McGovern tells House liberals his plan to bring troops home (SD Argus Leader)

[laststeamtrain]

McGovern tells House liberals his plan to bring troops home

Former S.D. senator wants international police force to take over in Iraq
By Faith Bremner
Argus Leader Washington Bureau
PUBLISHED: November 17, 2006

WASHINGTON - Emboldened by Democrats' victory at the ballot box, a small group of House liberals brought former South Dakota Sen. George McGovern to Capitol Hill on Thursday to discuss his new book and ideas for ending the Iraq War.

McGovern, a leading voice against the Vietnam War and the Democrats' candidate for president in 1972, spoke to about a dozen members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus along with his co-author, Middle East expert William Polk.

The 84-year-old McGovern advocates pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq over a six-month period, starting at the end of December, and setting up an international police force composed of members from Muslim countries to keep the peace.

The book also calls for the United States to provide money to Iraq to create an effective national police force and to rebuild infrastructure, for U.S. forces to cease construction of semi-permanent military bases in the country, and for an independent accounting of Iraqi government funds.

After the closed-door meeting, McGovern rejected conservatives' claims that his visit signals that House Democrats are going off the liberal deep end.

"I don't think it's liberal to save American lives ... to save about $8 billion a month, which is what the war is now costing," McGovern told reporters. "That ought to appeal to conservatives."

<more>

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061117/NEWS02/611170321/1001/NEWS
*

The Way Out of War
A blueprint for leaving Iraq now
Posted on Wednesday, November 8, 2006. Originally from October 2006. By George S. McGovern and William R. Polk.
http://www.harpers.org/TheWayOutOfWar.html
*

George McGovern's Return to Capitol Hill

By KEVIN ZEESE

Former Senator and U.S. presidential candidate George McGovern came to Capitol Hill to advocate for a responsible exit from Iraq. He spoke at an event organized by the Congressional Progressive Caucus of staffers and advocates on November 16, 2006 in the Congress. He was joined by his colleague and co-author, Professor William Polk, who has broad foreign policy experience, particular understanding of insurgencies to occupation as well as expertise on Iraq, a country he first visited in 1946.
<more>

http://www.counterpunch.org/zeese11172006.html
*

I like George McGovern for a lot of different reasons. I disagree with him on some things but hell you never forget your first...

[MasonJar]

1. Wow! That sounds like a viable plan to me. n/t