The Path Forward
More than a year ago, John Kerry spoke at Georgetown University in a speech on October 26, 2005 that covered the US role in Iraq, national security and how the US addresses terrorism:
mistakes of the past, no matter who made them, are no justification for marching ahead into a future of miscalculations and misjudgments and the loss of American lives with no end in sight. We each have a responsibility, to our country and our conscience, to be honest about where we should go from here. It is time for those of us who believe in a better course to say so plainly and unequivocally.<![...]
The path forward will not be easy. The administration’s incompetence and unwillingness to listen has made the task that much harder, and reduced what we can expect to accomplish. But there is a way forward that gives us the best chance both to salvage a difficult situation in Iraq, and to save American and Iraqi lives. With so much at stake, we must follow it.
We must begin by acknowledging that our options in Iraq today are not what they should be, or could have been.
[...]
The way forward in Iraq is not to pull out precipitously or merely promise to stay “as long as it takes.” To undermine the insurgency, we must instead simultaneously pursue both a political settlement and the withdrawal of American combat forces linked to specific, responsible benchmarks. [...]
But history shows that guns alone do not end an insurgency. The real struggle in Iraq – Sunni versus Shiia – will only be settled by a political solution, and no political solution can be achieved when the antagonists can rely on the indefinite large scale presence of occupying American combat troops.
In fact, because we failed to take advantage of the momentum of our military victory, because we failed to deliver services and let Iraqis choose their leaders early on, our military presence in vast and visible numbers has become part of the problem, not the solution.
And our generals understand this. General George Casey, our top military commander in Iraq, recently told Congress that our large military presence “feeds the notion of occupation” and “extends the amount of time that it will take for Iraqi security forces to become self-reliant.” And Richard Nixon’s Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, breaking a thirty year silence, writes, ‘’Our presence is what feeds the insurgency, and our gradual withdrawal would feed the confidence and the ability of average Iraqis to stand up to the insurgency.” No wonder the Sovereignty Committee of the Iraqi Parliament is already asking for a timetable for withdrawal of our troops; without this, Iraqis believe Iraq will never be its own country.
We must move aggressively to reduce popular support for the insurgency fed by the perception of American occupation. An open-ended declaration to stay ‘as long as it takes’ lets Iraqi factions maneuver for their own political advantage by making us stay as long as they want, and it becomes an excuse for billions of American tax dollars to be sent to Iraq and siphoned off into the coffers of cronyism and corruption.
This is the reality of the world today
- a world more dangerous because of the Bush blunders and a challenge far more complicated than the gruff Cheney sound bites. America deserves -our safety depends—on a winning strategy to reverse this dangerous course and make our country more secure.There are five principal priorities that demand immediate action: (1) redeploy from Iraq, (2) re-commit to Afghanistan, (3) reduce our dependence on foreign oil, (4) reinforce our homeland defense, and (5) restore America’s moral leadership in the world. These “5 R’s”
-if you want to call them that- are bold steps Democrats will take to strengthen our national security, and that the Republicans who have set the agenda today resist to our national peril.We must refocus our military efforts from the failed occupation of Iraq to what we should have been doing all along: tracking down and killing members of al Qaeda and their clones wherever they are. We must redeploy troops from Iraq—maintain enough residual force to complete the training and deter foreign intervention, so we can free up resources to fight the global war on terror.
Republicans want to wrap this strategy in slogans because they’re afraid to debate what it really is: a redeploy-to-succeed strategy—to succeed in defeating world wide terror, and to succeed in making Iraqis themselves responsible for Iraq.
[...]
We also desperately need something else this administration disdains: diplomacy. Real diplomacy—a Dayton-like summit of Iraq and the countries bordering it, the Arab League, NATO, and the Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council. Our own generals have said Iraq can not be solved militarily. Only through negotiation and diplomacy can you stem the growing civil war, and only by setting a deadline to get out can we force Iraq and its neighbors to take diplomacy seriously.
John Kerry has been laying out a framework for how to end U.S. involvement in Iraq for more than a year. The president and the Congress should have followed his advice long ago. Instead, day after day, we wake up to headlines like this week’s litany of pain, destruction and death.
