Action Item: Visit SetADeadline.com
From: John Kerry
Subject: Set a Deadline
Action Item: Co-sponsor my legislation to establish a firm deadline to redeploy most American troops from Iraq. Visit setadeadline.com.
Dear johnkerry.com community,
As you know I’m not leading a campaign for the presidency in 2008. Instead I have chosen to campaign to end the war in Iraq and protect America.
Yesterday I stood up with a remarkable group of Iraq war veterans who are speaking out because they believe the best way to support the troops is to change a course that squanders their lives. When brave patriots suffer and die because of the incompetence of mere politicians, the only patriotic choice is to demand change.
These veterans offered a profile in courage.
The Senate this week provided a profile in politics – Republicans blocking even a vote up or down, one way or another on a bi-partisan resolution opposing the Bush escalation.
This has to end.
Republicans refuse even to go on record over the Bush escalation. We need to escalate the pressure for a policy change.
That’s why I am introducing legislation that will again set a firm one-year deadline for the redeployment of most American troops from Iraq.
If you agree it is time to set a deadline, come to www.setadeadline.com and become a citizen co-sponsor of the legislation.
In addition to setting a deadline, my legislation includes key recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, many of which we have been advocating for some time. It will:
- launch a major diplomatic initiative, the only hope for a sustainable resolution in Iraq
- enforce a series of benchmarks to hold Iraqis accountable for meeting key political objectives
- change the American military mission to training Iraqi security forces and counter-terrorism operations
- maintain an over the horizon presence to protect American regional interests.
Learn more about the legislation at www.setadeadline.com
Now that a new Democratic Congressional majority has convened in the U.S. Capitol, a deadline must be set. The President must respect the real needs of our troops and the will of the American people.
Step by step, we will ensure that he does.
Co-sign the legislation: www.setadeadline.com
Thank you,
John Kerry
15 Comments
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Have been there once--is this a new call to action?
Thank you, Senator Kerry, for standing with the Iraq war veterans and continuing to remain true to the promise you made to your brothers in arms 36 years ago. You protested and worked to end a deadly war then and entered public life to make sure the young people of America would never have to face what you and your comrades faced in Vietnam.
Now you are reaching out to today’s veterans, listening to them as some on the Hill listened to you, all those years ago and I salute you for your steadfast loyalty to your oath and to this nation’s troops.
I know your leadership and your passion to protect their lives and well-being means everything to these young men and women for whom you have a special empathy and understanding that no one who has not served in battle can share. I thank you for remaining true to them and I know your dedicated work to end this terrible war will make the difference needed.
Today, I received my first shipment of http://www.setadeadline.com buttons and I’m going to start wearing them and handing them out to friends who will wear them. Thank you for leading us to peace!
Although I was against the war from day one, a deadline is a poor idea. It only assigns a date when the disaster becomes regional rather than just in Iraq. A regional disaster would be a permanent blight on the name of the US.
A better way to get out of Iraq would be to:
a) first of all, admit that starting this war was a mistake
b) call a regional conference including the countries we now don’t speak with along with the big powers. this could even be the UN
c) ask for their help, so you get a force large enough to keep the peace. This also negates the anti-US forces.
Meanwhile beg Turkey to accept an independent Kurdistan on their border and negotiate a partition.
Assad has said that Syria could and would help. He said that we do not understand the region and events have shown that he is right. We messaed up by acting unilaterally; it makes sense to do the opposite.
So Mike from NY,
Point A: has already happened a long time ago by Senator Kerry but not by the president who is the one who needs to admit it.
Point B: Has already been suggested and recommended and as normal been dissed by this administration.
Point C: Seems like this was also done at the start, and then it was practically unilaterally done, even the Brits would not go along with this again.
Kurds and Turks ? Read up on your history.
I’m a co-sponsor
. Many diaries (including my own) written on this topic today:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/8/124842/5634
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/8/175254/6268
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/8/153242/1366
This recommended diary about votevets.org updated to include Senator Kerry’s e-mail:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/8/54359/46543
So I’d say it’s created a lot of buzz today.
