"We Must Withdraw" From Iraq Says Mayor Of London, England

[Solidarity]

We Must Withdraw
by Ken Livingstone

When you are in a hole, stop digging. That is the maxim that should now be applied to the war in Iraq. All of my life I have watched as Britain and America have become embroiled in conflicts, only to find that a purely military solution is rarely available. But the situation in Iraq is turning into something more unpleasant than anything since the war in Vietnam.

The grisly state of affairs in Iraq is creating pressure for two radically opposed alternatives. One is to increase the number of British troops; that is, dig a deeper hole. The other is to withdraw British and US forces. But the more it goes on, the clearer it is to me that we must withdraw.

The images of torture by US forces and the worsening security situation are not short-term aberrations - they are the outcome of the wrong policy. The core of what is happening is that without lawful international support, neither the international community nor the Iraqi population will regard US and British troops as a legitimate force.

· Ken Livingstone is the London mayor

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0519-11.htm

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. I wish a certain senator from Mass. would say the same.

Then I could vote for him.

[Tinoire]

4. I'm with you. Saw this and thought of Kerry's unacceptable

"near the end of my term" statement for getting the troops out.

[goodhue]

2. "When you are in a hole, stop digging."

It really is that simple.

Bring Them Home Now!
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/

3. Ken Livingstone is a punk & he's correct

Really!
He's a Big Clash fan.

[tigereye]

5. and then I hear we are strong-arming Chalabi!

I know he isn't what he semms, but our tactics remind me of Guatemala and the whole Contra mess, only on a million- times- grander scale.

[bemildred]

6. My kind of guy.

:thumbsup:

[CityZen-X]

7. Proud To Be Born A Brit!

For many reasons, this just adds to it. Hip-hip-horay, cheers!

[roguevalley]

8. I love Red Ken. I was in London when he was at logger heads with

Thatcher. He's tons of fun and tough as nails.

[Minstrel Boy]

9. Red Ken's standing for re-election next month.

Any Brits tell us how his chances look?

Here are the candidates:

http://www.londonelects.org.uk/candidates/mayor.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Livingstone took a big risk, and rejoined Labour

(he left when Blair refused to let him run as the Labour candidate, since he was too far left for Blair's liking, and thrashed them in the first mayoral election). He should still win, but it's not a certainty any more.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonelections/articles/10803701?source=Evening%20Standard

Tory candidate Steve Norris believes a massive anti-Blair vote will win him the London mayoral election.

He claims Ken Livingstone has been haemorrhaging support since he chose to rejoin the Labour Party in January.
...
He now believes the Prime Minister's personal unpopularity and the fall-out from the Iraq war will be strong enough to sweep him to power on 10 June.

The most recent poll, for the Evening Standard last week, revealed he had halved the gap between himself and the Mayor to nine points, but still predicted a clear victory for Mr Livingstone.

[Nihil]

12. Norris is a tosser

Yes, Blair's unpopularity may well cause Ken some votes but not that
many. Remember, he was elected despite everything Blair could do - he
is almost an anti-Blair vote in himself.

I don't agree with everything Livingstone says but the thing I *really*
like about him is that he is CONSISTENT! That is such a rarity in a
politician and should be rewarded. Every person who has stood against
him (including Norris) has twisted & turned, weasel-worded their way
around interviews and basically prostituted themselves to get the extra
vote or two. Ken basically says something and does what he says.

I'm sure someone will now pop up with an example of how Llivingstone
has changed his view on something - other than learning from his own
mistakes (again a rare trait) - but I can't think of any at the moment!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

11. I imagine Ken will win.

He's a long-time personal hero of mine.