Death Toll For Iraqis Reaches New High; 3,709 Civilians Killed In October, U.N. Says, 11-23-2006, Washington Post
Sectarian Attack Is Worst in Baghdad Since Invasion, 11-23-2006, New York Times
Assault on Iraqi Civilians Is Deadliest Since 2003, 11-24-2006, Washington Post
Iraq Toll Rises; Shiite Militia Retaliates, 11-24-2006, New York Times
In Iraq, Reprisals Embolden Militias; Shiites Attack Sunni Mosques to Avenge Mass Killings; Lawmakers Threaten Boycott, 11-25-2006, Washington Post
Militants Attack Sunnis’ Mosques in 2 Iraqi Cities, 11-25-2006, New York Times
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John Kerry’s plan is comprehensive and detailed and could potentially save thousands of lives. Instead, the arrogance of this administration, and its inability to admit to mistakes, is proving more and more costly every day.
The longer they hesitate, the more difficult it will become to even implement any intelligent exit strategy.
Here is a chance to let everybody else know that there is a leader amongst us who instills not only hope but also solutions to the most significant issues our country faces.
I posted a comment and expect to be thouroughly ridiculed for my position. I will wait and see what kind of responses I get. Post your own thoughts and let others know that we are out here.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/25/10127/264
Many of us felt so reassured when these words were spoken, advice and a direction that should have been heeded. Now worsening conditions, time and lives lost.
Thank you, Violet, for posting this reminder.
John Kerry has been acknowledged for some time as understanding world diplomacy like few others in the public service sector.
The pundits need to know, or maybe do, that Kerry has always had a way forward. With knowing that solutions can’t be made unilaterally either.
Brave soul, oncall, but much needed education.
So far the only negative comment my posting has received is that John Kerry is not even 1/10th the public speaker of RFK. I don’t know many current politicians who have that talent.
That was then, and this is now.
“We who have come here to Washington have come here because we feel we have to be winter soldiers now. We could come back to this country; we could be quiet; we could hold our silence; we could not tell what went on in Vietnam, but we feel because of what threatens this country, the fact that the crimes threaten it, not reds, and not redcoats but the crimes which we are committing that threaten it, that we have to speak out.”
“The mistakes of the past, no matter who made them, are no justification for marching ahead into a future of miscalculations and misjudgments and the loss of American lives with no end in sight. We each have a responsibility, to our country and our conscience, to be honest about where we should go from here. It is time for those of us who believe in a better course to say so plainly and unequivocally.”
The less things change, the more they stay insane.
Oncall: It’s interesting that you bring up RFK, because I always think of him as someone who never felt the need to dumb-down his speech - and he had no problem getting his words to resonate with people. Thanks for helping to spread the word about these important speeches.
I was at the Georgetown speech and wrote about it at DCP. What I remember was the clarity of the message and the soundness of the thinking. I also recall that the entire room was full and that the students and faculty there totally understood what JK was saying and the plan was obviously thought-through and detailed.
I spent the past year telling many on the progressive side about it; they were, too often, blinded by the msm’s spin on JK.
Here we are a year later, the message is still the right one, and who is listening?
A reminder to all of us that we must BE the media.
This current crop of republicans has done a good job of selling dumbness, that is, vote for dumb Dubya, not for the “intellectual”. As if being a thinker is bad!
Well, it seems to be finally catching up to him though. Iraq is his mess and he seems to have no clue on how to clean it up!
If Kerry had only been elected 2 years ago… Now all we can do is hope for him in 08 but the chances are not good but I have hope! :)
Uphill battle or not; I will continue to fight for John Kerry until he quits. Only then will I quit, too. Because when you strip away the personality contest, the only candidate left standing on his merits is Kerry. All other ones are either lightweights, or have no position other than the one that happens to be popular with the voter group they’re trying to attract.
So give me John Kerry, a man with convictions, any time over the rest of the crop.
I’m with you, Kerstin. He won’t stop fighting, he never has. And if he won’t, we won’t either.
These are the battles worth fighting. Enough is enough! People are tired of the corruption, of the media complicity, and of the lies. And they’re starting to see what we’ve seen all along.
All the weak-kneed, back stabbing, panderers out there on both sides had better look out, because the ones who will be left standing are the ones who stand for something.
Kerry ‘08
Kerstin and GV,
I’m with you. No one else is even close to Senator Kerry in speaking out for the changes needed, whether in the war on terror, Iraq, healthcare or the environment. He is smart, honest and would make an incredible President. In 2004, I realized as I read his remarkable history that I was happier to cast a vote for him than for any candidate since I first voted in 1972.
Senator Kerry has shown strength of character and purpose through his entire adult life. I will also fight for Senator Kerry over any of the other Democrats because in doing so, I feel I will, in a small way, be fighting for a better country.
The Georgetown speech was incredible as he explained the war in ways that people, like me, who never fought or even tried to understand war could understand. The interviews he did at that time likely influenced the thinking of more people than would admit it.
