councilor.org
| Source | Judy Denison |
| Date | 07/12/02/20:23 |
| [From: Jared Polis Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:28 AM]
[Note: Polis is running for US Congress from Colorado’s 2nd District – not Golden – but we are all interested in Iraq.] …Our men and women in uniform are doing an excellent job. They are working hard and doing their best in an unfathomably difficult situation that they never should have been placed in. I conveyed our deep gratitude and appreciation for their hard work. The situation in Iraq is worse than we thought or the media portrays: 1. America’s use of mercenaries is even more widespread than reports indicate. Peruvian, Angolan, Ugandan, South African, Chiliean and other corporate-employed mercenaries man most of the military checkpoints. 2. The national Iraqi government is isolated and impotent, with many ministries empty and members of parliament unable to safely leave the military-controlled zone; many members of parliament have fled the country leaving vacant seats. 3. Warlords and gangs, many of them in league with various political parties and factions, fight for control of Baghdad neighborhood by neighborhood. 4. 1 in 6 Iraqis has fled the country, exporting the instability across the region. 5. Corruption is rampant and on the rise. 6. There is no real plan for Iraq. I wrote up some of my findings and have posted them on the web: First report: I am going to Iraq Second report: My Arrival in Amman, Jordan Third Report: Arrival in Baghdad Fourth report: In Iraq for Thanksgiving Fifth Report: Inside a private mercenary compound Sixth report: Exporting instability: Iraqi refugees in Jordan Upon my return, I will formulate and share some thoughts about what you can do as an individual to help Iraq. I will also be analyzing America’s policy options to bring the troops home safely and play a constructive role in establishing regional stability and security and would love your input; please email me any thoughts or ideas. --Jared Polis, Candidate for US Congress from Colorado www.polisforcongress.com |
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