Rep. Doris Matsui's own words doom US troops in Iraq to 'unending hell'

NEWS ADVISORY: Rep. Doris Matsui's own words doom US troops in Iraq to 'unending hell'

Date: January 25, 2007 2:05:53 PM PST

To: Recipient list suppressed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci, Sacramento Coalition to End the War, 916/996-9170


Rep. Doris Matsui ‘dooms' US troops in Iraq
to ‘hell,' continues to mislead constituents,
charges coalition in 3rd week of Peace-In

SACRAMENTO – A statement released today by Rep. Doris Matsui suggests she
will not use Congress' power to cut off new funding for the Iraq war, thus
dooming US troops to death and injury, said the Sacramento Coalition to End
the War, which is in Day 13 of a "peace-in" inside her district offices here.

Rep. Matsui, in the statement, said she would use the funding issue to
pressure the President to not send additional troops to Iraq, but suggested
she won't do it for those already there: "Concern about the safety of
troops who are already in harms way is one thing; sending more into harms
way is quite another altogether," she said.

In effect, said the Coalition, Rep. Matsui will fight to prevent the
President from sending an additional 20,000 or more new troops to Iraq, but
she won't use the power of the purse strings to protect those already there.

"We are very disappointed in Rep. Matsui. Her own words doom our troops now
in Iraq to an unending hell," said Maggie Coulter, president of Peace
Action, a coalition member.

Coulter said Rep. Matsui's words explain why the lawmaker has refused –
despite nearly 3 weeks of daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. protests in her office –
to agree to not vote for any further funding for the war, the sole request
from the peace coalition.

"Rep. Matsui misleads her constituents when she says she is opposed to the
war, and wants to bring them home. She has not signed onto any meaningful
legislation to do that, while mouthing words claiming she wants the war to
end. Every minute, every hour, every day Rep. Matsui, and others in
Congress like her, play politics, US troops die, and are maimed in this
war. The political games must end. This war and occupation must end," said
Coulter.