Please critique my letter to my Congressman

[NewJeffCT]

He is Rob Simmons in Connecticut, a conservative who is trying to wrap himself in the moderate flag. With some inspiration from the Center for American Progress, I wanted to get his stance on some issues:
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Representative Simmons,

I am a voter in your district and am very concerned about the Iraq War. I would like your answers to some questions, if you please. Your prompt response would be appreciated.

First, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska recently said that changes needed to be made in Iraq or we will lose. Do you agree with his assessment, do you support President Bush's policy of staying the course or do you support another alternative? If you do agree, what changes do you think need to be made? If you do not agree, what parts of the President's policies give you hope for a better Iraq or what alternative should be used?

Second, recent revelations indicate that the Vice President's office withheld key intelligence information from Congress before the initial Iraq War resolution vote. And, the White House's hand-picked weapons inspector Charles Duerfler said that sanctions and containment would have kept WMD out of Iraq's hands indefinitely. Duerfler's assessment agrees with statements made by former Secretary of State Powell and current Secretary of State Rice in 2001 well prior to the Iraq vote. Knowing what you know now, would you still vote to authorize the Iraq war?

Thank you for your time.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Nice and calm, but still seeking culpability, both types subjective and a.

good old yes or no.

[NewJeffCT]

5. I think calm & rational letters get more response

Or, if I send an LTTE into a newspaper, something calm is more likely to get published than a obscenity laced rant, no matter how justified the rant is... and, certainly Team Bush has given us all a ton of reasons to rant!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. can I recommend a question about rendition and torture?

or would that make the letter too strong?

something like:

"I am very proud of all the extremely hard work our boys and girls have done to defend our country. But another issue is beginning to keep me up at nights. I was brought up to believe that America was the beacon of democracy and freedom. My own family came here to escape persecution. I am very troubled by the idea that our govenment refuses to apply the Geneva conventions and that it might be using cruel and inhuman actions on prisoners of war. That is not the America I know and love. Please tell me your position on the Senate version of the Defense Appropriations bill which would ban torture and cruel and unusual punishment."

[H2O Man]

3. Looks good!

Let us know what you hear back from him.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Thanks

I will do that

Do you think I should add in the bit on torture?