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More Statesmanship, Less Salesmanship, Please . . . |
Current rating: 0 |
by Rep. Lynn Woolsey
(No verified email address) |
22 Aug 2005
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Having received no satisfactory answer [to my repeated requests for hearings on Iraq troop withdrawal], I decided to take matters into my own hands. On September 15, I am convening a hearing (modelled on the one organised by Rep John Conyers about the Downing Street Memos), where we’ll hear from academics, military personnel and other experts about strategies to achieve military disengagement while still playing a constructive role in the rebuilding of Iraqi society. |
The war in Iraq, now entering its 30th month, seemingly brings a new atrocity or source of shame every day. The American death toll is approaching 2,000, with August on track to be one of the war’s deadliest months.
And let’s not forget the wounded, the victims of post-traumatic stress syndrome and the tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians senselessly killed so that their nation could be ‘liberated’.
Throughout this year, I have been calling for the president to bring our troops home to their families as soon as realistically possible. I have repeatedly requested hearings on Iraq troop withdrawal.
But having received no satisfactory answer, I decided to take matters into my own hands. On September 15, I am convening a hearing (modelled on the one organised by Rep John Conyers about the Downing Street Memos), where we’ll hear from academics, military personnel and other experts about strategies to achieve military disengagement while still playing a constructive role in the rebuilding of Iraqi society.
The insurgents show no sign of relenting; after all, it is the US-led occupation itself that is fuelling their violent fervour. They are using more powerful weapons, and many of them have infiltrated the Iraqi security forces.
Directly contradicting Vice President Dick Cheney, who recently insisted that the insurgency was in its “last throes,” an anonymous military official told the Washington Post last week that the insurgents “certainly are not going to pack up and go away, there’s no doubt about it.”
The Iraqi constitution is shaping up to be weaker on women’s rights than even the regime of that famous egalitarian, Saddam Hussain. As the editors of The New Republic put it: “The idea that 1,800 American troops died so Iraqi women could enjoy the full blessings of religious medievalism ought to disturb the Bush administration and the American people.”
Earlier this month, we learned of a November 2003 incident in which soldiers stuffed an Iraqi general in a sleeping bag, tied him up with a cord, and beat him to death. Cause of death, as announced by the military: natural causes. We’ve discovered over the last year that Abu Ghraib was just the tip of the torture iceberg. But not a single military higher-up has been held accountable.
This past week, however, someone was disciplined. Four-Star Gen Kevin Byrnes was relieved of his command ... for having a consensual adulterous relationship with a civilian woman, eventhough he was separated from his wife at the time. The message is clear: Sadistic interrogation techniques? Good work. Extramarital romance? Clean out your desk.
Meanwhile, President Bush breezily enjoys his vacation, largely oblivious to the fact that roughly two-thirds of the American people disapprove of his Iraq policy. And obviously ignoring the fact that a woman named Cindy Sheehan – a friend of mine from Vacaville, California – stands outside his ranch waiting to get some answers about the war that killed her 24-year-old son. The president still refuses to meet with her.
Our famously steadfast president is suddenly vacillating quite regularly. The last few weeks has seen the White House flip and then flop about whether the United States will be increasing its military commitment in Iraq or drawing down some time next year (in time, conveniently, for the 2006 midterm elections).
And there’s still convincing evidence that we’re preparing to have permanent military bases in Iraq. All this from the same president who built a case for re-election on the fact that John Kerry was sending ‘mixed messages’ on Iraq.
The White House cannot even make up its mind about what to call this war. The tried-and-true ‘Global War on Terrorism’ appeared to give way to ‘Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism’, before the president distanced himself from that phrase a week later.
How distressing that energy is being wasted on slogans and catchphrases, as if this were a marketing campaign for a new line of detergent. More statesmanship, less salesmanship, please. Everything about this war has been a ruinous debacle: the way we got into it, the way we’ve conducted it, the refusal of a plan for disengagement, the high price – in dollars and lives – we’ve paid for it. It must end as soon as possible. There is only one solution: bring the troops home. – KRT
US Representative Lynn Woolsey is a Democrat from California. Readers may write to her at: 2263 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.
