Wrote my congresscritter today. Waste of time, most likely, but any little bit that nudges him towards helping to end the War in Iraq is a good thing.

Representative Johnson,

Thank you for your recent comments on the floor of the Congress regarding the Iraq War surge. Now, it's time to back up your words with action. I suggest following William S. Lind's suggestion and amending the Supplemental Appropriations bill. To wit:

"`Supporting the troops' is just another dodge. The only way to support the troops when a war is lost is to end the war and bring them home. Nor is it a challenge to design legislative language that both ends the war and supports the troops. All the Democratic majorities in Congress have to do is condition the funding for the Iraq war with the words, `No funds may be obligated or expended except for the withdrawal of all American forces from Iraq, and for such force protection actions as may be necessary during that withdrawal.' If Bush vetoes the bill, he vetoes continued funding for the war. If he signs the bill, ignores the legislative language and keeps fighting the war in the same old way, he sets himself up for impeachment.

"What's not to like?"

He goes on to predict that the Congressional Democrats will fail in this effort to stop the funding, basically because your leadership wants to drag this fiasco out past the 2008 elections. But while the GOP certainly deserves a good drubbing at the polls for allowing the White House to have its way, staying in Iraq one minute longer is simply going to cost American and Iraqi lives unnecessarily. War's over. Get the troops home. And like I told the nice young lady who answered the phone in your office this afternoon, your vote on the Supplemental Appropriations bill will tell us, your constituents, exactly where you stand on this issue. You're either for ending this disaster now, or for dragging it out for whatever reason. Please oppose the bill, unless it is amended as stated above. Bring the troops home now!

Postscript: On March 23, 2007, Johnson voted to pass H.R. 1591, "Making Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2007, and for Other Purposes." This bill provides $124 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I guess we know where he really stands.