The Honorable Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301

Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:

I am writing to express my frustration over the Administration’s continued failure to set benchmarks for the drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq and for the return of the National Guard. As such, I request that you immediately make public to the American people what plan—if any—exists for a significant reduction in force levels after the upcoming elections in Iraq.

During Tuesday’s press conference, you suggested that it might be necessary to increase U.S. forces in Iraq in advance of parliamentary elections scheduled for December 15. Specifically, you said that: “it would not be a surprise” if “commanders would want to have some sort of overlap there.” While I understand your desire to provide a secure environment for the upcoming elections, I am extremely concerned that you provided no mention of a plan to begin a draw-down of U.S. forces from Iraq post-election.

The American people have been told a number of times to expect a drawdown of U.S. forces. Shortly after the fall of Baghdad, media reports indicated that the Administration had plans to reduce U.S. forces in Iraq to 30,000 by fall 2003. When the insurgency made this impossible, plans were revised to seek a reduction to 50,000 troops by the end of 2005. Yet it is now November 2005, and there are 158,000 troops in Iraq—and you are suggesting that this figure may actually increase. This continued uncertainty is untenable. Over 2,000 troops have lost their lives, more than 15,300 have been wounded, and the security situation continues to deteriorate. It is time to level with the American people about when our forces—especially the National Guard—will begin to return home.

Thank you for your consideration of this very important request.

Sincerely,