© 2005 Rep. Lynn Woolsey |
Copyright by the author. All rights reserved. |
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Petition Launched in Support of Exit Strategy for Iraq |
by Progressive Democrats of America
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
23 Aug 2005
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Congressional Hearings Scheduled for Next Month
WASHINGTON - August 23 - Last week, two organizations seeking an end to the Iraq War, began collecting signatures on a petition to Congress calling for an exit strategy. Thus far over 13,000 signatures have been collected on the websites of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and Peace Action.
The petition, whose chief author is PDA Cofounder Tom Hayden, can be read at http://www.pdamerica.org or http://www.peace-action.org It will be delivered to members of Congress on September 15.
A growing number of organizations are promoting the petition, including: After Downing Street, National Organization for Women (NOW), Democrats.com, Women's Action for New Directions, Peace Majority, and others.
On May 25, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey introduced on the floor of the House an amendment that would have called on President Bush to develop a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. forces and a plan for the reconstruction of Iraq. 123 Democrats and 5 Republicans voted in favor of the amendment.
Today Rep. Woolsey said: "Everything about this war has been a ruinous debacle: the way we got into it, the way we've conducted it, the refusal of a plan for disengagement, the high price - in dollars and lives - we've paid for it. It must end as soon as possible. There is only one solution: bring the troops home."
Woolsey has for months requested official bipartisan hearings on an exit strategy, but been blocked by Republican committee chairs. This week she announced unofficial hearings to be held on Capitol Hill on September 15.
The second week of September will witness two opposing events in Washington, D.C., a pro-war march and concert sponsored by the Pentagon on September 11, and the first serious discussion of an exit strategy in Congress four days later.
An op-ed on this issue by Congresswoman Woolsey is posted at http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2008
Rally Planned Outside White House Following Hearings
PDA, the After Downing Street Coalition, and Code Pink will sponsor a rally in Lafayette Square Park, across from the White House, at 5 p.m. ET on September 15. Members of Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace, and Iraq Veterans Against the War have been invited to speak.
State Democratic Parties Support Withdrawal
This past weekend, the Arizona Democratic Party became the seventh state Democratic party to pass a resolution in favor of bringing all troops home from Iraq.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2016
Statements
"The petition was developed as part of PDA's ongoing effort to build an authentic anti-war voice inside the Democratic Party. Since its founding at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004, PDA has successfully led efforts to pass resolutions opposing the U.S. war in Iraq at state Democratic Party meetings in California, New Mexico, and Massachusetts and most recently at the annual convention of Young Democrats of America."
- PDA director Tim Carpenter
"The majority of Americans are anti-war and over 13,000 thousand have signed a petition to Congress with a statement of principles on how to get out of Iraq. The hearing on an exit strategy being held by Representative Woolsey is an example of Congress doing what it was supposed to do—represent the will of the people of America. After the hearings, the voice of the anti-war majority will rally at the White House and make the President think he's back in Crawford."
-Kevin M. Martin, executive director of the Peace Action Education Fund
"The American people want an exit strategy for George Bush's disastrous war in Iraq. Rep. Lynn Woolsey and Progressive Democrats of America are stepping up and providing the leadership the American people want. It's high time George Bush started listening to the champions of peace, rather than the champions of never-ending war."
- Bob Fertik, President of Democrats.com
"If we continue to build this movement in the coming weeks, it will become harder for members of Congress in either party to have a reelection strategy without having an exit strategy for Iraq. I won't be surprised if some Republicans participate on the 15th. Whether they do or not, the Democratic Party will have moved a large step closer to having an identity for which people can vote next year. Citizens who want an exit strategy should call their Congress Members and Senators and ask them to take part in this event."
-David Swanson, Co-Founder After Downing Street Coalition |
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