It's Time to Make a Choice in Iraq
Yesterday, twelve former Army captains wrote that short of reinstating the draft, "our best option is to leave Iraq immediately." In an extraordinary editorial in the Washington Post, these captains--all of whom served in Iraq--made it clear that we need to end this war and we need to end it now. They wrote that a " scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition."
I strongly urge every American to read this important report from those who served in the failed conflict in Iraq. Army captains are the staff officers who plan operations against insurgent strongholds. They are the company commanders who lead our soldiers through the streets of Baghdad. And they are the soldiers who will direct our withdrawal from Iraq.
These men and women know the score. They know that we must leave Iraq. As they put it, "It's time to make a choice." Americans are fed up with the President's stalling and Congressional failure to act. Frankly, it is well past time we make a choice. And the only responsible choice left to us is to get all of our troops out of Iraq, with no residual forces left behind--no combat forces, no non-combat forces. As President, I will do it. I will get all of our troops out within a year after I take office - sooner if we can get it done safely.
The other major candidates in this race have said--again and again--that they will not. Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton have all refused to commit to getting all of our troops out of Iraq by 2013. None of them are willing to be clear about removing all troops - combat and non-combat. It's unbelievable. Are they looking at the same war the rest of us are? Furthermore, they are all advocating precisely the sort of scaled withdrawal that these twelve captains are warning against. It doesn't make any sense. Real leadership is about making the tough choices, and knowing when it is time to make bold moves. Now is the time for action, not hesitation. Ending this war requires real change, not more incrementalism.
Ending this war is the most important issue of our time. And it is the fundamental difference between me and Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton. I will end the war; they will not. I will get all of our troops out; they will leave troops behind indefinitely. I will order a safe and rapid withdrawal and have our troops out within a year. They have proposed a long, protracted withdrawal that will only increase the danger to our fighting men and women and drag out the war.
2013 is six years from now - six years. In six years, will we have lost 6,000 men and women in Iraq? 10,000? More? In six years will this be a $2 trillion mistake? Or $3 trillion? The war has been going on for four and half years already. Six years from now, we will have been there for more than a decade. Are you okay with that? I'm not.
The choice in Iraq is clear. We need to get all our troops out quickly. We need to end this war for real. Go to getourtroopsout.com to join Americans across the country in calling for a quick, clear, responsible end to the war in Iraq.
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With all due respect Governor, war is the fertilizer that nourishes freedom and democracy. Look at how well this is working in Iraq. Anyone with a brain can see the splurge is working. Thousands of people that wanted to be free are now free. Free of worries, bills, brutal dictators, and life. When you are dead you are free. President Bush's logic is flawless. I feel blessed to have had the honor of living in these times and witnessing the Neoconservative genius of God loving President,George W. Bush.. Are children is learning this too.
I can only hope you are being facitious Daisy. If you are serious you're as loony as a jaybird.
Thanx Gov. Richardson for this post. Maybe now some of these Hillary shills will sit up and take notice.
Wonderfully facetious, thanks.
"Splurge" - I laughed out loud.
You've got that right - Daisy!
Well said.
There is absolutely no doubt that American troops must leave Iraq. Is anyone watching what the Iraqi's say about 'occupation'? Are there any of us who would not understand 'resistance' against occupation? Have you watched 'know thine enemy' an important new video from Iraq?
http://vid
It is clear and SHOULD be clear than no forces other than a United Nations force should be used to watch over the interim period of adjustment. A force without an itchy trigger finger.
Thanks for the link BritPatJax. It states absolutely the truth, and from the first person voice of the Iraqis, which we hardly ever get to hear. Instead, we are bombarded by opinions from the talking heads and politicians on both sides of the political stump in Washington, who will never understand what it feels like to survive an occupation as the occupied and not the occupier.
One item bears mentioning: our proposed division along sectarian lines is not a meaningful solution to the Iraqis, since these partisanships were encouraged by us, Iran, and Sadaam Hussein before, not by the average citizen of Iraq. The Belgian government tried to encourage a sectarian solution in the Congo when they departed and turned over control to local authorities, thinking this would protect their diamond interests in the region. Instead, it led to mass genocide between the Hutu and Tutsi.
I still would like to know what Richardson means. I want the troops out too, but I don't want this to cause additional unnecessary bloodshed to anyone who was with us when we leave. Historical evidence suggests there will be a period of inevitable violence and bloodshed no matter when we go, and no matter what the Iraqi government says to the contrary. What is his plan to protect US private and public sector workers (a few marines in the green zone won't be able to hack it)? What is Richardson's plan for those who wish to refugee out, or have already done so- Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, are at capacity, and we are doing virtually nothing for the the current refugees, who are running out of time, money and patience for a solution. He needs to explain himself- frankly all the candidates do.