I remember Chris Matthews solemnly nodding his head in agreement as the Senator spoke of the danger to the soldiers and the fear engendered in the Iraqis from the search and destroy missions. Senator Kerry’s words made me understand how awful it had to be for the soldiers not knowing what was behind each door and how the Iraqis must have felt when soldiers not knowing either their language or culture knocked on their door.
Senator Kerry’s words made it clear intellectually and emotionally why this was a job that had to be transferred to the Iraqis. The sad thing in that speech is that the Senator said it was the very last window to get it right - and 6 months later, he was right that it had become too late. I wonder if following Senator Kerry’s recommendations could have avoided the civil war that has made it much harder to find any solution.
Like both of you, there is no politician I have ever trusted as much, nor one as deserving of trust.
karennj,
The same Chris Matthews who spent the entire 04 campaign badgering pro or anti war, with no time for explantion of what anything meant. The same pundit recently fawning over not so maverick conservative, McCain.
Wonder if the msm feel any responsibility for allowing the bad stuff to happen and continue.
Posted by Marjorie G | November 25, 2006 9:41 PM
All the msm really cares about is selling soap.
Marjorie G,
I totally agree with you on Matthews. He is completely inconsistent. I was simply stuck in that interview by how quiet he was. It may have been because he was intimidated by the interview being in Senator Kerry’s office or becuase he was struck by the truth of what the Senator was saying.
It was because this was not typical behavior for him that I noticed it. I also agree 100% on his fawning over McCain, who is really not a maverick to any real degree. (Would he have stood against his whole party - as Kerry did on BCCI?)
I’m in agreement with everyone. As far as Chreis Matthews goes he knows John Kerry and anytime he has interviewed him, he shows him respect. What’s bad is that he’ll turn around and say something stupid like"democrats have no plan” . I mean give me a break, very hypocritical and unjournalistic. The media is a BIG BIG problem.
I heard Craig Crawford one night on Olbermann and they were talking about JK, and Crawford says yeah he sends out press releases all the time on important issues and the media don’t even pay attention to them. Geez, it’s not like JK is not letting the press know, it’s the press stifling him.
I wasn’t into politics at all for almost 3 decades, last time I even cared was when Bobby Kennedy was running for President. So when I went looking to see who I wanted to support in ‘03, and I came here to JohnKerry.com, right away I knew that he was the one. I haven’t been disappointed yet and I know I will always fight right along side him. He most definitely is the “real deal”.
Thanks to all of you for all your comments on this thread: an oasis of sanity and thoughtfulness in cyberspace. John Kerry is indeed the real thing, and I have confidence that our fellow citizens will finally wake up to the obvious (that is, what’s been obvious to me since fall 2003): John Kerry has all the makings of a great president. He is the right man for the job, both to solve our serious domestic problems (health care; the economy, including economic inequity; the environment), to resolve the Iraq tragedy, and to restore our standing in the world. He has been the right man all along; he has been years ahead of the curve on ALL these issues. And he is still right on the issues , as is demonstrated with every bit of news on Iraq, on health care, the environment, and more. He is the right man for the time. For THIS time. What a revolutionary thought: someone for president who’s actually the best man for the job.
It’s all so obvious to me that I struggle showing visible impatience (and more) with folks who don’t yet get what a treasure we have in John Kerry. But they’re starting to catch on now. As KarenDC said, we have to be the media, to spread the facts, until the MSM and Beltway Talking Heads catch up to parrot the new conventional wisdom that we and the awakened American public will create while they’re sleeping.
There’s that truism that leaders arise in times of need. Well, he’s right here already. And, like fedup and others here, I’m planning to fight for my country right alongside him.
Two great speeches that demonstrate how much time has been wasted, and reports that show the increasing chaos and toll in lives lost.
The situation in Iraq is getting worse by the minute and the WH is still in denial that it’s a civil war.
Here’s Greg Sargent’s take on a flip by an avid war cheerleader, Joe Klein:
http://www.prospect.org/horsesmouth/2006/11/post_431.html#014626
I just wanted to share the Iraqi blogger Zeyad’s new post about what is going on in Baghdad. Zeyad says that the Sadr City bombings are just as bad a catalyst as the Shrine bombing from last February.
