A very dangerous “consensus” is taking shape in DC. Supporting the idea of sending more troops to help control events in Iraq would be positive development. McCain’s idea is being echoed elsewhere. It looks like Bush, after years of saying that there was no need, may finally try this desperate ploy. It is a disaster, for the US and the world. If the Democratic leadership in any way supports this policy, it will be a disaster for the Democratic Party as well.
It reminds me of the “consensus” for the Iraq War Resolution. It just seemed for too many that it was a done deal, that it was political suicide to oppose it, so this resolution, co-sponsored by Jesse Helms, John Edwards and Joe Lieberman and others, passed the Senate overwhelmingly. That measure passed 77-23 in the Senate, a majority of Dems voting in favor (despite the wishes of most grassroots Democrats). It passed by a slightly smaller margin in the House, 296-133. This gave Bushites the fig leaf of legitimacy for sending troops into Vietna… uhh… I mean Iraq. Despite the fact that this was NOT a declaration of war, and that the US Constitution says that only congress can declare war. It is a vote many of us thought at the time was criminal. Millions and millions of people organized against the war, even before it began, and condemned this bipartisan act of lunacy. Yet Bush charged ahead.
It took years in some cases for politicians to express their regrets. Some of these may be sincere, some as the result of reading opinion polls on the war. Whatever.
We are now here. We are now at the proverbial crossroads.
Is US policy going to follow the clear will of the people expressed last November to bring the troops home, or are we going to escalate this conflict, putting more troops in danger in what will be fruitless effort to save a failed policy of US aggression? In a New York Times article of Dec 17, Harry Reid of Nevada, a backer of the Iraq War Resolution, said he could support a troop increase only if it were temporary. “If it’s for a surge, that is, for two or three months, and it’s part of a program to get us out of there as indicated by this time next year, then, sure, I’ll go along with it.”
Why? Would it not only be a bigger investment in a losing strategy? Even from a military point of view, what good will it do? Most military analysts see the troops there for a few months will do no good whatsoever. They must make a commitment of years, not months. The Iraqi people, no doubt, will also make then make a commitment of years to resist this occupation.
We must not let political leaders make this mistake again. We must not let our future be one of endless war and aggression against other nations. We must not let more soldiers be killed for a lie, or kill for a lie.
We must be on the streets calling for the troops to be returned home to the US. Not fighting and killing and dying to salvage a failed policy of military aggression. We must support GI’s that are calling an end to the killing, and refusing to participate, they not only should not be prosecuted, they must be honored, and we should demand that our political representatives support their rights. We must listen to those who have witnessed war crimes in Iraq, committed by US forces under criminal leadership, holding military leadership accountable as well as Bush and his allies.
We must be on the streets. And call our families and friends to be on the streets to end this madness. Don't let politicians escalate this war!
See you on the streets January 27th. And every opportunity you get.
http://www.unitedforpeace.org
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