On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq and began the Iraq War, a conflict that lasted for the next eight years. Before the invasion, Congress voted and passed the Iraq Resolution: a joint resolution authorizing military action against Iraq. John Duncan Jr., the representative of Tennessee's 2nd congressional district, voted against the resolution, making him one of only seven Republicans to do so. Rather than conform to popular opinion, Duncan made a choice that he believed would save countless lives and money. Duncan's opposition to the Iraq resolution and the war itself required immense political courage; this decision put Duncan's voter support at risk and forced him to overcome the obstacle of conflicting opinions. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The consequences of the Iraq War continue to plague both the United States and Iraq today. John “Jimmy” Duncan has consistently maintained his reputation as a man of the people. Without a doubt, Duncan made a conscious effort to connect with members of his community and organized “constituent days” where he met face-to-face with these people to discuss their concerns. By voting against the Iraq War, Duncan's decision directly conflicted with their opinion. Before the vote only “9% of Duncan voters opposed the war,” suggesting that 91% disagreed with him. By opposing the vast majority of his voters, Duncan jeopardized his strong relationship with them and jeopardized his own re-election: "As I pressed the button to vote against the war, I seriously wondered if I was ending my career politics," he recalls in an interview. Despite this risk, Duncan remained convinced that going to war with Iraq was not the best decision for the United States. He accentuated his core principle of limiting government spending, saying, “I just became convinced that these wars were more about money and power than a real threat to the United States.” Even in the face of losing the support of his constituents and the resulting risk of re-election, Duncan made a decision that he truly believed would benefit his country in the long run. Both before and after his vote, Duncan overcame opposing views. When Washington discovered that it might vote against the Iraq resolution, the White House held a meeting with Duncan in which the Secretary of State hoped to change his position. Regardless, he remained convinced that the Iraq War was neither necessary nor useful. "'Since you're going against every traditional conservative value... do you have any evidence of an imminent threat?' he asked.” Adhering to his initial position, on the day of the vote Duncan acted as “one of only seven Republicans to vote against the Iraq war.” a real reaction from his constituents and the general public. In Tennessee, “a Baptist church revoked an invitation to Duncan to lecture; a candidate clashed with him solely on the war.” his vote against the war in Iraq might have been the easier option, Duncan did not waver in his opinion. As the war continued and evidence came to light that Bush's reasoning for invading Iraq possessed flaws, the Duncan's vote gained more support. In fact, today Duncan considers this vote to be one of his most popular.”