from United for Peace and Justice
Yesterday, President Bush vetoed the $124 billion Iraq war funding bill, because it included a timid troop withdrawal plan.
Democrats in Congress shouldn't have to compromise with the arrogant, incompetent administration that led us into war, rather than stand up for us and our troops.
If we do not create a national outcry right now, Congress will capitulate and simply give Bush the money he wants to continue the war.
Let's make some noise!
- Don't get up from your computer until you've sent a letter to the editor of your local paper -- you can do so here, with just a few clicks.
- Call local radio talk shows, and jam the Capitol Hill switchboard (202-224-3121) with calls to your senators and representatives. Click here for talking points.
- Download and deliver "The People's Emergency Funding Bill," by fax or in person, to your representative's and senators' local and Washington DC offices. (Click here to find their office addresses and fax numbers.)
- Find out if there is an activity already planned near you, and then call everyone you know and urge them to join you there. Be sure to bring a sign with a clear message -- e.g, Congress: Stand Up to Bush! More actions are listed on MoveOn.org.
- If you can't find a local protest, you can put one together quickly, with even just a friend or two.
Here are a few ideas:
***Street Actions: vigils, rallies, cell-phone-a-thons, street theater;
***Banner Drop: Make big banners, and hang them from highway overpasses, buildings or other prominent places;
***Actions Inside and/or Outside Congressional Offices: Read letters from military families, hold a vigil, organize a picket, or do street theater.
posted by kate @ 5:49 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I almost got you a t-shirt yesterday in a Bangkok market. It said "I'm Not A Terrorist Or An American." Very popular with the Swedish kids.
I agree with Bush on this matter, a withdrawl plan is the same as saying "We're staying until X date and then we're leaving so all you militants who want to take over just wait until after X date and you'll have free reign." Doesn't work like that. We didn't fight WW2 with a deadline of when we would quit fighting and you can't do that here.
The Dems believe they're going to take the WH in '08 and they want Iraq to be over by then, because should they win and inherit it they know they'll have to do the same thing Bush is doing right now, they won't have a choice, and that won't sit well with the moveon.org/Daily Kos types who have hijacked the party.
Besides, I'm not conviced the American people voted in '06 to end the war, I think they just want it managed better, but losing is not an option. From all I've read on various blogs and pol chat sites like DU, the "anti-war" left thinks everyone is on board with them right down the line. They have no concept that people can be unhappy with how long Iraq is taking but still see the necessity of seeing the job through until success is achieved.
So you get this "pull the troops out now" from a vocal minority and it's got the Dem leadership under some fire because they know these people, while not being a plurality of the party, are enough that they have to cater to them in order to win in '08. What I call the 'far left' is really burying the Dem party, maybe not in the short term, but in the long term. At some point for the Dems to survive, they're going to have to purge this element from the party.
So the Dem leaders are in a real pickel. They know Bush won't sign with a timeline, if the troops don't get funded they'll try and blame Bush but the blame will rest on the Dems for not removing the timeline (and they know it), and if they remove the timeline then the fringe of the party yell even louder.
So they'll end up funding without a timeline and find some way to save face with the fringe because, let's face it, what other party can the fringe turn to that offers what the Dems have? The Greens? No so much.
Fringe elements are a problem, yet also a huge source of passion and revenue, for both parties.
Those who want a time frame are not a vocal minority. You cannot compare this poorly managed conflict with WWII. Bush should set a time frame for our soldiers to come home. After all, he declared mission accomplished so very long ago. It's not unreasonable, therefore, to demand the Iraqis govern themselves.
>>After all, he declared mission accomplished so very long ago.<<
Just to clarify, the "Mission Accomplished" sign was in reference to the mission of the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and was not intended to mean the whole GWOT in Iraq.
I agree that the Iraqis need to step up to the plate quicker than they have been willing, though it does take time especially when we're having to fight a sanitary war. But the USA is going to have military bases on Iraqi soil for the forseeable future even if we pull the troops out of the cities and let them have at it, of that I have no doubt. On the topic of whether the voices are many or a vocal few, or if the GWOT isn't a more important war than WW2, we'll have to part ways.
"Just to clarify, the "Mission Accomplished" sign was in reference to the mission of the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and was not intended to mean the whole GWOT in Iraq."
Does it matter?
Did Howard Dean walk up to the microphone in Iowa and just freak balls? Or was he trying to motivate a group of loyal followers to not become discouraged after a poor showing in a primary?
Gee Dubs and his minions are going to have to deal with it. The media has told us once again what to think....
Hate to tell you this Kate, as much as the grassroots dems don't like the war, we're stuck- the next dem administration is likely to stay because at this point the consequences of pulling out are so freakin' horrible that we'll have to stay.
Holy shit...I'm not sure what right wing talkshow host started spreading the word that the "mission accomplished" speech was in reference to the crew of the ship, but I would people to please go back and read the speech.
The very first paraghraph he states:
"Admiral Kelly, Captain Card, officers and sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln, my fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."
So, yes...he was thanking the crew for their service and their deployment. But, he was also declaring "mission accomplished" in Iraq.
Turn off Rush Limbaugh for five minutes and read a reliable news source, you might learn something.
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>>So, yes...he was thanking the crew for their service and their deployment. But, he was also declaring "mission accomplished" in Iraq.
Turn off Rush Limbaugh for five minutes and read a reliable news source, you might learn something.<<
It doesn't work that way. "Mission Accomplished" never meant "We're all done here" obviously, or they would have left immediately.
As to your second paragraph I quoted: You might need other people to tell you what to believe and want to project that on me and others, but that's all it is, you wanting to believe that others can't reach their own conclusions. If you address me, you can keep that crap to yourself because it doesn't apply here.
Again, going back to what you originally stated:
>>Just to clarify, the "Mission Accomplished" sign was in reference to the mission of the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and was not intended to mean the whole GWOT in Iraq.<<
Now, again, to quote what George Bush said in the speech:
"my fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."
It's all semantics at this point and really doesn't matter. But, the President clearly states in the speech that we, as a nation, have prevailed (not just the crew of the ship). I'm not using talking points and making inferences by reading between the lines, I'm just quoting his speech.
Also, if he was solely addressing the crew of the carrier then I'm not sure why he would be telling them "mission accomplished" when they were still a good 2,000 miles from home station. Anyone who has spent a day in the military would tell you that your mission is not accomplished until you are home.
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