, to force every member of Congress to, on the record, declare one way or the other. Some members refused to declare how they would vote. Randy Kuhl, of New York's 29th Congressional District, stated on Thursday that "I've made my decision but I'll wait until tomorrow to tell you how it's going to be." God save us from leaders in Washington who refuse to lead.
Christmas Eve Thoughts About IraqDec 24 by Eric Massa
How did we get to this? This is part of a continuing discussion that I will be posting not only here on Kos, but also on my website which is currently being changed from its current Massa for Congress format to its new title: "29th United." This new title will reflect the challenge of uniting the very different regions of the 29th Congressional District into one that recognizes what brings us together rather than what divides us. I will continue to write a weekly piece and post those editorials on the various blog sites that I visited diligently throughout the campaign because I believe that the expression of ideas need not wait for the election season but rather should continue as a method of stimulating debate, thought, and the free exchange of ideas.
NY-29: Iraq War worsens terror threat; New Poll; Local BloggersSep 24 by Eric Massa
Among the stories out this past week is a new National Intelligence Estimate that says the Iraq War makes the threat of terrorism worse. ( link): The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document.
Defending Congressman Murtha: Why it mattersAug 6 by Eric Massa
Massa for CongressMost of you are probably aware of the opposing rallies this past week in Johnstown, PA. A tiny group of swiftboaters hoping to publicly smear Representative Murtha was countered by a group 10 times bigger rallying in his favor. ( link, link) I was there and I want to talk about why we have to stand strong against those attacking Murtha. It's about a lot more than just showing that Democrats are not weak and spineless, though that can be important at times. Sliming Congressman Murtha is central to coordinated GOP efforts to keep Democrats from retaking congress in November.
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| News |
Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa recognizes Memorial Day by not campaigningMay 23
CORNING, NY -- In recognition of the true meaning of Memorial Day, Retired Navy Commander and Congressional Candidate for New York's 29th District announced that he will not do any campaigning on Monday. Massa then issued the following statement:
"As many depart on Memorial Day travel and vacation, I would like all Americans to join with me in recognizing that this holiday is not about hot dogs and barbeques -- nor is it about the start of the traditional summer season. It's not about celebratory parades full of politicians who never served in the military -- in fact it is not even a celebration. It certainly is not about politics or elections. This is why I declined several invitations to march in Memorial Day Parades and speak at Memorial Day events. I am a candidate for political office, and I believe that it would be inappropriate to politicize today in any way.
Massa calls on opponent to take a stand on Iraq... Following Randy Kuhl's refusal to take an up or down vote, Massa calls for answersMay 16
CORNING, NY - Following his opponent's refusal to take a stand on funding the war in Iraq in a Thursday vote (H.R. 2642, #328), Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa issued the following statement.
"As America continues to spiral into recession, I have joined with a number of Congressional challengers to write the Responsible Plan for Iraq," said Massa. "We cannot continue spending trillions of dollars on a war with no end. Professional politicians always talk about "making the tough decisions." On Thursday, my opponent joined with 131 other timid members of Congress that refused to even take an up or down vote on Iraq. This bill will also fund our essential veteran's services, and Randy Kuhl's refusal to even take a stand shows that he in fact does not support our troops. This is hypocrisy at its highest and families in Western New York deserve at least a yea or nay vote from their member of Congress."
Massa calls on opponent to take a stand on Iraq... Following Randy Kuhl's refusal to take an up or down vote, Massa calls for answersMay 16
CORNING, NY - Following his opponent's refusal to take a stand on funding the war in Iraq in a Thursday vote (H.R. 2642, #328), Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa issued the following statement.
"As America continues to spiral into recession, I have joined with a number of Congressional challengers to write the Responsible Plan for Iraq," said Massa. "We cannot continue spending trillions of dollars on a war with no end. Professional politicians always talk about "making the tough decisions." On Thursday, my opponent joined with 131 other timid members of Congress that refused to even take an up or down vote on Iraq. This bill will also fund our essential veteran's services, and Randy Kuhl's refusal to even take a stand shows that he in fact does not support our troops. This is hypocrisy at its highest and families in Western New York deserve at least a yea or nay vote from their member of Congress."
