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Friday, June 23, 2006
Democrats Win Iraq Debate: Iraq Peace Plan Echoes Kerry/Feingold
I thought that headline would grab your attention. It's actually from an excellent post on Daily Kos by beachmom and details the Iraqi government's plan to end the war, achieve peace and assert its sovereignty on the ground. The entire post is well worth a read as we head into the weekend. Excerpt:
What is truly incredible is how this Iraq Peace Plan includes key components to the Kerry/Feingold amendment:
The Iraqis did indeed have a summit, will give the U.N. the central role to execute all aspects of the plan, and most importantly, makes a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops they key to get Sunni insurgents to lay down their weapons.
As John Kerry said on the Senate floor two nights ago, while having a brilliant, dramatic, and compelling debate with Senator Warner of Virginia (from Thomas):
Years later, we read in Robert McNamara's book how he knew, as Secretary of Defense, while he was sending troops over there, that we weren't going to be successful. Now, from 1968 until 1975, when we left in that dramatic helicopter moment off the embassy, almost half of the people who died were lost in that period of time--for a policy that our leaders knew wasn't working.
I am not going to be a Member of the Senate in good standing and in good conscience and support a policy in Iraq that I believe is going to add people to whatever Iraqi memorial will be created, at a time where I am convinced this isn't going to work for them and it is not going to work for the Iraqis. I believe we have a moral responsibility to those soldiers who died to do our best to get it right, and I just don't believe staying the course, more of the same, is getting it right.
Ladies and gentlemen: with this Peace Plan, the Iraqi government has more or less adopted the Democratic position on Iraq. The Kerry/Feingold amendment was more muscular than the Levin/Reed amendment. Nevertheless, both amendments changed the conversation from "Stay the Course" to troop withdrawals. The Iraqis agreed.
After reading the rest of the post, be sure to check out the Republican Iraq War Plan. Ain't it da trute?
(Iraq - U.S. peace sticker image from PeaceSymbol.org.)
June 23, 2006 at 05:28 PM in Iraq War | Permalink
Comments
Quite ironic, isn't it? The only people who seem to want to keep our troops in Iraq are those in the Bush administration. I guess they don't want to give up those dreams of permanent bases and control over the oil reserves.
Posted by: Silver City Jan | Jun 24, 2006 9:36:33 AM
Amazing. I see that Vampire Cheney doesn't seem to agree with the Iraq government and after all, he's their real leader isn't he?
Posted by: Duker | Jun 24, 2006 11:35:27 AM
The provisional goverment operates from the basement of an American fortress.
When the troops re-deploy they better do it quickly. Anyone left will be vulnerable as the war rages right up to the very walls of the green zone. We have not even secured the road between the green zone and the airport.
We could re-deploy to Kuwait.
The Kurds are our friends but everybody else, including the Turks hate the Kurds. The Kurds are surrounded by enemies but Americans could wait amongst the Kurds.
I guess the real question is do the Shia control all the oil? I believe the the Sunni have no oil in their territory.
Big Oil is using America to aquire the oil after all. Perhaps America could try to focus on securing the oil for the Big Oil multi-nationals IN THE LONG RUN.
Even if Iran intervenes on behalf of the Sunni, they are far out-numbered by the Shia. The educated Sunni middle class has mostly fled the country anyway.
Re-deploy, let Iraq erupt and be ready to cut deals when the dust settles in a few years.
When the dust settles, we can expect an extreme Islamic theocracy dominated by the Shia.
But, they cannot eat their oil.
In the long run, greed may prevail to Corporate Oil's advantage. Greed got us into this mess, perhaps greed will get us out. Unfortunely, the American economy will be pillaged and the American People racked with grief before the war profiteers allow re-deployment.
Posted by: qofdisks | Jun 24, 2006 12:47:50 PM
