Joe Sestak served for 31 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring in 1995 as a three-star admiral. Concerned with President Bush's policies, both foreign and domestic, in 2006 Sestak ran for the U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, challenging an entrenched Republican incumbent. Now he is running for reelection.

Sestak unseated veteran Republican Rep. Curt Weldon. Weldon had represented the district for twenty years and was known as a foreign policy maverick. While Weldon was a strong supporter of President Bush on the war, he also made accusations that the Pentagon had covered up warnings about the 9/11 attacks. The failed missile defense shield was Weldon's pet project and the "hallmark" of his years in Congress. His long tenure was also dogged by allegations of corruption.

Although Sestak entered the race late because of his daughter's brain cancer, now in remission, he quickly stunned political observers with the intensity of his campaign. Sestak made the war in Iraq the centerpiece of his campaign. As the commander of an aircraft carrier battlegroup in the Persian Gulf during the run-up to the war, Sestak had predicted the military disaster in Iraq. The voters gave Sestak a solid 56% victory.

Since coming to Washington, DC, Sestak has been a vocal advocate of bringing our troops home from Iraq. Capitalizing on his seat on the Armed Services Committee and his stature as the highest ranking retired military officer ever elected to the House of Representatives, he has made informed analyses of why and how we should bring our troops home in speeches to Congress and the public.

After General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker gave their rosy assessment of the state of the war in September, Sestak observed:

"Their presentations in no way provided for the comprehensive discussion and debate that needs to occur in our nation about Iraq...I have always believed in a planned end to our military engagement in Iraq, and that such a "date certain" deadline will force Iraqi leaders to assume responsibility, while providing Iran and Syria the incentive to prevent violence otherwise caused by our departure."

A number of supporters of President Bush are lining up to challenge him in the 2008 election, and they are sure to enjoy generous support from the Republican national party.

You can help keep this forceful advocate of reasoned foreign policies in office by making a check out the "Sestak for Congress" and mailing it to Council for a Livable World or by donating online at http://clw.org/contribute.

This message paid for by Council for a Livable World Candidate Fund and authorized by Sestak for Congress Committee.