Washblog

Maria Cantwell; Now can you find the courage? Kerry's new Iraq exit plan

So Sen. John Kerry has made public his plan for an exit strategy from Iraq.  And Sen. John Kerry will be coming to our neighborhood in a show of support for Sen. Cantwell.  Hmmm, maybe now she can find the courage to become representative of her constituents, the people's will to get out of Iraq and listen to 72% of the troops polled who want to come home.

Kerry Joins Cantwell in Seattle
announcement at Daniel Kirkdorffer's blog.

NY Times; John Kerry speech; exit Iraq plan April 5, 2006.  

   

Half of the service members listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall died after America's leaders knew our strategy would not work.  It was immoral then and it would be immoral now to engage in the same delusion. We want democracy in Iraq, but Iraqis must want it as much as we do. Our valiant soldiers can't bring democracy to Iraq if Iraq's leaders are unwilling themselves to make the compromises that democracy requires.

As our generals have said, the war cannot be won militarily. It must be won politically. No American soldier should be sacrificed because Iraqi politicians refuse to resolve their ethnic and political differences.

So far, Iraqi leaders have responded only to deadlines -- a deadline to transfer authority to a provisional government, and a deadline to hold three elections.

Now we must set another deadline to extricate our troops and get Iraq up on its own two feet.

Iraqi politicians should be told that they have until May 15 to put together an effective unity government or we will immediately withdraw our military. If Iraqis aren't willing to build a unity government in the five months since the election, they're probably not willing to build one at all. The civil war will only get worse, and we will have no choice anyway but to leave.  

We'll see, there's time left before the election for Senator Cantwell to emerge publicly as a newly converted opponent to the never-ending war in Iraq.  I won't be impressed if that happens, as it would be a 'safe' move given the shift in political dynamics.  On the other hand, maybe the courage of her convictions is to stay the course and in some backwards way, I guess that is courage - foolhardy courage, but courage nonetheless.

However, if she does have a soul-searching epiphany and finds that she suddenly feels compelled to change her views on Iraq war, well I guess that plays too.  

Right - whatever!  Too late for too many, but I guess that ol saying 'better late than never', huh?   I won't admire her if she changes her view and has some influence on an end to Iraq war but I will be grateful.  If the two returning Iraq veterans in our family (both from Washington and her constituents too, right?) don't have to redeploy to Iraq, it will be an immense relief.  I'd guess that extends to every other military family in our state whether they say so publicly or not.  And of course, an extension of that is that military families across the nation will be relieved.  What can possibly be said about the Iraqi people who have paid a heavy price ... not sure it is 'relief' they will be feeling as the civil war there is underway already.  

< Blogging Isn't Enough | North to Alaska >
Display: Sort:
This is one of the first steps in Kerry's '08 plan.  Sure it's super but don't hail it as some sort of organic expression of his feelings on the issue.  Kerry was asked point blank during the campaign if he regretted his vote to authorize war knowing now that there were no weapons of mass destruction.  He said no.  No!  That cost him votes.

Cantwell may be clueless, but she's consistent.  Since Nov. '04 she hasn't been pro-war or anti-war.  Then again, to the anti-war crowd, not being anti-war is the same as being in league with Bush on the issue.

Democrats need to win back Congress to stop the war, which means Maria gets my vote (even if she can't get a clue on certian issues).

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

by Belltowner on Thu Apr 06, 2006 at 05:14:25 PM PST

* 4 5.00 1 *


IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 4/06/06
Americans Killed: 2344
Americans Wounded: 17,269
Iraqi Dead: Est.:37,943
http://icasualties.org/oif/
..................................................

Latest Confirmed American Casualties:

*Lance Cpl. Jacob W. Beisel, 21, of Lackawaxen, Pa. died March 31 Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

*Capt. Timothy J. Moshier, 25, of Albany, N.Y. died in Baghdad Iraq on April 1.

*Chief Warrant Officer Michael L. Hartwick, 37, of Orrick, Mo. died in Baghdad Iraq on April 1.

*Staff Sgt. Darrell P. Clay, 34, of Fayetteville, N.C. They died in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 1.

*Sgt. Israel Devora Garcia, 23, of Clint, Texas died in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 1.

*Hospitalman Geovani Padillaaleman, 20, of South Gate, Calif., died Apr. 2 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. Kun Y. Kim, 20, of Atlanta, Ga. died April 2 Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Eric A. McIntosh, 29, of Trafford, Pa. died April 2 Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

*Cpl. Scott J. Procopio, 20, of Saugus, Mass. died April 2 Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

*Cpl. Andres Aguilar Jr., 21, of Victoria, Texas died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Cpl. David A. Bass, 20, of Nashville, Tenn. died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. Patrick J. Gallagher, 27, of Jacksonville, Fla. died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. Felipe D. Sandoval-Flores, 20, of Los Angeles, Calif. died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Cpl. Brian R. St. Germain, 22, of Warwick, R.I. died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Abraham G. Twitchell, 28, of Yelm, Wash.(45th from Washington State) died April 2 near Al Asad, Iraq.

*Spc. Ty J. Johnson, 28, of Elk Grove, Calif., died in Kirkuk, Iraq, on April 4.

