Murray needs to strongly dissent

Columnist Helen Thomas recently wrote an article asserting that many Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton have shown lack of political spine for failing to confront the Bush administration on its failed policies in Iraq and elsewhere.

We seem to have our own home-grown enabler in Sen. Patty Murray, who recently voted in favor of the Lieberman-Kyl amendment, which would seem to give George Bush the ability to unilaterally declare war on Iran, dragging us ever deeper into the Middle East quagmire.

Although the amendment was ultimately watered down, it seems aimed at adding fuel to the conflagration in Iraq by bringing us ever closer to a military confrontation with Iran. Whatever her reasoning might have been in giving further cover to the failed policies of the Bush administration, Sen. Murray would do well to rethink her position.

Those who are against having the U.S. dragged ever deeper into the Middle Eastern killing fields should call or write Patty Murray and tell her to oppose any bombing in Iran and to be more assertive in confronting the administration against its push to widen the conflict in the Middle East.

Donald McKim

Lynnwood

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