CITIZEN ALERT v1.138THE JOE BIDEN SHOW

Look for the Joe Biden show to open in January on news channels everywhere as he goes on a "you're stupid, I'm not" tour of Washington D.C.

Dear friends,

As President Bush prepares to announce a new strategy for Iraq, one idea has emerged as his leading option: to surge more troops into Baghdad in a last ditch effort to stabilize the city.

There is one big problem with that option: in the absence of a political settlement among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, it will not work. We've tried the military surge option before and it failed.

If we try it again, it will fail again.

And surging our forces in Baghdad risks terrible consequences: more American lives lost and more unbearable strain on our military for no strategic gain. If the President proposes escalation in Iraq, I will oppose him and so will many of my colleagues in Congress.

In January, I intend to hold a series of hearings in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Iraq. I have already invited Secretary of State Rice to testify. It is my hope that these hearings will generate a bipartisan consensus around the best way to move forward in Iraq and convince the President that "surging" additional forces into Baghdad is not the answer.

I will send further updates about these hearings and the situation in Iraq soon. Until then, I wish you a safe and happy New Year.

Sincerely,
Joe Biden