America's Veterans Groups Blast the Democrats "Pork and Run" Bill

Via email:

America's top veterans organizations today condemned Congressional Democrats' "pork and retreat" approach to the Global War on Terror, as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) both issued bluntly worded statements condemning the Democrats' pork-laden war spending bill and supporting the President's veto threat.

The American Legion's release highlights strong views from the National Commander, Paul A. Morin:

"You don't have to be a military strategist to understand the advantage a withdrawal date gives to the enemy," said American Legion National Commander Paul A. Morin. "First the House passed a blueprint for disaster and now the Senate passes a recipe for surrender. . .The American Legion supports the troops. You cannot support the troops if you want them to cut and run. Congress authorized Operation Iraqi Freedom, now it needs to let the troops finish the job."

"Let's not repeat the mistakes of the past," Morin added, in a reference to the government's tragic decision to cut off funding for the Vietnam War though American troops had not lost a single battle. "The American people need to support the troops and their commander in chief, even if Congress won't."

"The American people did not elect 535 legislators to be armchair generals," Morin said. "It is outrageous that Congress would leave our troops on the battlefield without the funding that they need. It's time for the president to veto this surrender bill and for Congress to pass a serious war-funding bill, which would provide the money without the micro-management."

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) released a statement from its commander-in-chief, Gary Kurpius:

"[E]verybody wants the war to end, but using funding as a threat is dangerous because of the message it sends to the troops and to America 's allies," the VFW statement said.

"[T]he troops will see the votes in the House and Senate as pure partisan politics with their lives in the balance, while allies and enemies will see it as an example that America can't stomach a tough fight."

"America will not lose the war in Iraq because of enemy action; our defeat will be caused by the lack of American resolve to finish what it starts," Kurpius said.