[Peace-discuss] Misrepresenting veterans

[Carl G. Estabrook]

Mr. Amerson:

I hadn't seen your letter in today's News-Gazette before your  
appearance on "AWARE on the Air."  I was shocked by its contents.

You claim to favor the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and  
Afghanistan, as AWARE does, but you repeat without correction a  
tendentious attack on 15th district Congressman Tim Johnson, one of  
the few members of the House of Representatives (and one of the very  
few Republicans) to vote consistently against more money for the US  
war in the Greater Middle East.

The attack comes not from the group that you claim to represent, Iraq  
Veterans against the War, but from another group, "Iraq and  
Afghanistan Veterans  of America." You assert, "Johnson's record on  
veteran's [sic] issues last year was so poor that he received an 'F'  
on his voting report card published by the Iraq and Afghanistan  
Veterans of America."

You know (but do not mention) that IAVA is a pro-war group, and you  
know (but do not mention) that at least two of the three votes by  
Johnson that IAVA condemns were votes against war spending bills  
(including the Defense Authorization Act in the last Congress), which  
only incidentally included benefits for veterans.

Can such a dishonest attack against a Congressman pledged to vote  
against the war, promote the withdrawal you claim to favor? It can  
only hinder the opposition to this war, without being much help to  
veterans.

--C. G. Estabrook