Oklahoma Independent Media Center

Today's (6/2/07) Daily Oklahoman includes a guest editorial by Col. Katherine Scheirman, USAF (Ret.), identified as retired in 2006 after a 20-year career in the Air Force.

Her experienced and forceful statement is an important addition to the growing voices in Oklahoma against the war/occupation in Iraq.

Excerpt:

I met with Rep. Mary Fallin on Feb. 22 to discuss President Bush's plan for the military escalation ("surge”) in Iraq. During that meeting, I asked about projections for the numbers of additional casualties expected from Mr. Bush's plan. She told me she had heard nothing about casualty estimates. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had likewise testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January that there were no casualty projections.

As a military physician for 20 years, I know that door-to-door urban combat historically causes high numbers of casualties, and casualty estimates are required to plan military medical support. Fallin promised to look into it and get back to me. In spite of a follow-up email to her chief of staff, I have yet to receive a reply. Unfortunately, the facts on the ground confirmed my fears. April and May, with 104 and 117 American troops killed, have proved to be the deadliest two-month period since the war began.

Col. Scheirman goes on to ask "Why do we, the American people, allow this to continue?" and responds: "Some of the blame goes to the media, which focuses our attention on trivia, while relegating the Iraq war to the back pages."

"We must demand better from our media and our politicians." she concludes, calling on Oklahomans and all Americans to bring the war "that has strengthened al-Qaida, Iran and Syria, while severely undermining our own national security" front and center during this upcoming election season.