Iraq: The Elephant in the Room
Earlier this week, I was unable to attend NPR's Democratic forum in Iowa because I was attending a funeral. When I read the transcript, however, I was shocked that there was almost no real discussion of the single most important issue facing our county: Iraq.
No other single problem is as crippling to this country right now as the war in Iraq. Our ongoing troop presence is preventing a real Iraqi reconciliation. Maintaining 170,000 troops in Iraq not only stretches our military to the breaking point, it keeps us from having the troops available to deal with other emerging crises -- whether it is peace keeping or disaster response.
We are spending upwards of $10 billion dollars a month in Iraq.
It is folly to believe we can continue on this path and conduct the necessary overhauls to children's insurance, health care, and our schools. It will be almost impossible to deal with global warming and lead the world in a new energy revolution while weighed down by the financial and diplomatic costs of the on-going war in Iraq.
Unfortunately, my fellow candidates seem content with leaving the issue behind. Senators Clinton, Obama and Edwards still mention ending the war - but will not unequivocally commit to getting all troops out quickly (and lets be clear - all troops includes non-combat troops, combat strike teams, or any other spin-variation of "troops" falling under our military command in Iraq).
And they will not commit to getting all of the troops out by 2013. 2013 is six more years of war. Six more years of having our hands tied economically and our foreign policy crippled by a war that should have been ended THIS year.
Six more years is too long to wait. Our new website www.2013istoolate.com lays it out clearly: waiting for 2013 is unacceptable - the cost is just too high.
We cannot let cynicism get the best of us - even though the Congressional leadership have not done what we elected them to do and ended this war. We cannot give up. And we cannot give in to misleading media and White House spin that trumpets "the surge is working."
It isn't. The conventional wisdom, that after just a few months of declining casualty rates, victory is around the corner is rosy-eyed nonsense. If you listen to Washington insiders, we've turned that corner again and again - so many times we may just be walking in circles.
Casualties have fallen three months in a row on nine previous occasions during the 5 years we've been in Iraq - nine times. Each time we've been fed the same lines: "Mission Accomplished," "Dead Ender," "Last Throes." On each of those nine occasions, however, casualties have risen back to newer more tragic levels.
I'm not sure who decided what number of American troop deaths is an "acceptable" cost to buy a declaration of "victory," but last month 37 American troops died. After nearly five years of war, the only "acceptable" number of deaths is zero.
I hope Senators Clinton, Edwards, and Obama have not forgotten what we all know: there is no military solution in Iraq, and as long as our troops are there we will have no political solution either. If they remembered this, they could not in good conscience duck a commitment to get our troops out by 2013.
2013 is too long to wait to do the ONE thing that will work in Iraq: getting all of our troops out quickly, leaving no residual troops behind.
Only one thing will bring long-term stability in Iraq: political progress. The stated purpose of the surge was to give Iraqi politicians the breathing room to take the necessary steps towards real reconciliation. That has not happened - and those on the ground know it. Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Barham Salih, last month flatly declared "There will be no reconciliation . . .this is a struggle about power," and Iraq's Vice President (and most important Sunni politician) recently echoed that with "there has been no significant progress in months."
Political progress is impossible as long as our troops are on the ground, making the status-quo possible for Iraqi politicians and leading Iraqi citizens to doubt whether we'll ever leave. There is no military solution to this problem, so our military should not be there.
In fact, the only real progress we've seen in Iraq in the recent months happened in Basra, where the removal of the British garrison has brought about a 90% decrease in violence. No occupying forces equaled less violence, and zero coalition casualties. This is the kind of change we need to see across Iraq to create the landscape for real political progress.
There is a clear answer -- to truly reduce violence and to force Iraqis to find their own political solution, we must begin immediately to withdraw all of our forces - all of them, without any residual troops left behind. There is no military solution in Iraq, and there will be no political solution while our military remains there.
Leaving troops in Iraq until 2013 is not an option - not if we want to end this war, not if we want to move forward and begin addressing problems here at home.
Ignoring this issue won't change those facts.
