Cutting, fixing, healing- The Kucinich 10 point plan

[SavetheUSA]

I have heard but one viable solution to the Iraq War Debacle, from the same source that has steadfastly offered thought out solutions to virtually all our country’s problems. Why on earth don’t we get behind the man? He IS our voice, near as I can tell....

All, it seems, but one: One of the few who voted against the Iraq war, who vehemently opposed it since its inception, and who now, single handedly and with clear and steadfast mind, presents a workable solution. A solution perhaps best called “cutting, fixing and healing,” as opposed to either “cutting and running,” or “continuing the lies and butchering innocents,” as Killer Karl would have us do.

Thus I keep wondering why it is that we can’t support this one Bright Star in the presently dark heavens? Why can we not say, “Hey! You lying, killing bastard! Our President and Mass Murderer, Mr. Karl Rove! The Democrats you mock DON’T represent me! Over here, THIS is my man, this is the guy who DOES speak for me! He has all along and, based on his record, will continue to do so. His name is Dennis Kucinich.”...

The following is the plan that I support to bring all U.S. troops home from Iraq, the plan which Dennis Kucinich has so well articulated (and as far as this writer knows, the only bona fide plan around):

1. The United States must ask the United Nations to manage the oil assets of Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.

2. The United Nations must handle all the contracts: No more Halliburton sweetheart deals, No contracts to Bush Administration insiders, No contracts to campaign contributors. All contracts must be awarded under transparent conditions.

3. The United States must renounce any plans to privatize Iraq. It is illegal under both the Geneva and the Hague Conventions for any nation to invade another nation, seize its assets, and sell those assets. The Iraqi people, and the Iraqi people alone must have the right to determine the future of their country’s resources.

4. The United States must ask the United Nations to handle the transition to Iraqi self-governance. The UN must be asked to help the Iraqi people develop a Constitution. The UN must assist in developing free and fair elections.

5. The United States must agree to pay for what we blew up.

6. The United States must pay reparations to the families of innocent Iraqi civilian noncombatants killed and injured in the conflict.

7. The United States must contribute financially to the UN peacekeeping mission.

8. The United Nations, through its member nations, will commit 130,000 peacekeepers to Iraq on a temporary basis until the Iraqi people can maintain their own security.

9. UN troops will rotate into Iraq, and all U.S. troops will come home.

10. The United States will abandon policies of "preemption" and unilateralism and commit to strengthening the UN.

Yes, at least for myself, this is the plan I’d prefer, to not abandon the Iraqi people, to not “cut and run,” and to no longer lie and kill, slaughter, maim and butcher, as you, President Rove, seem so intent on doing.

<10 points copied from Kucinich Iraq withdrawal plan website.>
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=12273

[MissWaverly]

1. Yes, this is exactly what I was saying

we have been fighting a war for the contractors, of the contractors and by the contractors and
our young people have been hostages to this misfortune.

[Dhalgren]

2. Yes!

Recommended!

[mike_c]

3. this is the only coherent plan for disengagement in Iraq...

...and the beginnings of a rational foreign policy. More and more, I am convinced the DK is best leader to get us out of this mess. He was in 2004 and he still is today.

[jobycom]

4. That's the right direction, but it won't fly in America.

I (and most of us) have been supporting that basic plan since our first plan (the one that said "Don't invade innocent nations") failed. We couldn't stop the invasion, and we'll be hard pressed to turn Iraq over to the UN, or to convince Americans to pay for our damages.

I'd like to see a leader who can convince people to do that. If Kucinich is that leader, let him step forth. No one here would oppose him on that. The knocks around here I've seen against Kucinich are in two areas: One, people feel he isn't electable (reasons differ), and two, people were concerned about his eleventh hour conversion on abortion. And to add a third, his religious streak makes some people nervous.

I love Kucinich. After he gave his "Prayer for America" speech way back in 03, I kicked up a "Kucinich for President" sig line (before anyone else, I think, or at least one of the first). That without knowing much about him. Since then I've discovered a lot a like about him, and only a couple of things I don't. I even discovered one of my friends had worked with him on some issues, and admired him greatly--and this was a hard friend to impress.

But it's not our job to promote him. It's his job to put himself out there for promotion. Leaders lead, they don't wait around for other people to start following them. We're here waiting for someone to take the reigns, splitting our support where we think it will be effective. If Kucinich wants it, and wants to achieve his goals, all he has to do is start leading. But that was one of his problems in 04. He didn't know how to. He may have been the smartest person in the race, but he couldn't take the lead.

Those are my thoughts. Great person, great mind, great ideas. There are thousands of people on DU who fit that description, too. Now, Kucinich has to rise above everyone else, or his plan is about as effective as most of our posts here.

[catD]

5. It does look particularly comprehensive, but Clark

has also described a plan for leaving Iraq while trying not to leave a civil war behind. His includes no permanent bases, engaging the neighboring countries in a dialogue to help Iraq with a presence, etc. I think he believes that it's got to be countries who already have respect in the region, not the perception of a western U.N. wandering into the quagmire.

[TornadoTN]

7. Clark has it precisely nailed

Clark actually took the time to research the history of the region, measure the pulse of the people and put together a well-thought out plan that comprehensively addresses the delicate issues that will face *any* withdrawal from Iraq. I wish we could just get the hell out and never look back, but we started the god-forsaken mess so we will have to at least try to give the country a boost in the right direction.

Of course, anything aside from "staying the course" is a step in the right direction since it is in essence no plan at all.

[Nikki Stone 1]

9. But how is Clarke on Halliburton?

"No more Halliburton sweetheart deals"

[mike_c]

11. until Clark gives up on the pottery barn rule, it's still just...

...military and corporate neocolonialism. The war against Iraq is a crime, not a cause. Any "plan" that continues the U.S. attempt to mold the outcome of this trainwreck is wrongheaded, IMO.

[TornadoTN]

14. I agree with you

I'm just saying that since we started this cluster-fuck, we have an obligation to the Iraqi people to give them the tools they need to make something out of this tragedy. Now, what they make out of it is totally up to them and it may not be what we want, but what other option do we have?

Getting the hell out of the country is my first priority but we must ensure that when we do, the Iraqi people have a fair chance at success. It's so damn frustrating that we are there in the first place and created this mess, ended those lives and tragically put an end to the futures and dreams of so many people.

[blm]

13. The same elements are in Kerry's withdrawal - he emphasizes a regional

summit as occurred with the Dayton Accord. Bring in all the regional leaders and include the leaders of the insurgencies, and let them work to a point where they agree enough to take the heat out of the area and allow some stability so US troops can begin to withdraw under more peaceful transitioning plans. He has always emphasized the need for no permanent bases. BushInc will not really address that issue squarely - they avoid it every time Kerry and Clark have brought it up.

[5X]

6. K & R. n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

8. Kucinich forgot point 11: War Crimes trials in the Hague

for BFEE.

[partylessinOhio]

10. That's my Dennis! If only

I could move my house out of Tubbs-Jones district into his. Would I be happy?

Dennis, :yourock:

[Junkdrawer]

12. Has Kerry commented on the plan? I seem to remember his 2004...

position was to engage the UN in Iraq as a means of solving the problem.

[Lex]

15. Locking.

The site linked, bellaciao.org, is considered by DU moderators and administrators to be an unreliable site and we don't wish to give them any publicity here.

You may repost with a different site link if that information is available elsewhere.

Thank you,
Lex
DU GD Moderator