Frustrating as it is---the USA would have to keep some troops there to protect the million dollar embassy.
I believe we have to vote for the most intelligent and experienced but not to be ignored is that it is hoped too the new PREZ will bring in competent-
These candidates are asked these questions to analyze how smart they are but in reality there are so many other's involved in the final decision making and circumstances may change by the time they take office.
I say vote for intelligent and experienced and not so much of what they would like to do and in a lot of cases cannot.
You are right, it's time to get real.
If Hillary gets the nomination and then announces a "secret plan"...I'
Nick...I'v
Having said that..hang in there Governor!.
I do not know HOW HRC has become the frontrunne
Don't let her financial prowess deter you...mone
Yes..get our troops out of Iraq..thos
And W's recent admonition to Turkey NOT to attack the Kurds (the PKK)...my GAWD!!! who is W to ever say "don't attack..do
Governor..
Governor Richardson,
Please explain "all troops home". I admit being confused, when you don't mention if you would be bringing along any of the contractors, media, diplomats, etc.. with them. Do you suppose that the Iraqi government will protect them? If so, you are sadly mistaken. Remember Cambodia? These people will be the first targeted for execution. Also, what about the Iraqi/American sympathizers? During the Algerian Revolution, the Algerian Arabs who fought on the side of France were promised protection and extradition. As the military loaded their boats for departure, they ordered all Algerian Arabs to return to shore, where they were promptly slaughtered by the awaiting revolutionaries as traitors, all the while screaming for help from the French soldiers who were watching the carnage from the safety of their boats. So please, explain your policy. Are we shutting down the embassy, or what exactly are you proposing?
Along another line, Could you please explain your energy policy? On the Presidential Profile page of the League of Conservation Voters website:
http://www
You suggest that we rely on the coal industry to clean up their existing plants, and explore underground storage of their CO2 emmissions. You promote plug-in cars as a solution, but with the increased drain they would cause on the existing grid, how will they offset the coal pollution? What about the environmental devastation being caused right now by mountain top removal of coal? What would your policy be on that? You hardly touch on expanding wind and solar. With the overall increase of jobs that expanding the solar energy market would bring to the economy, and the cleaner impact solar and wind have on the environment, I don't understand your not promoting that more in your proposed plan. I am still undecided, so your response would be most appreciated.
jdm are you aware that the state of Colorado itself sits atop more "Oil" than the entire middle east? and those deposits stretch all the way into the heart of Canada. It's called oilshale. Any while expensive to recover at this time would eventually become economically viable.
In addition there is more recoverable coal in this country and Canada than in all the rest of the planet.
Coal use technology is advancing at a good clip as well.
What we need is long term planning to insure these resources can be properly utilised. So far as I can see Gov. Richardsons position is the only one being put forth by any of the pols.
TankerRat,
Please watch this video:
http://www
afterwards, tell me it is worth mining oil or coal in Colorado, Tennesse, or anywhere for that matter! I for one want no part of a candidate who thinks this is our best or only option!
If you would like more debate on what could be a very viable alternative- one that even China is ahead of us on, then go to this website from the University of Texas, Austin IC2 Institute:
http://www
Just the jobs created from Photovoltaics alone make it a very viable alternative to the coal industry. If we don't act soon, these jobs will head overseas, just like semiconductor and manufacturing did before. Our next President needs to be proactive on this front. If Richardson is going to fall back on his record in the Dept. of Energy during the Clinton years, when NO ONE in public office took Al Gore seriously, then he is NOT my candidate. Sure would like to hear what anyone else thinks if they bother to look up these sites.
Jdm, let's put this argument into economic terms, since there appears to be no philosophical middle ground:
From the national standpoint, we have long since passed the point of diminishing returns. Whatever 'value' might have been assigned to Iraq - meaning its reservoirs of fossil fuel or natural gas, or other minable resource - the United States has little or no vested interest in that part of the region. For private, multinational, OFFSHORE business interests, Iraq remains a pocket of delights still available for the TAKING. So, the argument that we need to maintain a large military presence to protect private sector employees or contractors is, of course, specious. As it is, taxpayers are subsidizing developmental costs for organizations that pay little or no taxes in the US. The only difference to the average American taxpayer - in terms of tax relief, or the cost of expendable resource - is debatable. Much of the deferred tax-based funding for this adventure is aimed directly at those firms who are building or enlarging the oil production infrastructure - to develop a product that they will place on the open market with an intent to gain the greatest return on investment. That is, of course, what these corporations promise their shareholders - the great bulk of which are NOT middleclass Americans.
