A Veto Defies the Wishes of the American People (Rep. Ron Klein)

In November of 2006, the American people sent a clear message to Congress – it’s time for a change in strategy in Iraq. Last week, when both chambers of Congress passed the Iraq supplemental bill, we carried out the wishes of a majority of the American people and passed a real plan for accountability in Iraq.

This war has cost us the precious lives of 3,000 U.S. troops, injured over 20,000, and cost us well over $400 billion in U.S. tax dollars. Because of our occupation in Iraq, we have taken our eye off the ball, and are not focusing on threats like Iran, which may be harboring a nuclear bomb and Afghanistan, where the Taliban is resurging. We need to refocus our strategy. Continuing this strategy dealing with this religious civil war is not working.

President Bush has made it clear he is going to veto this bill; a bill that provides significant funding for our troops, not only those who are serving, but for our veterans when they return home. But the President still has time to do the right thing, and sign the Iraq Accountability Act into law. If the President vetoes this bill, he will not only defy the wishes of the American people, but he will be voting against the very funding he requested for our brave men and women in uniform.