WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) today sent an open letter to Cindy Sheehan, mother of Iraq War casualty Casey Sheehan, as she resumes her vigil outside President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. Text of the Honda letter is as follows:

Open Letter to Cindy Sheehan

August 30, 2005

Dear Mrs. Sheehan,

I write to express my condolences on the death of your son, Casey, and to commend you for the bold and inspired stance you have taken against the war in Iraq. As President George Bush enjoys his six-week vacation, your presence in Crawford, Texas has been a poignant and constant reminder to him and to all Americans that military families have no reprieve from the death of a loved one.

The moral clarity that underlies your activism has moved many Americans to focus renewed attention on the true costs of the war in Iraq. Almost 1,900 U.S. service members have now perished, and the insurgency responsible for the vast majority of these deaths remains strong and lethal. Sadly, U.S. casualties will almost certainly mount, as will the number of Iraqi civilian deaths—a total number that the Pentagon is reluctant to even estimate. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has been forced to backtrack on its rationale for the war, as well as misguided tactical decisions that most certainly have exposed our troops to greater risk.

U.S. troops are bogged down in a quagmire in Iraq. President Bush is long overdue in providing all Americans, especially those who have lost family members in Iraq, an explanation of the war’s rationale, its overall strategy, and a timeline for a U.S. withdrawal. Given the many questions about the war, President Bush should, at the very least, interrupt his summer break to meet with military families who have lost loved ones and defend his policies. On August 10, 2005, thirty-seven of my House colleagues and I sent President Bush a letter requesting that he meet with you and other relatives of fallen soldiers. I am disheartened that President Bush has not yet scheduled this meeting.

I admire all that you have achieved, and I know you will continue to energize an anti-war movement that champions above all peace and respect for life. Please know that you have friends in the Congress who share your goals. I hope that you will call on us when we can be helpful.

Sincerely,

MICHAEL M. HONDA
Member of Congress