I have faxed identical letters to Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman Bill Young to commemorate today's 5th year anniversary of the tragedy in Iraq. Numerous patriots, humanitarians and peace activists are out in force around Central Florida, and the U.S. to show grief, remorse and respect for the fallen and wounded. If you'd like to fax your own, the contact numbers are below.

March 19, 2008

The Honorable Congressman Bill Young 360 Central Avenue St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

Dear Congressman Young;

A broad-based coalition of social, religious, humanitarian and justice groups from Central Florida have organized a day of mourning, meditation and reflection on this day – the 5th Anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.

I use the term occupation, not war. When concrete barriers, barbed wire and biometric scans are used to allow people into their neighborhoods, it is an occupation.

When Kissinger protégée and CPA Czar Paul Bremer delivered Bearing Point’s 100 orders to Baghdad on May 16, 2003, the Iraqi Army was dissolved, over 120,000 of Iraq’s most experienced civil servants were fired, all “tariffs, customs, duties, import taxes, licensing fees and similar surcharges for good entering or leaving Iraq” were suspended, all foreign contractors were given freedom from all income taxes, corporate taxes or sales taxes, Order 14 clamped down the media while Order #39 paved the way for privatization of Iraq – State owned resources,Order #81 opens the door for genetically modified seeds for Iraqi farmers and the U.S. Embassy was built on the backs of trafficked immigrant labor, whose passports were taken and for whom medical care was superfluous.

This is an occupation.

When over one million Iraqis have been killed, and another four million are refugees, it is an occupation.

When the Washington Post reports a story reports “labs in a box” – as a product of the Joint Expeditionary Facilities Project – with biometric programs that, according to creator Ahn Duong, discover “on the spot” whether one is on the terrorist watch list. Once “discovered” they can be killed. On the spot.

This is an occupation. Not a war.

When hundreds of Iraq Veterans gather in Washington, D.C., to tell the stories of rules of engagement that have deteriorated into chaos and non existence. Jason Lemieux served four years and ten months in the Marine infantry. His testimony is available here.

He was told he could shoot anyone that would not move when he told them to, even though he didn’t speak Arabic. Then, in January of 2004, his mission commander told him that their mission was , “ to kill those who need to be killed and save those who need to be saved.”

Finally, they were told “that everyone on the streets was considered an enemy combatants.

This is a war crime. You are compliant in supporting the ongoing war crimes of this administration.

Three trillion dollars is now the estimate of the cost, with no end in sight. That you continue to support a President who is not grounded in reality causes me to question your judgment and demands that I ask you to reconsider your positions.

Torture is now made legal. Our right to dissent is under attack. Our civil liberties are thwarted and our system of Justice gravely wounded. Yet you sit and support the policies of this rogue administration. Thousands will lose their homes due to predatory lending practices. Our infrastructure is rotting, our schools failing, our veterans are committing suicide and 50% of the American people cannot afford healthcare.

60% of our tax dollars go to weapons: guns, bombs, bullets, the U.S. Space Command,, nearly 10,000 nuclear warheads and over 737 military bases in 130 countries. Are we an empire? Or are we a Constitutional Republic?

History will judge you, and the others. Until then, we the people are fighting to take back our country into the hands of the people, not the corporations who through their lobbying and greed have kept the system of greed running, as well as have kept you in office.

We urge you to change course and recognize the obvious. The U.S. was wrong to go in to Iraq and we have inflamed passions against us throughout the globe. It is time to say we are sorry, and have a moral end to this tragedy.

Samm Simpson Dunedin, Florida 727 734 4192 samm@sammsimpsonforcongress.com

P.S. If you have similar feelings, please consider joining our campaign: holding a gathering at your home, making phone calls, sharing some hard earned dollars - any amount - canvassing your neighborhood or sharing our message with your web friends, all outreach is valuable.

This is OUR country. Let's take it back.

Contact Information: Senator Bill Nelson Tampa Phone 813 225 7040 Tampa Fax 813-225-7050 Washington, D.C. Fax: 202-228-2183

Congressman Bill Young St. Petersburg Phone 727 893 3191 St. Petersburg Fax 727 893 3126 Washington, D.C. Fax 202 224 7050