Massa announces support for Senator Webb's updated Montgomery G.I. Bill, and demands mandatory full funding for V.A. - In planned D.C. meeting, Eric Massa will stand with Operation Firing for Effect.April 14
CORNING, NY - Earlier today, 24 year retired Navy Commander Eric Massa announced his full support for Senator Jim Webb's updated version of the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Massa also announced that he will be standing with Veterans advocacy group Operation Firing for Effect (OFFE) in Washington on Tuesday. Massa and the leaders of OFFE will be meeting with Congressional and Senatorial leaders to discuss how we can institute mandatory full funding for the V.A. system. This meeting will occur on Tuesday, April 15th at 1pm at the Cannon Office Building # 334 in Washington, D.C.
"As a Veteran, I know how important the Webb bill and mandatory full funding for the V.A. are, and that is why I am standing with our Veterans," said retired Navy Commander and Congressional candidate Eric Massa. "Right now we are seeing the highest level of returning Veterans since the Vietnam era, and we as a Nation must fulfill our end of the deal. We must help Veterans gain a higher education and institute mandatory full funding for our Veterans services at the V.A. We can accept nothing less."
On the five year anniversary of the war in Iraq, Massa demands change... Joins with fellow Congressional Candidates Dan Maffei (NY-25) and Jon Powers (NY-26) for press conference to demand more targeted funding for VeteransMarch 18
CORNING, NY - On Wednesday, March 19th 2008 at 9:00 am, retired Navy Commander Eric Massa will join fellow Congressional Candidates Dan Maffei (NY-25) and Iraq Veteran Jon Powers (NY-26) for a press conference at the Rochester Veterans Outreach Center at 459 South Ave, Rochester, NY 14620. During this press conference, all three candidates will observe the 5th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Additionally they will be calling on their opponents and the White House to provide more targeted funding for our Veterans.
Since the war in Iraq began on March 19th, 2003, 3,990 American troops have been killed, tens of thousands have been injured and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died. While President Bush and Randy Kuhl continue to block health care for working Americans, deny us the truth of our economic situation, and create more hurdles for Veterans requiring services, they have no problem spending $3 trillion on a war of choice against a country that had no involvement in the 9/11 attacks.
"Those of us that wore the uniform honor our men and women who stood with us," said retired Navy Commander Eric Massa. "Today I call on Randy Kuhl to finally stand up to George W. Bush's failed foreign policy. Since he came into office, Mr. Kuhl has gone out of his way to rubber stamp President Bush's each and every demand for Iraq. We are currently spending almost $6,000 per second in Baghdad while thousands of children right here in Western New York cannot receive access to health care. Additionally, our returning Veterans continue to encounter more and more red tape while trying to receive the long-term care they have earned. This is the hypocrisy of incumbency and we must hold our failed leaders accountable."
WHAT: Congressional Candidates Eric Massa (NY-29), Dan Maffei (NY-25) and Jon Powers (NY-26) will be observing the five year anniversary of the start of the Iraq War and demanding change.
WHERE: The Rochester Veterans Outreach Center - 459 South Ave, Rochester, NY 14620.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 19th at 9:00 am.
Randy Kuhl continues to revise history in Iraq... Eric Massa's vision for withdrawal remains consistent while opponent's timeline never stops shiftingDec 17
CORNING, NY- Throughout the 2006 and 2008 election seasons, Eric Massa consistently held what has become known as the Biden Plan. This plan for Iraq consists of creating three separate semi-autonomous states, allowing the Iraqi's to form a government of their own choosing and bringing our troops home. This has been contrasted by his opponent's ever shifting withdrawal timeline. On December 16, 2005, Randy Kuhl said he anticipated "a major withdrawal in the next six months," (Corning Leader, 12/16/2005) yet here we are two years later with even higher troop levels and a Member of Congress who continues to vote in favor of this endless war in Iraq.
Randy Kuhl votes against our Troops... Kuhl rubber stamps George Bush's failed Iraq policyNov 15
CORNING, N.Y. - Retired Navy Commander Eric Massa applauded the Democratic House Majority's vote yesterday to fund the troops while providing an exit strategy in Iraq. Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Orderly and Responsible Iraq Redeployment Appropriations Act (H.R. 4156) and once again Randy Kuhl rubberstamped George Bush's failed policies in Iraq. Kuhl has continually voted for the George Bush's war in Iraq while opposing any level of accountability from the White House.
Veterans DayNov 11
This weekend, in small towns and in our largest cities, in rural and in urban areas, Americans will be asked to step back and offer public recognition to the Veterans of America's Armed Services. It is fitting and just that we do so for without them there would be no America.
