Good panel discussion tonight at Chapel Hill High School [View All]

[Mist]

Sponsored by Orange County Democratic Party

Panelists: Rep. David Price, Ray McGovern, Prof. Bruce Jentleson of Duke, and Prof. Sarah Shields of UNC. Moderated by Jack Sanders, Chair of Orange County Democratic Party

Agreement that the US needs to get out of Iraq, but not agreement on when. Prof. Jentleson thought setting a date actually not good, but felt we should announce our intentions to leave, and show our intention to leave by capping troops deployed. He feels that we do need international allies helping us in Iraq because it's in their interests, too. By "helping" he doesn't mean troops, but support for Iraq after our withdrawl. Prof. Shields felt that immediate withdrawl would cut down on the violence and insurgency, which she feels our presence increased. Ray McGovern was, as always, terrific. Mentioned the "white man's burden" mindset of the neo-cons. Says according to other old CIA types that he's in touch with, we have only a "tenuous hope that civil war in Iraq can be avoided," but thinks "staying the course" is neither honest nor realistic. Says there's few honest realists in US or British foreign policy these days. He also thinks the US in Iraq attracts and increases violence. He feels we need to totally renounce creating permanent military bases in Iraq, and we need to renounce claim to Iraq oil. He said:If the answer to the question "would you advise your son, daughter, grandson, niece to go to Iraq?" is "No" then we have no moral imperative to insist that others do so. Rep. Price was disappointing--started strong in wanting troops home, but wound down to a lot of political puffery and fence-sitting nothings. Feels the Democrats need to present a unified front in Congress re: bring the troops home.