This has NOTHING to do with national security - though the right has tried to package this misadventure with that pretty paper - and EVERYTHING to do with money. If the argument to 'stay the course' hinged on our national security I would support it. But this war has been steeped in corporate and political profit from the onset and the American public is picking up the entire bill, with little or no return on their investment.
Wake the fuck up.
Excuse me, no need to swear, I AM awake! I do not now, or have ever, supported this invasion, or the administration that caused it.
Your "economic" argument for the average American taxpayer, leaves out one issue, and it is this issue to which I referred to previously:
right or wrong, there are thousands of workers and contractors, mostly American, but also many others, who are in Iraq. Their corporate CEO's and stockholders are not there, and I am not speaking about them, nor am I suggesting we bail them out on a corporate level. I am only wondering what our plan is for the WORKERS, and our sympathizing Iraqi counterparts, when we quit the region militarily, and the ensuing violence begins.
I was in Tehran, Iran, as a private US citizen doing college research, when the Shaw fell. If not for my Iranian friends, who knew the danger of my staying (and this was before our Embassy fell), I would probably have not been able to flee to safety. I certainly received no aid or warning to leave from my government. In fact, our embassy employees were left there, since our government believed our Marines on Embassy detail would be able to handle their safety. As it was, I received one of the last available commercial airline seats out of the country. Ross Perot, one of the largest employers in the region, was left to find his own way to rescue his employees, or have you not read "On Wings of Eagles". I highly recommend you do so, before you tell me to effing wake up! I don't think we have too many CEO's today willing to make the decisions and sacrifices necessary on behalf of their employees safety, and I think it is reasonable to know if our candidates have a real departure plan, and what it is. Just saying we need to get out is not enough.
It's amazing. Here's the best candidate for the job and for two months I tried to volunteer for his campaign but all they wanted from me was my money. The Bill Richardson for President website still sends me emails regularly but HAS NEVER answered my emails and various inquiries. I will vote for you Governor, but someone in your organization has let you down BIG TIME!
Kleet:
I am so sorry you haven't received an answer from the Richardson campaign.
I am on the Georgia Steering Committee of the Governor's campaign. If you are interested we can connect, and either direct you to the appropriate live person or work with you directly.
Can you please advise who is working on Richardson's campaign in Washington State? Are they located in Seattle? Best -
Kleet:
Please e-mail Wendy Davis at the Richardson Campaign.
Wendy Davis
Southern States Political Director
Women for Richardson Political Director
National Surrogate Director
Richardson for President, Inc.
richardson
(Notice how lean the campaign is staffed--she wears three very important hats)
I'm afraid his campaign is not the only one, they all do it. They seem to just want your money but not your ideas, worse yet listen to you, raising hell.
I dare to say we are losing as a democracy where we are bombarded with sound bites and nothing of substance.
Our government is no longer for the people by the people is all for and by corporations.
Don't be negative, please keep trying. It's too important! Best regards, Lazslo.
Gov. Richardson' I hear you and I admire you for all of the diplomacy that noone but you could have done. You are the ONLY statesman running for pres. I wish that you could be the candidate. You have to face the facts, as do I. There is a battle between a black and a female. You're a Mexican. That simple. I want to cry.
You throw in the towel to soon bronceye. REJECT the so-called front runners and go with what YOU think is best. If Gov Richardson doesn't get the Dem's nomination then step into a voting booth and write his name in.
I'm with you, Governor! It is time for a change of policy, not just a change of party as some seem to believe. Bush got so unpopular because of his policies which too many Democrats, including those media favorite candidates, are perpetuating.
You know that you have absolutely no chance of winning the election, don't you?
Must be a Hillary shill. If Gov. Richardson is the Dem candidate he'd win hands down and going away.
None of the Repub candidates can come close.
If on the other hand HRC is the candidate you'll four more years of Bush (clone).
Take your pick.
You may be correct, unfortunately. Despite all the talk that people in this country want to end the Iraq war, people still may vote for candidiates that want to continue the war. Even though Richardson may not win, that does not diminish the correctness of his policy. Maybe if you help with Richardson's campaign, he'd have a better chance to win!
