Sen. Cantwell explains her position Iraq war in Monday meeting with us April 10, 2006[ED: Front paged, NM. Update: 6/25/07: Also see: Cantwell Staff Meet with Southend Neighbors for Peace & Justice on Iraq.] Reporting my perceptions of Sen. Cantwell's explanation of her position on Iraq at scheduled meeting held with her Monday, April 10, 2006. There were 8 representatives from different organizations and interest groups; each one was there to address Sen. Cantwell's position on Iraq. I was invited into this meeting to represent Military Families Speak Out - Washington state chapter. It took a little more than 6 months of persistence, planning and perseverance for this collective to obtain this meeting. I was invited 2 days before the actual meeting and not part of the 6 months of planning meetings in obtaining the meeting.
I feel a strong need to express gratitude to the collective for making this opportunity to represent one element of actual stakeholders in this war policy (military families of deployed loved ones who are speaking out)available to me, to present representing Military Families Speak Out.
Bios of each of the eight representatives was sent to Sen. Cantwell prior to the meeting to help cut down lengthy background introductions at the meeting. This permitted each of us to go around the table with brevity in introduction background and move right to the points. Sen. Cantwell graciously listened to each person with little in the way of interrupting questions.
My introduction included an explanation of the national organization Military Families Speak Out as military families with deployed loved ones in Iraq/Afghanistan. The dispropotionate weight of the war falls on the shoulders of the troops and their families. I explained the uniqueness of our organization in that within the military culture, it is not typical for the troops or military families to speak in what could be construed as disrespect for the Commander-in-Chief. There are 3,000 members of MFSO, across the nation, and 60 members in Washington state...membership requirements; military family with loved ones deployed in Iraq/Afghanistan. We have two returning Iraq veterans in our family facing multiple deployments to Iraq. I explained that I actually did not know her position on war in Iraq, and in the absence of a clear articulation from her, assume she is in agreement with the 'stay the course' line of the Bush administation. She had a visual expression of discomfort, and to her credit, in keeping with letting each of us have out say, she did not interrupt. As the introductions and presentations finished, the last presenter, David Edelman, ended our round table of concerns expressed by pointing out Sen. Kerry's new position plan on Iraq war and asked Sen. Cantwell if she agreed with Sen. Kerry's plan. This was to facilitate opening the discussion for Sen. Cantwell to give explanation of her views and position. Sen. Cantwell said she agreed with parts of Sen. Kerry's plan, but not in entirety, and had some concerns that if we issue the May 16 deadline and the Iraqi sovereign government is unable to comply, what do we actually do at that point? Sen. Cantwell then spoke to some of our concerns and while we did not bring up the issue of her vote for the war, she did, repeatedly. Our intent at this meeting was to get clarification on her current position on the Iraq war rather than review the history of how we got there or her vote. However, as she explained her position, it became apparant that her own sense of her vote factors heavily into her current position on the war. She conveyed that since she did vote for the war, she felt a responsibility to that vote and therefore to a responsible plan for stability in Iraq. Discussion then ensued on Iraq stability and security (readiness of Iraqi-trained security forces). She explained her sense of it is based on her own visit to Iraq, and discussion with Iraqis. (I'm fuzzy here, as she mentioned an Iraqi mayor she talked to and I am unclear on when her last visit to Iraq was, if she visited more than once..it has bearing on the current accuracy of her perception) At this point in the discussion, the Iraqi-American citizen who was among the eight representing various interests, addressed two things; the ability and capability of Iraqis who are already trained, perhaps not to an American standard, but nonetheless trained to Iraqi standards; yet he did also express concern for what happens come May 16 and US troops are withdrawn. It was pointed out to her that media reports of three ready trained Iraqi battalions was followed by media reports of that being down now to one ready trained Iraqi battalion. She seemed to dismiss that as a military language misunderstanding as to what ready-trained means and referenced the 'militia' in Iraq as her understanding of the problem. My sense is that she has an understanding based on souces she feels comfortable with that is more in line with her own sense of how the progression should go due to her sense of responsibility to her vote. My suggestion is a much fuller dialogue needs to happen as those of us close to the situation have a different understanding. I'm not convinced that what Sen. Cantwell understands as accurate in fact reflects the accuracy or fullness of the situation in Iraq now and with regard to what is being required of our US troops. Sen. Cantwell explained that she was a proponent of bringing in other Muslim forces per the invitations of other Muslim countries, ie Pakistan. She explained she was in favor of United Nations and International Community providing oversight as was done in Bosnia/Kosovo with intervention to separate the factions. She indicated this was her wish, but