It’s now four years after the fall of Baghdad and the end of this war is no where in sight. In fact, by all accounts things have gotten much more dangerous in Baghdad over the last four years as sectarian fighting has consumed the capitol and all those who live there.
We face the most unfortunate of decisions in Iraq because the country, at this point, is almost surely lost to civil war. It remains unclear if our presence is restraining or accelerating the rate of violence but one thing is for sure: the war is out of our hands at this point.
It is the worst of choices, but it is a situation that few of us ever truly wished to be thrust into.
The nuances of your reasoning are unlikely to match mine exactly, but I know that many of you feel that it is time for change in Iraq. With lives on the line, it is now more important than ever to let your representatives know exactly how you feel. T
Now is the time to let our voices be heard. SIGN THE PETITION
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We have change in Iraq. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed General Patreus, the military’s leading counterinsurgent expert. By most accounts, violence in Iraq has gone down since the surge of troops began. Even ABC News has reported the lessening violence on more than one occasion. Leave it to the DFL to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. You are still the party of McGovern and I look for a McGovern-like trouncing in 2008.
“I look for a McGovern-like trouncing in 2008” AH-hahahahahahaha. Chris, that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard this week! Just you wait and see buddy, I think we’ll be doing the trouncing this next cycle.
I signed the petition and added a comment to Sen. Coleman that his blind devotion to the Bush Administration Policies does not show the attributes of an Independent Thinker or Leader. His voting record shows it.
It is time for a Semnator who will work for the PEOPLE and get the input of the PEOPLE, not be a puppet for an unpopular Administration. Norm Coleman has shown himself to be deaf to Minnesota concerns.
In March, 81 Americans lost their lives. That is 1 more than Feburary since the surge began.
1,872 Iraqis were killed and thousands more wounded according to the Iraqi Defense Ministry, up 500 from Feburary killed. Each day that passes, more Americans are killed and wounded. The same occurs to the Iraqis both Shiite and Sunni. There is a Civil War going on.
The Iraqi Government may say that a withdrawl timetable is not necessary to get American troops out of the country. The longer there are American troops on the ground doing their 3 and 4th tours in as many years, there will be continued bloodshed on all sides. And Bush had the gall to say…”Mission Accomplished in May of 2003.”
Chris, what exactly does most accounts mean? By Bush and Cheney’s account? Because if you look at things like, say, the number attacks or the number of people (soliders and Iraqis) killed, the violence has actually increased.
Dan,
You don’t watch ABC World News Tonight with Charlie Gibson? Do you watch NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams? Both news channels have reported a decrease in violence since the surge began. My question to you is if the surge is bad policy, why did the U.S. Senate unanimously confrim the architect of the surge General Patreus? If they were opposed to the surge, why didn’t they vote his confirmation down and ask for a new General?
kathy,
I really do like you. You seem to be a good person and we’ve even agreed on a few things. You’re someone I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with and visit about politics. That said, I just don’t know how you can say that Norm Coleman is any more of a puppet for Bush than Tim Walz is a puppet for Nancy Pelosi or Amy Klobuchar is a puppet for Harry Reid. It’s illogical. You don’t like Coleman and that’s your right. But to say he’s a puppet for Bush because he disagrees with the left wing of the Democrat party is a little bit ridiculous.
Instead of wasting your time trying to convince Senator Coleman to change his mind on a position that he has made himself perfectly clear on, why don’t you encourage Democrat legislators to stop flapping their gums and pull the plug?
Not that they have not had several opportunities to do so already, but who knows? Maybe someone will take up a collection and provide enough balls for them to walk the walk.
‘Course then they own the consequences of THAT, just like the President owns the consequences he’s reaping now.
Hey, ya think that despite all of the big talk, the Democrat party really understands that pulling the plug will be a disaster? Nahh.
Um, aren’t the Democrats in the majority in the Senate? If your party wants “change,” then have your members vote for it. After all, they have the power to de-fund the war.
I don’t watch Williams or Gibson, but I’m not surprised they have been abicating their responsibilities as journalists and simply repeating Republican talking points. That’s what they have been doing for the last four years.
Since the surge began, there have been more attacks, more Iraqi deaths, and more American soldiers killed. I don’t know what part of that equates to the surge working. The streets of Baghdad are filled with people demanding the U.S. leave. Half the Iraqis surveyed think attacks on U.S. soliders are justified. And pulling the plug will be a disaster? http://mediamatters.org/items/200704020008
Dan,
Nice try linking to the far left, George Soros sponsored Media Matters. The reports aren’t coming from Williams or Gibson. They are coming from the reporters in Baghdad.