Zeyad is still in NYC; NO OTHER blogger that I read has done a post. Bloggers Omar and Mohammed of Iraq the Model (favorite blog for Republicans) have disappeared—Zeyad can’t find them, but thinks since their neighbor was kidnapped, that they have fleed to somewhere unknown. Radio silence from all of the other bloggers. Zeyad’s brother is in imminent danger because he is a young male—Zeyad is begging his parents NOT to allow Nabil to go to school anymore since he is a prime target for abduction.
Then, there are the Iraqi message boards. Zeyad said these are the voices of Sunnis asking for instructions on how to defend their neighborhoods from militiamen. (I don’t know of any Shi’ite blogs; otherwise I would share that as well)
http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/archives/2006_11_01_healingiraq_archive.html#116454273430101928
Ali – Khadhraa district:
Please inform us about the areas that are expected to be targeted, so we can be prepared. Also please inform us on the necessary steps we should take to protect our families and ourselves.
Ibn Al-Iraq – Jihad district:
Salam Aleikum. I live in the Jihad district. A group from the Mahdi Army tagged Sunni residences and collected their weapons today. God is witness to what I say.
Mustafa – Ghazaliya:
We have been under mortar fire for two days. It is 10:50 p.m. now and we can hear heavy gunfire and an attack against mosques in the area. May God save us all from the injustice of aggressors.
A Mujahid for Allah – Baghdad of Al-Rashid:
In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.
They want it a war, so be it. We are up to it, God willing.
My brothers, heed these recommendations:
1- Prepare weapons and ammunition.
2- To avoid their mortar fire, do not gather in large numbers at one place in your areas.
3- Spread out in small groups, and assign a commander to each.
4- Always take cover behind a barrier (anything that can protect you from enemy fire).
5- If there is an attack against your area, try not to waste your fire (make maximum benefit from the ammunition you have available).
6- Assign duties to your brothers.
7- Maintain communication with other groups in your area so you can respond to any breach of the area by the attackers.
8- Have courage and patience when you face them. They are cowards and will be defeated.
Remember that your brothers, the Mujahideen, will be with you in your fight against the murderous criminals. May God save us and save Iraq.
The son of Anbar – Baghdad:
Dear brothers, the Khadhraa and Jami’a districts are in need of ammunition. Please come to our aid.
Ali – Ghazaliya:
Groups from the evil Mahdi Army are preparing to enter Ghazaliya from the direction of the Centre Street and near the Muhajireen mosque, but residents are in control of most of the streets, despite assistance from the National Guard and their cover for the mortar attacks from the Security Street. A woman was injured there from their damn mortars.
Abu Al-Hassan Al-Samarra’I – Baghdad:
To the Mujahideen brothers in all areas, attack them and let the initiative be yours so that you can relieve the pressure from other districts. Have no mercy for them. Be careful of their spies in your areas.
Anonymous - Jihad district:
Urgent. Please intervene to save the Jihad district from another massacre. Interior Ministry commandoes have been transporting fighters and mercenaries from the militias with their buses to their headquarters in the district. They are estimated to be around 500 mercenaries, fully armed with medium and light weapons. And now some of them are taking attack positions in preparation for a new massacre in the district. The buses have not stopped arriving, even though terrified residents have called the police and governmental officials.
Abu Mohammed – Baghdad:
I recommend to my brothers the following:
1- Trust in God, and defend your family, your possessions and your honour. Whoever is killed is a martyr for God.
2- Never surrender, because in that case they will kill us after maiming and torturing us. We should fight to the last breath.
3- Ensure surveillance for every area, especially main streets and entry points, and maintain communication to follow the movement of vehicles used by militias. Attack them wisely without wasting ammunition.
4 – Prepare ambushes for these militias on the streets they are expected to pass. Finish them off and take their weapons.
Remember that those militias are former looters, thieves and shoe shiners. Do not make such a big deal of them because, by God, they are lowly animals.
Salim Hussein – Raghiba Khatoun:
There is a large gathering of Mahdi Army militiamen at the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib husseiniya at Raghiba Khatoun, where they came from the Dilfiya area of the Qahira district. They intend to attack the residents of Adhamiya, Raghiba Khatoun and Sulaikh. Please be alert.
Ahmed Al-Janabi – Baghdad:
Salam Aleikum. I’m a resident of Yarmouk and I can hear gunfire from the Four Streets area as if in warning of an attack of sorts. God knows. Please come to our aid if the situation worsens.
Abdul Rahman Abdul Qadir – Karkh:
Salam Aleikum. Over 40 vehicles with Mahdi Army militiamen have gathered near the Dora police station. They started arriving at 7 p.m., and at 7:45 p.m. we could see about 40 vehicles preparing to attack Dora.