not shared by the Administration, and that she had early on gone on record with this suggestion. As the gist of the discussion seemed to be about stability/security and ability of Iraqi forces to take care of their own security, I felt compelled to interrupt and ask her directly how long it takes to train one of our kids fresh out of high school to send to Iraq. She said she did not know. I cited it takes 6 weeks to three months and we've been already in Iraq 3 years. (my point is that if we expect this from our own young, is it reasonable to expect less from Iraqi security forces?) I also reminded her the Commander-in-Chief has said it would be a future President who would deal with Iraq. It seemed to me that her reaction reflected she did not seem to know what I was referencing. I asked, rhetorically, if she knew how it felt to hear we could expect another three years of our troops being deployed in Iraq? While I wasn't expecting an actual response, to her credit, she actually answered, I honestly, I think, in that she said no she did not know how it feels. She seemed surprised that the group seemed unaware she had a position on the war in that she signed onto the Werner Amendment which addresses transition with benchmarks. She had her staff give us copies of the document. The discussion then moved to transition, more talk of security and stabilization and she again addressed her responsibility to her vote. (I may have the sequencing not in correct order that it occurred here). She seemed focused on 'transition' as her position. In fairness, I was trying to understand what transition means to her and indicated I did want to hear what she had to say. As near as I can tell, it seems her belief is transition means some kind of assurance that Iraqi security forces can responsibly secure Iraq. As I was struggling to assimilate her expressed thoughts on transition, earnestly wanting to understand her thinking, David pointed out that if it is to be transition in 2006, we are already well into April 2006 and nothing of progress reports or benchmarks in that transition plan are yet in place. To her credit, she did ask of us to state what we wanted if we didn't agree with her position. This seemed to me to be a way to open further discussion, but given the time constraints, and she knew the time constraints, it also seemed a way to let the conversation drift, having the group problem solve the solution to Iraq, while affording her leeway in not having to expand on her own thinking on her position. I'm not sure she actually believes as much as used for leverage in the discussion, but she did indicate that bringing the troops home now -- by tomorrow -- was not realistic. The operative word 'now' and her sharing her thinking that now means tomorrow led me to point out to her (and others concurred) that we know 'now' does not mean tomorrow, we know it takes time to pull our troops out as it took time to put them in. Whether she actually believes the literality of the term 'now', I'm not sure but it gives me grave concerns that her understanding of military operations may be lacking and that is a very grave concern to me. She began to then address her work with policy on energy to reduce reliance on oil, which she seemed to view as connected to Iraq war and part of her position for resolution for Iraq war. We did not develop that discussion with her and brought it back to the immediacey of the Iraq war now. About this time the allotted meeting time was winding down, and we needed to move to a wrap-up in asking her to get together with Senator Murray to hold open forum meetings for public dialogue on war in Iraq. I'm fuzzy here, but Sen. Cantwell did not disagree to that and I'm not sure that in not disagreeing it then implies she is agreeing to hold open forums. Sprinkled throughout the discussions were some intense views, passionate expressions, and there were many statements by the representatives at the meeting that made an impact on me, but I am hard-pressed to remember well enough to quote who said what when. Others in the meeting took notes, and I hope something from those notes will be made public. I remember there was discussion with Sen. Cantwell, that this meeting was on record and she did not disagree with that. When Sen. Cantwell left the meeting, her Chief of Staff, Kurt Beckett, remained behind for a short while as business cards and contacts were exchanged. I did ask him if her office would be issuing a statement, report, press release within the next week. He responded that he personally would be willing to do so tomorrow, but.... I would want it known that Sen. Cantwell did indicate a willingness to have referred for case-work anomalies that come up with deployed troops. She indicated this as reaction when I was explaining how 'stop loss' worked for the 2 Iraq veterans in my family (son-in-law and father to three of my grandchildren and a nephew with two children). Both served extended (the first of the stop-loss) deployments in Iraq; March 2003 - July 2004. They were home with their families for a few short months, then under Stop Loss orders by Jan 2005. Both were required to make re-enlist decisions in March 2005 and being already under Stop Loss orders, that meant their limited choices were to not re-enlist and be stop-loss deployed to Iraq anyway without re-enlist bonus; or re-enlist and redeploy to Iraq with re-enlist bonus. Either way the choice was deployment to Iraq. Thus the voluntary re-enlist gives the appearance of voluntary but it is just another way for the military to exercise pressure on the troops in involuntary retention. Sen. Cantwell indicated I could contact her staff for help to explore this situation. I wasn't there looking