If the surge is failing so miserably, why didn’t the House or Senate propose cutting off funding immediately and sending the troops home? Isn’t that the answer? It will be interesting to see the riots in Denver at the DNC National Convention next year when Pelosi and Reid don’t have the guts to cut off funding. As I said before, 2008 is going to be another George McGovern year.
No petition is going to change Coleman’s mind. See the response I received after sending a letter to him last week. Coleman even states we are having success overall militarily….yep and you can walk the streets of Baghdad freely Norm. Why don’t you go try.
Dear Ms. xxxx :
Thank you very much for taking the time to contact me regarding funding for the war in Iraq .
While I agree that we need a change of strategy in Iraq , I do not support any cut off of funding for the troops, or arbitrary timeline for withdrawal.
I understand the public anxiety over the war, and I share many of the frustrations with the pace of progress in Iraq . While we continue to have success militarily, our overall strategy to defuse the sectarian violence and improve the political process has been insufficient. It is clear that we must chart a new, specific path in Iraq . We should hold Iraqi political leaders more accountable for meeting specific benchmarks that demonstrate their commitment and ability to achieve reconciliation, quell sectarian violence, and stabilize the country politically and economically. We must also put more pressure on the Iraqis to defend their own country, to move our troops away from the front lines, and ultimately return home.
What is clear to me is that we are fighting two different wars within Iraq . The first is the war we intended to fight, a war against al-Qaeda forces and insurgent extremists. I have met with our commanders and soldiers fighting this battle against extremists and I believe we are winning. I support the President’s call for reinforcing our troops in Anbar province because that is an area where our military is fighting an enemy that has made Iraq a central front on the War on Terror. This is an entire ly different kind of battle than the second war, the sectarian violence raging in the streets of Baghdad .
Baghdad is a ground zero for a sectarian civil war. The Iraqi government must demonstrate the resolve and ability to quell the sectarian violence if they expect continued American commitment. Failure in Iraq would unleash destructive ethnic cleansing and regional instability. Success in Iraq requires reconciliation between Shiites and Sunni. I do not believe a troop surge in Baghdad is the answer.
One of the most important things we can do for our troops serving overseas is to make sure they know they are not forgotten. Funding their hard work is a part of that. These are extraordinary citizens that have a great sense of confidence in what they’re doing, a willingness to sacrifice -and sacrifice they have.
Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me. I value your advice. If I may be of further assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate
Chris-“Nice try linking to the far left, George Soros sponsored Media Matters. The reports aren’t coming from Williams or Gibson. They are coming from the reporters in Baghdad.”
In other words-I have no way to refute what is in that link so I will make a feeble attack on where it is from.
The FACT is reporters from NBC are reporting INCREASES in violence.
Chris, your response to everything seems to be “why haven’t the Democrats done more if things are so bad” - why didn’t they oppose the new general, why don’t they call for the immediate withdrawal. And the answer to those questions is that the Democrats are taking a responsible approach - an immediate withdrawal would be problematic, but the Democrats’ 18 month plan gives Iraq notice and time to adjust. Its what happens when you base foreign policy on reality, instead of political gain.
What’s so special about 18 months? Why then? Why not require the military to leave now? If you truly believe that not one more U.S. soldier should die or be injured to fight this war, then your position should be immediate and complete withdrawal. Quit trying to have it both ways.
I am not rediculous, Chris, in my surmation of Norm Coleman. I felt that way about him since the Senate campaign in late 2001 and all through 2002.
The way he was handpicked by Bush-Cheney to tout their idealogies and to secure his votes in the Senate once elected, set a poor example for Minnesota and the political process. Tim Pawlenty and other Republicans who were interested in running against Paul Wellstone, were told by Cheney to stand down, that Norm was to run for the GOP nomination and endorsement unopposed.
Both parties do it and I do not like it one bit. That takes away from the democratic way of electing people to higher office.
As for Tim Walz, Chris, and you crossed the line here. Have you personally asked him if he were a PUPPET of Nancy Pelosi’s while he has been in the 1st CD going to communities to detail what has been taking place the last 3 months and to get input regarding the Farm Bill??? Because if you were to ask him something like that, he will take you alone and explain to you where his values and ehtics are. If that had been his intention when he ran a damn good campaign on the issues that had moderate Republicans supporting him, he never would have been elected.
Until you have the courage to ask Tim such a question, Chris, your opinion is just that, an opinion that is not based on any hard facts. Come 2008 and the people of the 1st CD are not happy with how he has worked on thier behalf, he will be voted out of office. Tim has kept his word so far and followed it with action. You don’t believe me, you can read up on what Tim has been doing…http://www.bluestemprairie.com/