Peace,

Chad (The Left) Shue

by The Left Shue on Thu Apr 06, 2006 at 09:58:46 AM PST

* 1 4.00 1 *


Lietta,

Will you be blogging on our meeting with Sen. Cantwell today? I hope so. I really appreciate your perspective on things.

It really got me today when the senator said she couldn't imagine what it is like for you as an individual with two close relatives who will be returning to Iraq.

By the way, I enjoyed meeting you "in reality." Your presence was so impressive today!

Peace, David

by DWE on Mon Apr 10, 2006 at 09:46:45 PM PST

* 6 none 0 *


Display: Sort:

 

 


RE-ELECT
ALEC FISKEN

Seattle Port Commission

 

 

 

www.rentonfacts.com
RENTON FACTS

 

 

 

 

FISKEN'S PORT WATCH
Environmental Issues

 

 

 

REAL CHANGE
HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

 

PIRATE TELEVISION
Challenging the Corporate Media Blockade


Watch Live or Archived Shows:
Seattle SCAN
South End PSA

 

PNW TOPIC HOTLIST

Login

Make a new account

Username:
Password:

Recommended Diaries

Washblog RSS Feeds

Political Contacts

Local Media

Coastal/Grays Harbor
Aberdeen Daily World
Chinook Observer
Montesano Vidette
Pacific County Press
Willapa Harbor Herald
KXRO 1320 AM

Olympic Peninsula
Peninsula Daily News
Bremerton Sun
Bremerton Chronicle
Gig Harbor Gateway
Port Orchard Independent
Port Townsend Leader
North Kitsap Herald
Squim Gazette
Central Kitsap Reporter
Business Examiner
KONP 1450 AM

Sound and Islands
Anacortes American
Bainbridge Review
Voice Of Bainbridge
San Juan Journal
The Islands' Sounder
Whidbey NewsTimes
South Whidbey Record
Stanwood/Camano News
Vashon Beachcomber
Voice Of Vashon
KLKI 1340 AM

North Puget Sound
Bellingham Herald
The Northern Light
Everett Herald
Skagit Valley Herald
Lynden Tribune
The Enterprise
Snohomish County Tribune
Snohomish County Business Journal
The Monroe Monitor
The Edmonds Beacon
KGMI 790 AM
KELA 1470 AM
KRKO 1380 AM

Central Puget Sound
King County Journal
Issaquah Press
Mukilteo Beacon
Voice of the Valley
Federal Way Mirror
Bothell/Kenmore Reporter
Kirkland courier
Mercer Island Reporter
Woodinville Weekly

Greater Seattle
Seattle PI
Seattle Times
KOMO TV 4
KIRO TV 7
KING 5 TV
KTBW TV 22
KCTS 9
UW Daily
The Stranger
Seattle Weekly
Capitol Hill Times
Madison Park Times
Seattle Journal of Commerce
NW Asian Weekly
West Seattle Herald
North Seattle Herald-Outlook
South Seattle Star
Magnolia News
Beacon Hill News
KIRO 710 AM
KOMO AM 1000
KEXP 90.3 FM
KUOW 94.9 FM
KVI 570 AM

South Puget Sound
The Columbian
Longview Daily News
Nisqually Valley News
Lewis County News
The Reflector
Eatonville Dispatch
Tacoma News Tribune
Tacoma Weekly
Puyallup Herald
Enumclaw Courier-Herald
The Olympian
KAOS 89.3 FM
KCPQ 13
KOWA FM 106.5
UPN 11

Cascade/Okanogan
Ellensburg Daily Record
Levenworth Echo
Cle Elum Tribune
Snoqualmie Valley Record
Methow Valley News
Lake Chelan Mirror
Omak chronicle
The Newport Miner

Spokane/Palouse
The Spokesman-Review
KREM 2 TV Spokane
KXLY News 4 Spokane
KHQ 6 Spokane
KSPS Spokane
Statesman-Examiner
Othello Outlook
Cheney Free Press
Camas PostRecord
The South County sun
White Salmon Enterprise
Palouse Boomerang
Columbia Basin Herald
Grand Coulee Star
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Yakima Herald-Republic
KIMA 29 Yakima
KAPP TV 35 Yakima
KYVE Yakima
Wenatchee World
Tri-City Herald
TVEW TV 42 Tri-cities
KTNW Richland
KEPR 19 Pasco
Daily Sun News
Prosser Record-Bulletin
KTCR 1340 AM
KWSU Pullman
Moscow-Pullman Daily News

 

 

WA INITIATIVES & REFERENDA
WA BILLS, LAWS & LEGISLATORS
NATIONAL BILLS, LAWS & LEGISLATORS
STATE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
FEDERAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?
Democracy for Washington tool to email legislators by committee
WA House
WA Senate

 


Photo courtesy of photographer/thankyoult.org
THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT WATADA

 


WA PEACE LINKS

 


ABUSE OF POWER
Inspired by Rob McKenna's Fake Attorney General Letterhead
GIF of Letter

 

 

 


NW PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
Medicine Takeback Program
Return unwanted and expired medications for free and safe disposal.