Ted Lieu and Rubén Gallego Say No to Military Parade

Responding to Donald Trump's plans for a grand military parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, Congressmen Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) and Ted Lieu (D-CA), both veterans who served in Iraq, said a parade makes little sense financially or in terms of international relations. In a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis, the pair write, "A parade of this kind would represent a significant waste of tax dollars. At a time when Congress is wrestling with how best to recapitalize our military and better protect the force after 17 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, resources should be deployed to enhance military readiness and warfighting, not wasted on such a pointless display." They go on to say, "[w]e are concerned that this spectacle will send the wrong message to a global audience.  We believe American exceptionalism is rooted in the power of our democratic ideals, not of our military hardware." Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq war vet who lost both her legs in Iraq, also weighed in: "This parade would not only waste millions of taxpayer dollars, it would also cost our military precious time and resources. Our troops in danger overseas don't need a show of bravado, they need steady leadership, long-term funding and resources so they can stay safe while protecting and defending our nation." Why the president is choosing to fund pageantry instead of investing in areas that could measurably improve the lives of veterans is a question no one from the White House has been able to answer. Read the full letter from Lieu and Gallego here.