Pacific Views

A Responsible Plan To End The War In Iraq

... as presented by some very progressive Democratic candidates, coming to you for the first time today from the Take Back America conference in Washington, D.C.

From candidates: Darcy Buner, Donna Edwards, Eric Massa, Chellie Pingree, Tom Perriello, Jared Polis, George Fearing, Larry Byrnes, Steve Harrison and Sam Bennett. And by: Major Gen. Paul Eaton, Ret., Dr. Lawrence Korb, Brigadier Gen. John Johns, Ret., Capt. Larry Seaquist, Ret.

Tom Andrews of the Win Without War Coalition opened the panel with an exhortation to an open debate about the war, or framed as a choice between 100 more years in Iraq or a retreat. He said that Iraq will have an impact "for generations to come. ... It's not enough to elect a new president. We need to elect a new congress" that will stand up and be accountable, because "our survival as nation is at stake."

Darcy Burner: In 2003, when I was working at a high-tech firm that shall not be named ... there were two things that ... changed my perspective on what I should be doing. ... My son Henry was born ... [and my brother] ... marched from Iraq into Kuwait. ... Every time I talk to a group of voters, the first question I'm asked is 'how are you going to end the war in Iraq.' ... I didn't have a good answer for how. And I kept thinking that an answer to that question would come out of Washington D.C. ... It's been five years. ...

Ending the war is a much broader problem than just a military one. ... We have to take responsibility for the humanitarian work. ... We have to repair the [institutions] in this country that have failed us. ... [There's not going to be a top-down solution, it's] time for a bottoms-up solution. ... [Because the public has stepped up, created new forums for communication, we can change the conversation.] ...

It's been framed as though the question is, is the surge working. ... The question we should be asking is, 'where do we go from here ... do the best for the American people.' ... [Have spent $1-3 billion per Congressional District for Iraq. There's a bridge in my District that's going to fall into the lake and they can't afford to fix it, because they're sending their money to Iraq. So talked to Gen. Eaton, others, worked out a plan.] ...

Series of actions Congress can take to move all our troops out of Iraq. ... Gen. Petraeus himself has said there's "no military solution." ... [Restore proper balance of power between executive, legislative branches and the people.] We have to restore the Constitution to fix this problem. ...

When the press says Iraq is off the table, [my voters haven't gotten the message. Even the ones who say the economy is the most important issue to them, when you ask them what to do about it,] the answer is 'end the war in Iraq.' ...

[Ending the war will take public pressure and political will.]

Donna Edwards: Three thousand, nine-hundred and eighty eight. And I think it's important to repeat the numbers. [Came from a military family, need to remember honorable service, as well as the many Iraqi civilians who've lost their lives.]

[Two young women from Maryland who lived near Edwards were among the 72 Marylanders who lost their lives, one just wanted to see the world, the other missed her animals at home. Remembers the young man from Baltimore whose death notice was the only article in the Washington Post news section yesterday about the war, which has fallen off the front pages and out of the headlines.] ...

[So harmed international relations that the country's credibility on any other issue has also been damaged.]

Chellie Pingree: I've been campaigning for Congress for about a year ... it's like a focus group every day. ... [At first, asked] do you oppose the war. ... [now ask about addressing power of the executive branch, taking back some of the power of the media, many other issues addressed in the plan. ... Veterans want to know when troops will really be supported when they come back home, what the plan is to leave.] ...

I served for eight years in the Maine State Legislature ... in a Republican District. [Took on corporate interests, environmental issues, colleagues advised to vote all over the map, not let anyone know where you stand, Every time I voted my conscience, people would come up to me and say 'I don't agree with you but I appreciate that you tell the truth.'

Tom Perriello: [Can't, must not, choose between justice and security. In 2002, figured out how to use smart diplomacy, war crimes indictment, regional cooperation and international law to oust Charles Taylor, didn't need to pursue an occupation to oust that dictator.] The military's doing it's job, we're getting the politics wrong. [Chose to ally in Afghanistan with the warlords, only group] less popular than the Taliban. ...

[The solution isn't simple, it's in a booklet for a reason. Also asked Iraqis what they wanted.] ... We want to start with what's going to make it right, not what's going to make it simple.

Sam Siobhan Bennett: [Like Donna and Darcy, comes from a military family. Was in ROTC, herself. With that background, says,] the most important way we can support our troops is to bring them home now to the heroes' welcome they deserve. ...

[The public has been fed a lie, a choice between an occupation and destabilizing withdrawal. ... Her father worked in a hospital in Saigon, she played with the war injured children, knows how many Iraqi children must be suffering, in addition to the many dead. Plan includes] economic, humanitarian and diplomatic strategies ... to restore our international reputation.]

Jared Polis: [As with every tactical success, like the Surge, leads to greater military failure. Iraqis believe that America] is a permanent occupying power. [When a candidate for president is talking about staying for a hundred years, they're rightly concerned. ... Perimeter security, other security details, in the Green Zone is being handled by corporate mercenaries from all over the world. This is] exporting instability globally [when these people return home and only know how to do one thing.] ...

[Iraqis only returning from Syria because their visas were expiring, or they were out of money, but this wasn't reported in the mainstream press. People aren't getting the real story. ... We'll work to end this war and make sure that this never happens again.]

Matt Stoller: [In 2002, if you were against the war, you were asked if you wanted Saddam to stay in power. Now if you want to leave, you're asked if you want the Surge to fail. The frame of the conversation hasn't changed, but these candidates want to change the focus to what will make the country stronger and safer.]

[Go to ResponsiblePlan.com and help these candidates get elected so they can end this war responsibly.]

Posted by natasha at March 17, 2008 03:46 PM | Iraq | Technorati links |