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Gov. Richardson:
"Experience proves that the man who obstructs a war in which his nation is engaged, no matter whether right or wrong, occupies no enviable place in life or history. Better for him, individually, to advocate "war, pestilence,, and famine," than to act as an obstructionist to a war already begun." Ulysses S. Grant
...and with the trickle soon to turn into a torrent at VA psychiatric clinics of proportionally from 200-4,000 emotionally damaged and volatile PTSD cases in every state - which WILL overload the shamelessly underfunded under Bush VA system- the repercussions and costs right here alone will last for decades...
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Governor,
The Invasion and subsequent OCCUPATION of a sovereign nation that NEVER posed a threat to the USA is crippling our troops and Iraqis.
The lawless, corrupt and disgraceful Administration IS what is crippling America.
This incursion into a foreign country came about because of a lie. The same style of lie that was most recently unraveled by patriotic CIA agents who understood what was about to happen. They called B.S. on this Administration's claims, very similar to the claims that created the current state of affairs.
I agree that another day longer is another day too late. BRING THE TROOPS HOME! However, I also see this as a two pronged issue. Not only is this a waste of blood and treasure, but it is a waste based on a lie. That makes it criminal.
THAT'S the elephant that should be addressed, not it's dung.
Sincerely,
Spencer Dow
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Governor Richardson: Your call for immediate withdrawal is absolutely right. May I suggest you emphasize these two ideas. First, the Iraqi's are a proud, civilized and dignified people who are fiercely resisting the invaders (seen as Neo-Colonalists). They perceive the invaders as an arrogant alien group who see the Iraqis as somehow not as civilized, equal or human as they are. They will never be pacified or be willing to address their own predicament as long as they are over-seen by a power that treats them as unequals.
Second, you must plainly, candidly inform the Americans of the desperate economic, financial conditions we are facing including the dishonestly skewed governmental data regarding inflation, unemployment statistics, economic growth and so on. (Read the blogs in the business section for more information). Make this information available to a large audience entitled: "War, Bankruptcy and Foreign Ownership" or some other striking startlingly candid title.
You often come off as almost glib and half joking about serious topics in your talk show appearances. You must have prior preparation, do your homework, and be prepared for much rebuttal by our controlled media and the emerging anti-democratic ellite. Make certain all your facts are accurate. For example something like 834 American Corporations were bought up by foreigners in 2006 worth billions of dollars. When the Holland Empire went into decline from switching from productivity to financial schemes, foreigner owners were constantly seen in Antwerp in gated lavish parties as they oversaw the property of value that was once owned by proud Hollanders. We now know that Holland wnt into precipitious decline never to recover their astonishing renassiance and dominance on the world's stage. The same thing is beginning to happen before our eyes in our declining Republic.
This speech and follow-up will place you in the position of a candidate to be reckoned with and to be taken seriously. And remember, Americans want to be told the truth about what they already sense as a grave danger. Good luck.
What the Governor fails to mention is that Senator Biden is the ONLY candidate who has offered a comprehensive and viable strategy to promote and facilitate a sustainable political solution in Iraq that will allow for the responsible withdrawal of US troops without leaving a failed state behind and the need for another generation of US forces to return at a later date.
The Governor does not have a political solution for Iraq, despite his correct assessment that there is no military solution.
Furthermore, Governor Richardson apparently has no clue about what is happening on the ground in Basra.
And, as for the NPR debate...I
The only thing being ignored around here, by the Governor and many others, is that Senator Biden is the only one who understands what needs to be done to end the war in Iraq and, as President, he is the only one who has both the capacity and capability of making it happen.
Well Bill, if you guys really wanna push that
along, then the first thing to do would be
to ask for the keys, because as long as Bush
is in office, there'll be troops in Iraq.
So, first things first, ask for resignations.
Then, Congress has to direct the Army to return
home.
I don't know, though, I really don't know if
I see that happening. I think Congress will
keep going along, signing spending bills,
not acting as a body to oppose and end the
war, and we'll go another 1/2-3/4 trillion
in debt next year, and then...and then
they'll still be drilling oil wells or whatever.
Bill, Iraq has oil, and this country is an
oil import consumer. They can fabricate
whatever sunshine story they want to between
those two facts, but that's the Basic Deal.