I have Lazsio. I've made donations, wear a Richardson button (as does my wife) talked Bill up and supported him in any other way I could.
Add to that I just requested MN info on his campaign so this crippled old vet could volunteer some more.
Would you mind terribly if I asked you the same question?
Training the troops in Iraq - what a joke, so they can use our guns against us? Some people
still don't see the light. We have no business in Iraq, they are perfectly capable of getting on with their lifes if we leave and let them have their oil. I support Senator
Richardson who seems to have a sound mind.
The other 3 top candidates want to stay until at least 2013. Richardson
I trust you are not so naive and gullible in believing we were and are training the Iraqis. Shrinks call it "brain washing" the soviets used to call it indoctrination; whatever one calls it it is a total devastation.
yup--way way past time. What can you do now, Richardson, as a Governor?
Can you pull your local Guard troops out? Can you force anyone in DC to do anything? Can you stop any of the funding?
Thats what I'm talking about Amberglow! The General says get out, the Sergeants say get out, and now the Captains say get out. When will the Governors, led by Richardson perhaps, make a statement to bring home the Guard? Kucinich has a plan and has taken lots of action toward it. What have "the major candidates" as the Governor writes, done? What has Richardson actually done? What? Somebody with his campaign tell me what he has done to bring home the troops. People in cities around the country have passed resolutions for impeachment. Whats his position on that?
Would be tempted to vote for him if he actually did something now except just talk... Maybe has, and I just dont know about it....
Unfortunately divine the governor must follow the law. Unlike the Chimp and his ilk. The current laws prohibit the governor from unilaterally pulling his NG troops out.
I'm sure he'd like to. I'm also quite sure Gov. Richardson has made this stance known to those in the government.
All the more reason we need someone like Gov. Richardson in the WH.
.
a choice keeps being made..
every time Pelosi and Reid and democrats fund this atrocity..
every time Pelosi and Reid and democrats refuse to impeach Bush..
every time voters keep voting for the same whores..
a choice is made..
.
Gov. Bill, I would point out the obvious, by far and away the majority of Americans have made a choice, the touble is we cannot get the ticks, ya know, the bloodsuckers, to recognize we have made the choice. I'm for impeachment, then and only then will those in power recognize that they are elected by and work for the American people.
There's a Real Quick Way to end the war, it's called 'impeachment'. But I doubt that even you,
sir, would be willing to stand behind such an
effort, in order to bring that result about.
Therefore, the fact that there hasn't been
a 50-state gubernatorial push for such a
legislative action kind of more or less
implies a co-operative attitude, if taciturn
and unwilling, co-operative nonetheless, and
on your part as well as the governors of the other 49 states. Anything else going on that
you might be willing to share with the public,
that might account for some portion of all
this runaway spending?
If you want to impress me, and get my vote,
you'd have to do 3 things:
1) Figure out how to nail down the US/Mexico
border, so that Mexico's problems don't end
up being our problems.
2) Promote congressional legislation to end
the war immediately, post-haste and forthwith.
3) Promote a no-deficit policy in your state
as well as dialogue with the other governors
to realize a similar result in their states.
Finally, as to your war death statistics.
Comparatively speaking, our troops have been
safer in Iraq than they would be on a highway
in the United States during 'rush' hour. They've
been there FIVE years, and so few have been
killed. How many people have died on the highway
in YOUR state alone from traffic fatalities in
that time?
I am glad of one thing, though, finally one
of our generals as WELL as our former treasury
guy, Greenspan, finally both coughed up the truth about Iraq being an oil war. Wait long enough, and the truth finally comes out...
Jello Biafra's been telling the truth for the
last 15 years or so...now Greenspan and
Abazaid agree with him. Hats off, Jello...
http://cli
http://www
http://www
I CHALLENGE ALL DEMOCRATS AND LIBERALS TO UNITE WITH THE VERY CONSERVATIVE RIGHT (NOT NEOCON, NOT RELIGIOUS RIGHT) AND GET THIS PASSED!
WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND PUT THE PRESSURE ON THEM!
http://www
Ron Paul put it forward:
http://www
H.R. 3835: To restore the Constitution's checks and balances and protections against government abuses as envisioned by the Founding Fathers
I support the idea, but also have to say that
neither Paul nor anyone else should have HAD to
do this...tha
of this or the previous Congress, nor of the
administration nor its' supporters
I wonder how "safe" you'd feel if you were one of those crippled, maimed, disfigured, etc vets or if one of yours came home in a box tagged "Remains Not Viewable."
Care to reply reality?
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