Abdul Rahman – Iraq:
Please keep these steps in mind:
1- Deploy snipers on the rooftops of buildings that lie close to the main entry points for each area.
2- Prepare positions for medium weapons at a distance from the entry point, and make pincers with sniper and PKC fire. When you choose a position, make sure you can retreat to alternate positions from it, in case the enemy overruns the area (do not choose a building that is not adjacent to another, or use ropes to quickly slide down the building).
3- RPG carriers should maintain their positions on side streets and take cover behind barriers. Do not fire just for the sake of it (attack the first and last vehicle).
4- Create heavy fire density to force the enemy to take cover, and then eliminate them by sniper fire.
5- Provide hand grenades and distribute them to the Mujahideen.
6- Fighters with light weapons should always change positions, fire from different angles and not stay at one place.
7- Prepare and plant roadside bombs on the entrance to every area.
8- Bomb the gathering locations for the army of filthy Muqtada.
9- Prepare a special group to deal with any breach, and it should be armed with RPGs, PKC machine guns and KIA vehicles.
10- Plan ambushes and lure the enemy by using bait vehicles that they chase to be dragged into the killing zone.
Iraqiya – Dora:
Urgent. Dora has been breached. There was an attack by the ragtag militias against residences, and we can now hear women screaming. They are raiding the Tu’ma district, which is inhabited by the Jubour tribes. There is also an attack against the Arqam mosque.
Ali – Dora:
Elements of the Interior Ministry commandos are attacking Dora (the Mechanic, Tu’ma, Sahha and Asia districts). But do not fear, for we are engaging them. Our battle cry is “They came for death, no one brought them.”
Ahmed – Jamila district:
Barbaric groups of the Antichrist Army, and the Iranians that are with them, have killed dozens of Sunni youth at the Jamila district in the exact spot of the car bombing, in a mass execution orgy in front of people. This was broadcast on Sharqiya TV by an anonymous security source. The honourable Shi’ites from east of the Canal have told us that these groups are moving freely, and that they are preparing for a wide-scale assault on Sunni districts. Be prepared to confront the infidels.
Mohammed – Jami’a district:
Mahdi Army followers have been seen gathering at Sallama Al-Khafaji’s residence in Jami’a in preparation for an attack against the district.
Abdul Rahman – Iraq:
For the brothers who have not used weapons before, please take this advice:
1- Check your weapon if you have not used it before. You can ask your neighbour to teach you how to attach the magazine and to load and fire. Do not be ashamed that it would be said you don’t know how to use a weapon, as many people have not had a chance to.
2- Choose the appropriate spot on your roof that can provide you with cover and make it hard for the enemy to target you.
3- It is best if every two families gather in one house when the alarm of an attack is raised to keep spirits high.
4- When you shoot, try to make it intermittent so you do not waste your ammunition. Be patient until more fighters arrive and your neighbours start shooting too.
5- You may feel fear upon using a weapon for the first time or that something bad would happen to you, but think of your family and what awaits them if you are hesitant. Keep your honour and your children in front of your eye, and remember that they have burnt children with kerosene.
6- Make sure that you have an extra magazine because in the midst of action you may take away your weapon and forget your extra magazine. It is preferred that you tape two magazines together. Ask your neighbours how to do that. Practice with it several times.
7- Fear of using weapons will disappear with the first shot. Do not hesitate to pull the trigger and concentrate on hitting the enemy.
Omar Al-Rawi – Baghdad:
Salam Aleikum. Mosques in the Adhamiya and Khadhraa areas have started chanting “Allahu Akbar” and reciting Quran through their loudspeakers to encourage residents to confront the Safavid militias.
Ibn Al-Mansour – Mansour:
Residents of Mansour, large groups of armed militiamen have been seen heading from the Washash and Iskan districts to attack Mansour. Prepare to defend yourselves and your neighbours, Sunni and Shia, from the attack of the treacherous Mahdi Army militias.
Al-Anbari – Baghdad:
Several mortar shells have hit the Jami’a and Khadhraa districts after the evening prayers. And there is news that militias are now gathering to prepare for the attack against these districts. Additionally, there are groups of the Antichrist Army in the Safarat district preparing to attack the Qudhat district.
*******
Zeyad is also begging on his brother’s behalf for donations to get him out of Iraq as soon as possible. Zeyad is friends with Jeff Jarvis (founded Entertainment Weekly and was a TV critic for TV Guide) at http://www.buzzmachine.com, so I can tell you that this is not a scam.
http://nabilsblog.blogspot.com /
George Bush is going to have to utter the dreaded words “Civil War”, because that’s what it is. FULL OUT civil war.
