Mueller Lake Park Outdoor Amphitheater
'Emergency' Money for Iraq Is Pro-War
RECEIVED Tue., March 27, 2007
Dear Editor,
The higher the stakes, the greater the spin.
Voting to provide more "emergency” money to the war is a pro-war vote. Despite the spin by Democratic leadership and MoveOn apologists (who failed in their “polling” to inform their members of key facts about the bill: See CodePink and United for Peace Web sites for more), this is no “small step” toward anything positive. It is a huge step toward extending the war. By ignoring any political or diplomatic solutions, it legitimizes the failed military strategy – and makes matters worse by now committing untrained troops to the war. It is not funding the return of troops – it is funding the latest surge.
It says "yes" to war and occupation by funding its very continuance.
With the provision that the president can now bypass Congress to go into Iran (just like they irresponsibly gave away their powers with Iraq), this bill brings us that much closer to that war.
Assuming the far-out date is acceptable for the situation at hand (it’s not), anyone who thinks any date in a nonbinding resolution is going to be adhered to … I’ve got some land in Fallujah to sell ya. Case in point: two supplemental bills ago was language that there would be no more supplemental bills!
Now activists have even more challenges. Congress now has less reason to work for a nonmilitary solution and no impetus to work on legislation safely moving our troops out of harm's way now.
This $100 billion blank check dishonors the will of the American people, it dishonors the troops, it flies in the face of the Iraqi people, and it subjects us to more insecurity from without and to more negativity within our collective soul.
The war is illegal and immoral – the expansion of it abominable.
The higher the stakes, the greater the spin.
Voting to provide more "emergency” money to the war is a pro-war vote. Despite the spin by Democratic leadership and MoveOn apologists (who failed in their “polling” to inform their members of key facts about the bill: See CodePink and United for Peace Web sites for more), this is no “small step” toward anything positive. It is a huge step toward extending the war. By ignoring any political or diplomatic solutions, it legitimizes the failed military strategy – and makes matters worse by now committing untrained troops to the war. It is not funding the return of troops – it is funding the latest surge.
It says "yes" to war and occupation by funding its very continuance.
With the provision that the president can now bypass Congress to go into Iran (just like they irresponsibly gave away their powers with Iraq), this bill brings us that much closer to that war.
Assuming the far-out date is acceptable for the situation at hand (it’s not), anyone who thinks any date in a nonbinding resolution is going to be adhered to … I’ve got some land in Fallujah to sell ya. Case in point: two supplemental bills ago was language that there would be no more supplemental bills!
Now activists have even more challenges. Congress now has less reason to work for a nonmilitary solution and no impetus to work on legislation safely moving our troops out of harm's way now.
This $100 billion blank check dishonors the will of the American people, it dishonors the troops, it flies in the face of the Iraqi people, and it subjects us to more insecurity from without and to more negativity within our collective soul.
The war is illegal and immoral – the expansion of it abominable.
In hope,
Debbie Russell
Debbie Russell