for help for that situation which has come and gone already as much as pointing out to her some information she did not seem to know. I also felt her response was a way to dismiss the larger issue of Iraq as I had been clear in my opening statements I was representing 60 other military families in WA in our chapter of MFSO, some who have loved ones on second and third deployments. I did explain to her again that I was there not just for the two Iraq veterans in our family, but on behalf of 60 other military families in WA who are members of Military Families Speak Out. However, I also concurred that I do know that Sen. Cantwell was instrumental in helping one of those families with the situation with their Iraq veteran, so yes, I know her office can be helpful in some individual situations. While that speaks well of her advocacy in case by case basis, it does not, however, bring us closer to getting the troops home if she maintains her position on Iraq war. Footnote; see press release Military Families to Hold Press Conference Outside of Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Kerry Reception our MFSO - WA chapter planned a silent vigil to be held at Sen. Cantwell fundraiser with Sen. Kerry and his wife as her guests Tuesday, April 11, 2006. That was already in the works before I received invitation to represent MFSO at this Monday meeting with Sen. Cantwell. On Tuesday I received phone call from Sen. Cantwell's Chief of Staff, Kurt Beckett, with a concern about what action MFSO was planning. After I explained the action to him, he seemed relieved as was concerned our action was a planned disruption at her fundraiser (apparantly there was disruption at her fundraiser at Garfeild school when Sen. Obama was a guest). I reminded him these would be military families from Washington, with deployed loved ones, our message is our message and woulbe be a visible message 'bring the troops home' and that our conduct in speaking out as military families is one of dignity not unlike the dignity of our deployed troops. I would wrap this up by sharing my inconclusive conclusion based on this meeting. I have deep concerns that Sen. Cantwell's current position seems in her mind to be tied to her vote for the war. What was history in the vote of Congress more than 3 years ago, and while that vote may be very important to Sen. Cantwell, what I need is for her to be in the 'present' with regard to the current situation in Iraq and feel the freedom to adjust her position accordingly, state it publicly and if there is backlash to her electability in the upcoming re-election, that is a secondary concern to sacrificing more of our young in what this Commander-in-Chief has called the 'long war' in Iraq - Middle East. I have immediate concern that the information on which she is forming her position is, in fact, part of the picture of conditions in Iraq, but there seems to me to be other parts of the picture in which she does not seem to have awareness. Or if she does, she did not express or acknowledge it at our meeting. I would like to hope that as a result of this meeting, Sen. Cantwell would be open to further dialogue, public forum discussion on Iraq war. I would like to believe that she believes she is playing it politically smart but unfortunately, and as I said to her, this is life and death for us every day. I would like to hope that Sen. Cantwell is receptive to shifting her position with more and perhaps more accurate information on conditions in Iraq put into her lap. Lastly, Andrew of NPI blog , has enthusiastically made a report of Sen. Cantwell's statement at the fundraiser event last night, it implies Sen. Cantwell does have a position on the Iraq war and has shifted her position and all is well now for those who've had concerns about her position on Iraq. I'm not ready to buy that yet, after this Monday meeting, but I'm willing to be hopeful. I'm still waiting for firsthand reports from the members of Military Families Speak Out who were in attendance inside at that fundraiser. There were at least three of our members who purchased tickets, and one returning Iraq veteran who purchased a ticket. Early reports from people who were also there are not nearly as optimistic about what Senator Cantwell said as Andrew has reported. One member was able to convey her concern about her deployed son in Iraq to Senator Kerry. Another member was able to convey her concern about her deployed brother in Afghanistan to Sen. Cantwell without criticism, and as a constituent who voted for her, and asked her to support Kerry and Murtha plans. When Sen. Kerry stepped outside before the fundraiser began, he was introduced to Joe Colgan and they chatted briefly. Joe Colgan of Kent, WA son Lt Benjamin Colgan was killed in Iraq in 2003 and Joe is himself a veteran. Joe has spoken out publicly of his personal experience and I recently co-presented with Joe in Tacoma rally in March (third anniversary Iraq war event). There was press (all three tv news stations) at the fundraiser event last night, and several of our members of MFSO along with Joe Colgan were interviewed. I haven't seen that coverage yet. Not to go on and on as I most certainly have done, but I am taking exception to Andrew's reporting as a finality of Sen. Cantwell's statement and/or intent last night. Early reports I am receiving indicate while she did say transition and 2006, their reports are more guarded than Andrew's report.
Sen. Cantwell explains her position Iraq war in Monday meeting with us April 10, 2006 | 23 comments (23 topical)
Sen. Cantwell explains her position Iraq war in Monday meeting with us April 10, 2006 | 23 comments (23 topical)
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