Sen. Kerry’s plan is very good and dems in the Senate should use it as their plan. Unlike the Kerry-Feingold resolution the Levin-Reed resolution was very weak and didn’t even set a specific date for troop withdrawal. I hope the plan from Sen. Levin is stronger and more sensible than it was the last time. Instead of having a plan where we begin pull out in 4 to 6 months we should instead begin pull out in 1 year as Sen. Kerry had suggested in July. I hope the Levin plan also includes a specific date for withdrawal of troops. If his plan says that conditions on the ground would dictate when we remove troops then the plan is very ineffective. The dems should base their plan on Sen. Kerry’s plan which is better.
From Greg Sargent’s blog on The American Prospect’s site called ‘The Horse’s Mouth’ (“A blog about the reporting of politics—and the politics of reporting”), talking about Joe Klein’s latest piece in Time magazine:
they’ll all come around eventually,
Otter
Al Maliki has failed in his leadership. He never should have ordered the removal of checkpoints in Sadr City. He prevented our troops from looking for a missing American soldier. He has refused to crack down on Al Sadr’s Al Mahdi Army the Shi’ite death squads and militias which are responsible for the civil war. He has refused to support withdrawal of our troops. He has failed in his efforts to curb the growing civil war which he won’t acknowledge.
Why won’t the Iraqi forces stand up so we can stand down and bring our troops home? He should never have refused to meet specific date certain benchmarks of success. This administration should pressure him to meet these specific date certain benchmarks and if he doesn’t he should be told there will be consequences for not making progress. We can’t have an open ended commitment in Iraq. It is time for Al Maliki to go.
The reason why Iraqi forces don’t “stand up” is because there is no Iraq and no central Iraq government. I’m sure you read the horrible story of those Sunnis in a mosque being doused with kerosene and lit on fire. Well, Iraqi forces were PRESENT when this happened, and they did NOTHING to stop it. Everyone talks like Maliki has some sort of political power in Iraq; in fact, he has none. It’s not a matter of him trying to get al Sadr to do what he wants; rather it’s that al Sadr is giving Maliki the ONLY political power he has by agreeing to back him in the Parliament. Now al Sadr is messing with him by threatening to boycott the parliament if Maliki meets with Bush. Maliki isn’t weak; he’s irrelevant. And until we accept this fact, it’s going to be that much harder to figure out what to do. I admittedly am extremely pessimistic about Iraq—I think the civil war will go on for a long time, whether our troops stay or not. I fear that the time for a diplomatic solution has been long gone. Yes, we should try, but most likely, it will fail and the killings will continue unfettered. This is the Iraq Civil War, and now that Bush’s incompetent bungling of the “peace” has unleashed the hatred, it will be extremely difficult to stop it. Peace and democracy has failed in Iraq. Stability is a far off dream. Getting our troops out of there, containing the civil war to within Iraq’s borders, and squelching al Qaeda wherever it festers are the only goals we could possibly attain now.
CNN’s John Roberts says “the amount of death that’s on the streets of Baghdad…is at an astronomical level.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWlxxshasvQ&eurl;=
It’s good to see all these thoughtful posts.
It’s been tough for me to post because I’ve been busy with the holidays, but also .... because I kind of feel like my soul is frozen in horror at what is going on, not just in Iraq but in other places in the world where America might have been able to do some good, had we not destroyed our credibility and depleted our resources by our actions in Iraq.
I’ve had to take some breaks from the news. Last night as I was driving home from the shore, a 2 hour trip, I had to find the rockingest radio station I could and just blast it. I couldn’t stand to listen to NPR.
They played “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and it seemed so appropriate. I know that we will be, at some point. But I just wish more people would wake up, and listen to voices of reason like Senator Kerry - with that healthy skepticism of not wanting to be fooled again, but if they really listen, I think that this time they’d find they wouldn’t be.
I have a suggestion for some to consider:
I am sure many of thought of this as well.
We all agree that we have an obligation to get the truth about Senator Kerry to as many people as possible. There are several ways to do this. I have taken to visiting other sites and posting relevant comments that include a positive aspect of Senator Kerry’s positions or suggesting that there have been distortions perpetuated against him.
Violet’s post has inspired many of us. It is important to realize that despite some sites that are dedicated to Senator Kerry, not all bloggers are as likely to be aware of his accomplishments unless we make the effort to educate them. We can direct them to his speeches via this site and other sites on the web. It is easy. Just go to any site and find the topic that you feel comfortable posting in. Then post your comment as it relates to Senator Kerry.
