Dakota Beacon

Chairman Dever and Committee Members

I write in regard SCR4015; a resolution urging the U.S. Congress and President to pursue peace in Iraq and Afghanistan and disengage..

I write in opposition to the Resolution for the following reasons:

The U.S. forces in both countries are a stabilizing and peacekeeping presence during this time they need to establish stable governmental systems; to withdraw forces before they are able to stand on their own may allow the re-establishment of tyranny so recently removed.

The nation of Iraq is well on the way to stabilization, and our forces are being drawn down as we speak. The governmental system being established may not be "our best choice" it is certainly a better situation for the millions of Iraqi people.

The Afghan situation is more difficult, and the people there are in great jeopardy of going, once again, under the yoke of tyranny. The free world has made a valiant effort to help the Afghanis--we have paid in lives of men and women, and in material treasure--this progress should not be put in jeopardy.

We must not lose sight of our good and noble purpose as we help people find the blessings of freedom. As many have said, the United States is the last great hope of freedom for millions of oppressed people everywhere. I firmly believe that. As we see events in Egypt today we see the struggle play out before our eyes how people desperate for freedom will put their lives before the battle tanks of tyrants.

I am a veteran of the Korean conflict and served in relative safety of the USS Yorktown (aircraft carrier) in 1953 off the coast of Korea. The conflict ended with a cease-fire that allowed some 20 million Koreans in the south to be "free". That same accord condemned about 20 million people in the north to remain under a tyrant "not free". Today: the people of the north suffer under a third generation of the tyrants--the question remains: will these people ever find deliverance? Who will help them?

The choice of our nation and our leaders is very difficult as decisions are made to put our fellow citizens in harms way, and to commit our treasure, as well. There is a great moral good that stirs in us; we see something that must be done, even knowing it carries cost, we proceed because we cannot do other.