It’s been exciting to watch the counter throughout the day, as more and more people join in this effort. Thank you Sen. Kerry for leading the way!
Lori Perdue (Vets for Peace)just called me from a hearing room in the Senate. She will call back with more info, but she said “SOMEONE JUST TESTIFIED THAT THE INFORMATION ON THE LEAD UP TO THE WAR WAS COOKED.”
This was Carl Levin’s Committee hearing. Lori said she just burst into tears.
She said to me, “Look what we did.” With all our work we made them tell the truth.
She is going to call me back with the name of the person who gave the testimony.
I will post here if I know more, but everyone who has been working so hard on truth-telling,
pause....
pat on the back.
And now, get back to work--SPREAD TRUTH.
To the pre-war admission of cooked intel, what truth a little change in leadership brings. Something the opposition could not allow to happen in 2004.
We were hardly into the occupation during that campaign, and loyalties around the country were torn. However many believed going into Iraq was wrong, many wanted the return to stability for Iraq, and didn’t want to hear exit of a job not even begun.
People now want out of Iraq, and leaving as smartly as possible. Let’s set a deadline and begin to come home.
Thank you, Senator, for your strong leadership.
I thank Sen. Kerry for introducing this important legislation. I hope to see its passage hopefully sometime this year. It is time for Congress to act. While the Warner-Levin non-binding resolution is a step in the right direction, this bill will go a long way in setting a deadline to redeploy most of our combat troops from Iraq. I am glad to see that a major emphasis will be added to enduring and strong diplomacy. It is the key to ending the war in Iraq. I am disappointed that first Majority Leader Reid and now Speaker Pelosi is pushing for a non-binding resolution in the House of Representatives. We are way past the stage when non-binding resolutions would have had an effect on the conduct of the war and its escalation. This bill is a strong step in the right direction and the democratic leadership should do everything in its power to help Sen. Kerry pass this bill. The leadership should take concrete steps to halt the escalation of the war.
Senator Kerry-
I was surprised to see you did not attend CPT Brian Freeman’s funeral in San Diego last week. After your comments to the press about how you “connected” with him, I figured you would have been there to honor him.
Thanks, Senator !
Signed as a co-sponsor...put a bumper sticker on my car...and bought myself a ‘setadeadline.com’ T-shirt ! Seriously...I did.
Let’s get those guys home.
P.S. Maj Tony Nichols...John Kerry has a better way to honor Brian Freeman ...ending this war and bringing his buddies home alive. The way to do that in the Senate this week was to vote on the Iraq Resolution...so the Senator was needed in Washington. Unfortunately, the Republicans filibustered it. If you had followed Congress on C-Span, you would not have been surprised.
Hey Yvonne-
Nice shirts, aren’t they? I got the black long sleeve and it looks great. Got the bumper sticker on my car, too.
Now it’s just a matter of calling everyone I know, contacting my Senators to get them to sign on, and watching that setadeadline co-sponsor ticker climb!
Sen Kerry’s on “This Week” today. That should bring a lot of attention to setadeadline and his upcoming legislation. I just hope the rest of the Senate has the guts to vote for legislation that actually does something to help bring this war to an end. The best way to make that happen is to contact them and let them know how we feel. Congress needs to realize we’re tired of excuses and empty words. Time to set a deadline and bring our troops home!
Waiting till 10am will be hard, but easier knowing what was said. Sounds like a really nice interview.
Hi, GV ...
I have the navy short sleeve and the brown long sleeve, myself.
They are GREAT shirts with an even greater purpose. I’m giving the blue one to my daughter...so we can publicize in more places at once. And the bumper sticker will be seen REGULARLY across the many freeways of southern California.
I just saw Senator Kerry on This Week. As usual, he did a fantastic job. He clearly spelled out his plan for Iraq and for bringing our troops home.
The country is SO LUCKY to have his leadership at this difficult time in our history.
How about get out by Jan 1, 2050.