O’Neill: My questions for Gen. Petraeus
Bill recorded the video below on Sunday, April 6, discussing Gen. Petraeus' testifying before Congress this week. (Full press release below.)
Submit your own question for Gen. Petraeus here.
Press release:
Candidate and Veteran calls on Congress to ask the tough questions
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio (April 7, 2008) – Democratic congressional candidate Bill O’Neill released a list of questions today that he would ask General David Petraeus. In a video message, O’Neill called on Congress to ask the tough questions and demand straight answers from the commanding general in Iraq when he and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testify before Senate and House committees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It is well past the time that Congress demand accountability from our military leaders in Iraq and in Washington. The American people deserve straight answers, and so I expect Congress to ask tough questions of General Petraeus,” O’Neill said. “We already know this war is costing American taxpayers $10 billion a month while the Iraqi government is running a budget surplus. This is money we’re borrowing from China and from our children and grandchildren.
“The question that needs to be asked is how is our current policy making us safer and why we wouldn’t be better off spending that money to address problems at home?”
O’Neill, who earned the Bronze Star in Vietnam, retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2002, and his son Shawn served in Iraq. He is one of 40 Democratic congressional challengers who have endorsed the “Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq,” authored by former military leaders, including the former commanding general who oversaw the security transition in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. O’Neill listed several questions he would ask Gen. Petraeus, if he were in Congress today:
1. How is our presence in Iraq making us safer and why wouldn’t we be better off spending the money we’re spending in Iraq to address the problems we face at home?
2. What is our strategy to win the war In Iraq, and what do you define as "winning"?
3. The intelligence community has agreed that the largest national security threat to Americans is the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Why then are the vast majority of our military’s resources in Iraq?
4. Senator McCain has said we could be in Iraq for 100 years or longer. How long do you perceive a need for American troops to be in Iraq?
5. More than 25% of soldiers on their third or fourth tours in Iraq are suffering mental health problems. What are we doing to help these troops and veterans?
6. Do you believe that we ought to be paying our men and women in uniform a higher salary? Do you believe that every veteran ought to have free health care for life?
“I expect the same honesty from General Petraeus this week that we saw last year when he admitted that there is no military solution to Iraq. And I expect this to be a turning point in Congress’ decision to lead us out of this war,” he said. “More than anything, this is a question of resources. At home, our economy is at the breaking point and we are pouring our funds into this war. Abroad, our military is spread thin and its readiness is in question. It’s time to put America first.”
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