NH Citizens Should be "Outraged" by Sununu's Stalling Tactics on Iraq Resolution
Stonyfield Farm CEO Hirshberg calls on Senator to take public stand on President's Iraq Strategy
Concord, NH -- February 6, 2006 -- "Pure and pathetic political posturing" is how New Hampshire businessman Gary Hirshberg describes New Hampshire Senators Sununu's and Gregg's blockage of yesterday's attempted nonbinding Iraq resolution.
"New Hampshire citizens should be outraged that our two senators cannot do the one job that they have been elected to perform, namely to take a position," says Hirshberg, President and CEO of Stonyfield Farm, Inc.
"Their fear of taking a stand and going on the record either in support of, or against the President's plan is reprehensible and a shirking of their duties to represent our citizens' interests," adds Hirshberg, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Sununu's senate seat:
"Do our Senators not have opinions on the question of troop escalation? Clearly that is not possible. The average New Hampshire 7th grader can state exactly where she stands on a matter that has such a direct impact on our soldiers and their families. The only conceivable explanation is that they do not wish to go on the record."
Hirshberg notes admiringly that at least one Republican, Senator Susan Collins from neighboring Maine, had the courage to clearly state her position.
Hirshberg says he has not yet decided to enter the race against Sununu, whose term expires in 2008, but that he feels a need to speak out as a concerned and outraged citizen. He is still debating whether to give up his role as Stonyfield Farm Chairman and CEO to enter the race and has committed to a March 5th decision deadline.
"Every time I start to get comfortable with the idea that I should not run, Senator Sununu does something else that makes my blood boil," says Hirshberg.
"From his cowardly declaration that there is zero chance of enacting health care reform -- and surely there is no chance as long as we have that type of surrender mentality in our Senate -- to his continued lack of leadership on climate change and renewable energy reform -- even after an overwhelming consensus of the world's scientists have, for the nth time declared this to be a certainty -- to ducking his responsibility to the voters of NH and our country to tell us where he stands on the war, surely it is time for Senator Sununu to return to the real world and make way for capable and effective leadership."
Regarding Iraq, Hirshberg's view is that the troop escalation is a profound mistake, and that voters clearly expressed their opposition to the Administration'e execution of this war in November. Hirshberg feels strongly that the best way to support the troops is to remove them from a chaotic civil war that shows no sign of abating. "There's no reason that another 1,000 of America's young people should die for an effort that serves no vital US interest." He advocates immediate withdrawal of US troops and redeployment of a peace-keeping force to Iraq's northern border with Iran, while a more aggressive and international diplomatic effort can be pursued.
