Good or bad idea - please tell me what you think

[mdmc]

Hello DU. Another anti-war Dem has stepped up to challenge Hillary Clinton in her reelection bid in NYS. Please check out this site http://www.tasinifornewyork.org/ .
Do you think it would be wise to support such a candidate?
I'm anti war, but I'm a Democrat. Hillary is destined to win, so why take her to the mat? Well, my friends, this will be as close as we get to having an war debate with one of Bush's war hawks (I think Joe Lieberman and Hill are both hawkish, but I respect their party affiliation).

So what say you, DU - should I support a primary?

[acmavm]

1. Yes. Hillary needs to be shown that her pandering to the right isn't

endearing her to antiwar dems. She's got this idea that the Clinton mystique is her magic ticket to fame and stardom (the presidency) and it ain't necessarily so. I think there's bigger fish to fry than the flag burners and the video game companies. And I do not see a future for anyone who hems and haws about this war. WE NEED OUT OF IRAQ. They've existed as a country in one form or another for thousands of years. Now with what we've done to them they are guaranteed to despise us for as at least that long. But there's nothing we can do over there, and we need to quit murdering those people.

Go for it.

[mdmc]

2. I'm anti war, but feel that we cannot leave Iraq

"in for a penny, in for a pound"

We owe Iraq stability. Whether we provide it ourselves, or simply pay for it (and let the Russians do it?), we need to secure and occupy Iraq. Once your in, you really can't get out. That is why GHWB didn't take out Saddam.

We can only leave when Iraq is stable (we still have to fight a civil war over there), or the UN takes over. We ain't goin nowhere soon!

[acmavm]

4. One of the main, if not the main, reason for the instability is the

occupation. So, how does staying bring stability. Over 80% of the Iraqis say they want us out. So, you're saying that just because they want us gone is no reason to leave? We should stay and fix what we broke? Well, more breakage occurs every day that we're there.

I knew better than to answer this post. They're always lose/lose propositions.

[mdmc]

7. Iraq is in chaos because it has always been in chaos

it is only going to get worse. We still need to choose sides, fight a civil war, and hope our chosen side wins.
If our side loses, we can withdraw. We can always invade later. We are very good at invading.

[H2O Man]

5. Good answer.

The January 9-16 '06 edition of The Nation had a wonderful article titled "Rebels," by William Greider. The paper notes that "it's high time for a Democratic insurgency" in introducing the article which advocates "lighting a fuse under Lieberman -- and the rest of the democratic appeasers."

I'm an upstate NY democrat. When it comes election time, I'll vote for Clinton. But in the primary, my time and money is being invested in the "insurgency," for the reasons you outline. I'm 100% against the Bush-Cheney war in Iraq (which I think has become a regional conflict, which is likely to explode in Iran and/or Syria within a year). I do not want to be taken for granted by any democratic politician.

[democracyindanger]

3. Always support primaries in safe districts

Besides, the way the GOP is fumbling the NY Senate race, Hillary may not even face any opposition in the general.

[KarenS]

6. In the primaries, I support the one that I want to see run,,,,

in the Election I vote for the Dem that everyone else wants =)

I believe that we should hold the "destined ones" feet to the fire on some of these issues.

[mdmc]

8. I like what you say

peace!