We Must Be the Media.
Beachmom, I agree with every single word you said about the situation in Iraq. I saw all these politicians and talking-heads today on TV on MSNBC and CNN and couldn’t believe that they still get it so wrong. Or they just don’t want to get their heads out of the bubble and face the truth. There is no good solution for Iraq anymore. John Kerry had great ideas but nobody listened and now the window of opportunity is closed.
I can only recommend to everyone who didn’t read this article yet, to read Nir Rosen’s Anatomy of a Civil War. Here’s an excerpt:
Although the Bush administration has criticized the Iraqi government for not disarming the militias—and this is certainly the most important problem facing Iraq, apart from the occupation—this is an untenable first step. The militias exist because there is no security in Iraq. And when the Bush administration criticizes the Iraqi government for being weak, they forget that they deliberately made it weak and dependant on their dictates. The American failure to provide security has led to the militias. The American sectarian approach has created the civil war. We saw Iraqis as Sunnis, Shias, Kurds. We designed a governing council based on a sectarian quota system and ignored Iraqis (not exiled politicians but real Iraqis) who warned us against it. We decided that the Sunnis were the bad guys and the Shias were the good guys. These problems were not timeless. In many ways they are new, and we are responsible for them. The tens of thousands of cleansed Iraqis, the relatives of those killed by the death squads, the sectarian supporters and militias firmly ensconced in the government and its ministries, the Shia refusal to relinquish their long-awaited control over Iraq, the Kurdish commitment to secession, the Sunni harboring of Salafi jihadists—all militate against anything but full-scale civil war.
oncall,
Exactly. It could be a very coordinated effort if someone could organize it and make sure everyone knows the facts and how to link to sources that cover them. There are other blogs that have done a lot to establish Kerry’s record and have public speeches, letters, press releases and floor speeches in the archives. Some people are likely to be hesitant about material found here because it might be biased, etc. We could leave comments here about the places that a discussion is going on so more could join in.
I like this Post by Kerstin | November 25, 2006 7:59 PM:
“Because when you strip away the personality contest, the only candidate left standing on his merits is Kerry. “
Some of us even like his personality ;)
Posted by mbk | November 26, 2006 11:03 AM
Smacked that nail down to the hub. I can only add that the right man, at the right time and the right place, is WILLING to take on a mountain of work.
Posted by Karynnj | November 25, 2006 10:13 PM
Yes, the BCCI investigation is an important point in JK’s record. Too many people are cynical about all politicians and consider anyone who has been inside the beltway for any length of time to be out of touch and corrupt. Kerry did not stop with that. Most recently the Alito fillibuster and the Iraq withdrawal plan have been out of the clique moves other Dems didn’t have the guts to do.
John Kerry was right, he is right and he will be right. You can’t lose many bets on that.
EuropeGirl,
That is a very interesting article. The chaos in Iraq must be stopped. If steps had been taken early on in controlling the militias and death squads we would not see the level of violence we see today in the civil war.
Certainly the attack that took place in Sadr City on Thanksgiving day could have been prevented if Al Maliki had not ordered the checkpoints removed which were meant to look for a missing soldier. At the very least the impact of the attack could have been minimized if the checkpoints and American presence had stayed.
One has to wonder on which side Al Maliki is on if he would interfere and impede the search for an American soldier. The Bush administration has to a large extent indirectly contributed to this by agreeing with Al Maliki and removing the checkpoints in Sadr City.
Also more pressure should be put on Al Maliki to meet specific benchmarks by a certain date. But he refuses to do this citing Iraq’s sovereignty, the administration should not stand for this. Instead we have Bush telling him that we will stay in Iraq as long as necessary.
We should put pressure on Al Maliki to meet deadlines and if he doesn’t he should be told that there would be consequences. There is no excuse for vacillating the way he has been doing. There is still time for serious diplomacy to work and we should bring these ethnic groups together.
We can still have a diplomatic solution for the various problems that are in part feeding the civil war. We should definitely bring Iran and Syria into discussions. We can’t have a solution in Iraq without the cooperation and help of Iran and Syria.
Here’s one survey in which John Kerry has a strong lead among Democrats—blog posts. While not predictive of the 2008 winner, neither are the major polls which at this point are primarily tests of name recognition and mainstream media hype.
http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=675
Posted by oncall | November 26, 2006 11:08 PM
Oncall
You are so right about this. It’s something I have practiced for years - sharing the JK news. The more people who join in, the better, I think. The Kerry was right theme is one that plays well, as Ginny noted above.