For better or for worse, over the last two years I have gained a public political persona during my bid to represent the 29th Congressional District in Washington. I want to take just a moment to discuss why I believe so many Veterans, especially those like myself who had never have been involved in politics before, are stepping forward to become involved in public policy at all levels of government. It's simple really, the Congress has fewer veterans now than at almost any other time in the history of the country. Veterans are under represented by a huge percentage. As a direct result, the benefits which all Veterans earned and deserve are being denied, compelling them to get involved. What's more, those in power who have never worn a uniform delight in standing in for photos with Veterans -- all the while attacking the service records of those who did and who disagree with them.
Randy Kuhl waits for President Bush to tell him what to say – again... Eric Massa demands decisive, coherent and immediate action from Randy KuhlSep 12
CORNING N.Y. -- With the announcement of a major Presidential address set for Thursday, Randy Kuhl has delayed taking a position on Iraq -- again. Late Tuesday evening, Congressman Randy Kuhl published a press release stating that he has still not made up his mind on the Petraeus-Crocker proposal as presented to the House and Senate for the past two days. The following is an except from Kuhl's statement:
"General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker's testimonies yesterday represented the most accurate, credible and up-to-date assessment of the security and political realities in Iraq. I am in complete support of starting to bring our men and women home this month. However, although their testimonies were encouraging in terms of securing Iraq, I am discouraged by the advancements made in the areas of reconciliation and political progress. As I have discussed in the past, the results from the 18 benchmarks set forth by Congress will be released on Saturday, the 15th and will be an important determinate of the progress in Iraq."
This is not the first time Kuhl has made reference to bringing troops home as noted in an Olean Times Herald article from August 4th 2006 where he said we could be bringing troops home by last Christmas. The Petraeus testimony, however calls for an extended surge through next year.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Randy Kuhl would stall and flip flop on this issue," said Congressional challenger and former aide to the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Eric Massa. "If Randy Kuhl is in complete support of starting to bring combat troops home this month, then why won't he take a leadership position against this President's failed policy -- he can't have it both ways. Yesterday, while General Petraeus reported to the House, we heard about another nine American Troops killed in Iraq. Today we heard about a mortar attack on a US headquarters installation in Baghdad killing one and wounding another 11. How many dead Americans will it take before Randy Kuhl gets it? We already know that only 3 of 18 benchmarks were met, so what is he waiting for?"
"Randy Kuhl wrote that he would like to start bringing our troops home, and that he believes the Petreaus report is the "most accurate assessment" of Iraq. These two statements directly contradict each other. Randy Kuhl is again flip flopping the facts and he can no longer have it both ways. When this surge was instituted, it was supposed to last until this September. The time for the surge has passed and now they want to continue over extending our military for yet another year. This is not new, and we saw it in Vietnam -- one year at a time. The Petraeus report that Kuhl anticipated in past press releases again moves the goal posts."
"Once again, I call on Randy Kuhl to do the right thing for our soldiers. He can not ride the fence any longer while our soldiers continue to pay the price. Rubberstamping President Bush's failed policy in Iraq is not in the interest of the families of the 29th Congressional District, the soldiers on the ground, nor the United States of America. As I've always said, we need to begin leaving Iraq and we need to start right now. The Iraq quagmire calls out for leadership -- not continued rubberstamping."
The Fastest Flip Flop On This Side Of The Mississippi… Kuhl Says "Yes," and Votes "No" In Record TimeJune 18
CORNING N.Y. - Today Congressional Candidate Eric Massa of Corning challenged his opponent Randy Kuhl for committing the ultimate flip flop. On Friday night, Kuhl's office issued a press release entitled "Kuhl Votes To Protect The Homeland," claiming that he had voted for the $37 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations Bill when in reality he voted against it. In this Press Release, Randy Kuhl had a number of positive things to say about the bill:
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| Neighbor 2 Neighbor |
Mali Bahreman
6/18/2007
He was a military man and understands better what should be done.
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Judith Bennett
6/18/2007
Our image worldwide is based on pop culture, bad TV and violent movies.
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Dan Maloney
6/17/2007
He will stand up for American industry, creating American jobs.
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Lori Bartkovich
6/17/2007
His position on immigration, gun control, energy and environmental conservation.
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Eileen Spence
6/17/2007
The country is in peril as is the population.
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Paul Stuart
6/11/2007 9:49:25 AM
Eric Massa's mind is a comprehension of contemporary issues.
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