The American people need the truth about Iraq, not a new slogan!

[IndianaGreen]

The truth includes the lies of the Bush/Cheney Administration that got us into this war, as well as the failings of our political leaders (including Democrats) that failed to prevent the war. Taking responsibility for our commissions, as well as omissions, is the first step to healing. The second step is to stop doing harm. The war is harmful, to us and to the Iraqis.

It is going to take great courage to tell the truth about Iraq. It is going to take great leadership to tell the truth as to what to do NOW about Iraq. This is the one thing that Bush is incapable of doing! The truth is that nothing we do, can ever fix what Bush has broken. The only way out of Iraq is to get out. The only way out of Iraq is to do what our political system failed to do in Vietnam: WITHDRAW THE TROOPS!

Kerry's bio shows that he has the capacity to do that. Although it has been a long time since Kerry opposed the evil war in Vietnam, he has taken the correct stand before, such as when he voted against DOMA and against the so-called "partial-birth" abortion ban.

The American people need some straight talk, as Truman used to do, or Franklin Roosevelt. The American people don't need a Talmudic rationale, nor do they need to hear the fear mongering of the rightwing.

Telling the truth about Iraq is the challenge that we face today. It should be the Democrats that tell that truth, now rather than later. Drinking Kool-Aid is not the answer! Forget the focus groups, forget the strategists. Their election gaming have done more harm to this country than good.

Kerry doesn't need a catchy slogan, or a nice sounding phrase. What Kerry needs is to speak frankly to the American people, and tell us that the war was wrong, that nothing we do can fix the wrong that was done, and he, not Bush, is the one that can lead our nation out of Iraq.

Published on Thursday, September 16, 2004 by the Miami Herald
Kerry Needs the Courage to Walk Away from Iraq
by Howard Zinn

If John Kerry wants to win, he must recognize that our military intervention in Iraq is a disaster -- for Americans, for Iraqis, for the world. He must stop boasting about his courage in Vietnam and instead start talking about his moral courage in opposing that war. He needs to stop saying, as he did recently in the Midwest, that he defended this country when he was fighting in Vietnam. That is not an honest statement. If it were true, then he would not have turned against the war.

He was not defending this country when he fought in Vietnam. He was defending this country when he said that we were wrong to be in Vietnam and we should get out.

He should not be saying that he will wage the Iraq War better, that he will replace U.S. troops with soldiers from other countries. If it is immoral for our soldiers to be occupying Iraq and killing Iraqis every day, then it is immoral for foreign soldiers to do the same.

He should be clear: We are not defending our country by our war in Iraq, and we should get out.

He should stop saying what President Bush is saying, that we have to ''stay the course.'' We stayed the course in Vietnam and it cost more than 58,000 American lives and untold Vietnamese lives.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0916-01.htm

[Droopy]

1. I agree that we should get out now

But it seems as if the American people have been sold a line of bullshit. That we need to stay in Iraq and pulling out would mean disaster. An admittance of failure. That's why getting up there and saying I'll pull out the troops when I'm elected would be disasterous to Kerry's campaign. It would be the truth and the right thing to do, but it would mean that there would be no possibility to get Kerry elected.

[IndianaGreen]

2. What if Kerry were to do what Ike did in Korea?

This has been brought before in DU by myself and others. I even proposed that Kucinich do the same thing during the primaries last year.

Kerry could say that if elected he will go to Iraq to personally assess the situation. This is the same promise that Eisenhower made during the 1952 campaign. Once in Iraq, Kerry can then announce that the war is lost, and that he is pulling all the US troops out.

[Droopy]

4. That would be a good strategy

But I don't see how Kerry can say now that he'll pull the troops out of Iraq.

I guess the Ike strategy might be a little deceptive, but I wouldn't mind if he did something like you suggest. But in reality I don't see it happening. I think Kerry has grown more hawkish since the 30 years ago statements that he made about Vietnam. It's unfortunate and it's one of the beefs I have with him, but I think it's more accurate.

[IndianaGreen]

5. We run the risk of letting Bush be the one that tells the other "truth"

The other truth, which is really a form of self-deception, is what John McCain has been telling Bush to do: to tough it out and admit it is going to be a long and arduous conflict, but one that will be victorious in the end. I heard this same bullshit during Vietnam. If we were to follow that path, it will lead us to nowhere!

McCain: Bush not straight enough on Iraq

"I think the president is being clear. I would like to see him more clear, because I believe the American people, the majority of them, know what's at stake and will support this effort."

McCain called for an increase in the Army of about 70,000 soldiers and for 20,000 to 25,000 more Marines.

"The reality," he said, " that we're going to be there for a long time -- which, by the way, is not terrible if you keep the casualties down."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/19/iraq.senators/index.html

[Droopy]

6. We are in agreement on one thing, IdianaGreen

We should bring the troops home now. And I know where you're coming from with the McCain stuff. You'd think the guy would know better seeing what he's been through. But unfortunately I think that's the road we're going down whether we put Kerry or Bush in office. It's sad, but I don't think there will be much of a difference on Iraq between the two candidates.

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. WE WANT THE TRUTH!! WE WANT THE TRUTH!! WE WANT THE TRUTH!!

WE WANT THE TRUTH!! WE WANT THE TRUTH!! WE WANT THE TRUTH!!

:)

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13