Excellent blog, Violet.
Also, comforting and energizing to read the posts by everyone. There is strength in truth and no shortage of people who are willing to stand with John Kerry and his ideas. He’s way out ahead, as usual, but it’s entirely possible American citizens will catch up.
Posted by Pamela Leavey | November 27, 2006 2:45 AM
Pamela,
I know you have done an enormous amount of work to help others better understand Senator Kerry and his stand on the issues. I also know that many of us tend to go to some of the same sites.
I think that the idea of posting on other sites has to be considered a major challenge as we look at blogrolls of other sites and use those as guides as to where we might want to post our comments. We should consider posting at less frequently visited and a bit more obscure sites, for it is those who participate on those sites who need to learn and spread the word as well (poorly worded but I think you get my drift).
Even with the deteriorating conditions in Iraq, the inhuman torture and violence and the number of dead, the the media and most politicians pull pack and hide behind the latest wait and see strategy, the current one being the Baker Commsion Report.
It is easy to just point a finger of blame and call for change, all the while not being able to offer anything new to the conversation. It is also easy to not offer a new direction out of fear of rejection and criticize anyone that does.
Senator Kerry has criticized this administration’s handling of the Iraq War from the beginning. But, he also offered warnings and alternatives that offered hope and a new direction, but were mostly ignored by the administration. That is no surprise. What is surprising is our own Democratic Party that chose to avoid the Iraq War issue unless confronted and asked directly about it and ignored or refused to acknowledge anyone willing to bring it to the table-so to speak- for debate. I can just here them saying, the time is not yet right politically. Well, when will the time ever be right politically? How can a majority of politicians still not demand change when when it is obvious the situation is worse and deaths are escalating? The proper thing to do, the moral thing to do, was to respond in the manner that Senator Kerry did, in his speech, “The Path Forward”. The timing and the contents of this speech demonstrate true leadership and morals. The timing and contents say much about the great leader Senator Kerry is and how many other politicians don’t measure up to that leadership standard.
oncall:
You are correct.
Which see:
http://culturekitchen.com/m_loutre/blog/these_latter_day_armchair_generals_really_chap
still standing up after all these years,
Otter
Posted by oncall | November 27, 2006 9:24 AM
Oncall
Yes, I get your drift 100% and concur. Formulating a plan of action would be helpful.
Wisteria,
You make excellent points. The dems in Congress have always been cautious on the issue of withdrawing troops. When Sen. Kerry proposed withdrawing troops in the summer only 13 dems stood with him on this. Now that we have won Congress, the dems want to withdraw in 4 to 6 months because the American people are in favor of it.
I was never if favor of the cautious attitude of the dems to wait for Baker’s Iraq Study Group. It turns out that their first draft doesn’t include any mention of troop withdrawal. Could it be that they will instead follow the Pentagon’s lead and recommend sending 20,000 more soldiers to Iraq?
I hope that is not the case as sending in more troops will only make the civil war worse. The ISG will recommend talking to Iran and Syria which Sen. Kerry recommended earlier. It is time for dems to take Sen. Kerry’s lead and push for a date specific withdrawal of troops in one year.
Very eloquently put by Probus as usual. Sending in more troops may not be the answer at all. We should definitely take the good Senator’s lead and set a date for our kids to come home. Nice to see you and the Dem group this w/e Probus.
Thank you for posting the Georgetown speech, Violet.
An option for Iraq. Its a pretty awful option but then they all seem to be so.
We are told that most Iraqis want democracy and that their wishes are being denied by religous extremists who are well armed.
Train every Iraqi in the use of a side arm and a pump action shotgun. Issue everyone with a side arm and every dwelling with 2 shotguns. Train public servants etc in the use of rifles and issue an adequate numbers of rifles to every institutional building.
Outlaw the carrying of long arms on the streets.
And then let these people decide their own future, at first by force of arms and then hopefully the ballot box.
Of course this option would need to be analysed by intelligent experienced people. But 0.5 million are dead already and the return of a Sadam Hussien type dictator looks all to possible. This option would put “anti-American invader” insurgents on our side clearly defining the antidemocracy groups thereby allowing US forces to focus on these elements. As well the level of self-policing would hopefully rise (if only by residents looking after themselves) allowing far less patrols and far more raids. This should reduce the opportunityy for roadside bombs etc to kill US troops.
Worth loking at?
Oncall and Pamela,
Do you have a list of “Blogs to Seed” yet? :-)