The only REAL way to effect lasting permanent
policy change and to prevent and forestall
ANOTHER oil war in the future is to push like
hell for alternative energies. Filling up the
Buick just plain isn't worth it if the
price is runaway national debt, lack of public
accountability in government, fraud, bad policy,
and a continuation of foreign involvments that
would have likely ended decades ago were it
not for the trade in that commodity.
End the war profiteering, end the political
fan dance, and the war itself by voting Bush
out of office and supporting energy policy
reform, not for drowning polar bears but rather
for the sake of our country and others, because
Iraq is not the only oil-bearing country
being run at gunpoint. Send Dick Tater to
his fortunes in Xanadu over there, and good
riddance, but end the glaring and longstanding
conflict of interest that is Exxon in the White House. Nuff said.
http://www
The message of Gov Richardson couldn't be more straightforward or clearer. This kind of firm leadership on a problem that is gnawing at the American conscience and its basic view of survival deserves our support. Peace comes when the fighting stops. The Governor, if he becomes President, states he will work to that end. His record shows he is serious in a way the other candidates are not. He is not posturing. He speaks as if he means it.
We need someone to think and talk like we the people and you seem like the one person who keeps his eyes on the issues instead of burying his head in the sand. We currently have a two-party electoral process that will stifle any attempt to threaten the base of greed that exists in our current administration. Why don't I see you in the debates? What is your strategy? Are you waiting for all the other candidates to beat the shit out of each other then jump into the ring riding your shiny white horse? The most pertinent ideal was quoted over a half century ago in a movie that we see every year...it goes something like this...'Al
The problem is larger than the Iraq War.
We have only one branch of government. There are no effective controls on the actions of the Executive Branch. That's a dictatorship. The Democratic Party has ceased to an independent political party. Democrats have enabled and supported the Bush coup. That's tyranny.
The Democrats could have stopped the GOP at any time during the last seven years and they have refused to act.
The Democratic Party stands in opposition to at least 80% of its members on impeachment and continuing to support the illegal military action in Iraq.
The Constitution is broken and the Bill of Rights have been negated. The rule of law has been suspended.
Restoring the Constitution will strip the Executive Branch of illegitimate power, including the power to wage war.
Restoring the Bill of Rights will allow people's voices to be heard without fear of reprisal from their own government.
Restoring the rule of law must begin with congress holding the Bush administration accountable for its crimes and gross abuse of power.
If congress continues to refuse to act in the interests of the nation and in accordance with the constitution, they should be removed and replaced immediately.
Yes, the war in Iraq is an "elephant in the room," but there's another one just as big, but not addressed: this "global economy" that has the US trillions of dollars in debt to China and is destroying the American Middle Class. It is making the few in the world filthy rich at he expense of the vast majority of people.
The middle class in the West is destroyed as children and poor adults pump out "product" in glorified work camps in the Third World.
The average American is not worried about Iraq! It is out of sight and out of mind. People are too fickle about such matters and the Bush Administration knew it from the beginning and they have blatantly robbed the USA, crimes committed and no one is doing anything about it. Makes me wonder if the secret spying was done on our government officials and now they are being blackmailed to go along. What else could stop the impeachment procedures. After all, they brought men down with a heck of a lot less impact on our constitution and laws. What will it take to take our country back from these crooks???
It is both shocking and disgusting that the Democratic leadership in Congress has utterly failed to carry through on the clear mandate of the 2006 elections - END THE WAR IN IRAQ...NOW
A courageous and principled stand, by a man too courageous and principled to be voted into our White House. Thankfully, as he himself has said many times, he already has the best job in the world, as Governor of the incredibly beautiful state of New Mexico.
Thank you for writing, Sir.
Good stuff Bill, clear talk.
....about those elephants?
Can you see that one over there with the big "impeach Cheney and Bush" painted on his ass?
He needs some attention too.
Peace.
The war is a terrible issue, but I think the corruption of politicians may be an even bigger threat. The public sees these folks being bought off and laws influenced for the benefit of the big corporations. In the end what they want is what we're stuck with like lead in toys, mortgage meltdowns, poor healthcare etc. etc.
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