Iraq

ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY of the Iraq Invasion, MoveOn held vigils all over the country at the same time. This video commemorates and captures the public vigil held in Eugene, Oregon to call for an end to the Iraq Occupation.

The latest video for my MTV Citizen Journalist gig.

Crossposted to The Unapologetic Mexican and OpEdNews.

Americans like to complain. Grassroots progressives, myself included, in particular like to complain. Sometimes I have seen the complaints become almost an obsession, to the detrement of actually getting things done. Nader is a perfect example of this. I have seen progressive apathy or even antipathy sink some of the most progressive and honest candidates you could ever imagine. This is the danger of being on the forefront of progress. You can get ahead of yourself, ahead of everything and wind up all alone.

Impeachment, Iraq and winning elections. Right now these really are about the most critical things. And these three things are what we really need to work hard at if we want to be a significant force in politics...and in society. I want to discuss some specific examples of people who really need our help and they deserve it because they are taking strong stands for impeachment and/or against the Iraq war. We need them...but they also need us. They need our time and our money to win so that they can fight for what we think is right.

In 2006 an amazing coalition of mainstream moderates and grassroots progressives created a tidal wave of change in Congress. Many have complained that we didn't get what we expected from our new Congress...but don't let the complaints get in the way of appreciating that what we did was amazing.

It was a damned good effort and I am proud to have been a part of it.

Seems the Pope, conservative though he is, is not too happy with the Bush Administration. Seems when Condaleezza Rice recently requested a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI to discuss the Middle East, her request was turned down. Officially it is all a matter of protocol. The Pope doesnt "normally" receive politicians while on vacation. But the move has widely been seen as a snub. Why would a quite conservative Pope snubs the Bush Administration? Two reasons are being put forward. From BBC News:

First, it was Ms Rice who just before the outbreak of the Iraq war in March 2003 made it clear to a special papal envoy sent from Rome, Cardinal Pio Laghi, that the Bush administration was not interested in the views of the late Pope on the immorality of launching its planned military offensive.

Secondly, the US has responded in a manner considered unacceptable at the Vatican to the protection of the rights of Iraqi Christians under the new Iraqi constitution.

The Bush administration has told the Vatican that as coalition forces have not succeeded in securing the whole territory of Iraq, they are unable to protect non-Muslims.

Instead of meeting the Pope, Ms Rice had to make do with a telephone conversation with the Vatican's number two, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who was visiting the US during August on other business.

Today I was able to make Senator John Edwards' policy speech on fighting terrorism at Pace University. This is my first time hearing Edwards in person and I will say I liked him. Again, I remain undecided among Edwards, Richardson and Obama, and remain happy with all the Dem candidates. But hearing Edwards today did boost my estimation of him.

Edwards' speech started just a tad flat and unconvincing. A few lines of it made me think he needed new speech writers. However, he rapidly moved into some real solid material. The first part struck two main themes: BOLD and smart.

BOLD as in a bold, new strategy to fight terrorism, breaking away from the out-dated, failed flailing of Bush.

Bold was the most repeated theme, with smart coming in second. As a combination it is a powerful shift from the current Bush failures which are neither bold, merely bullying, and about as far from smart as anyone can get.

The speech ended with a Kennedy-esque call to service, an "ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country" moment calling on the young students of Pace to join in and face the challenges that the 21st century have thrown at us.

Here is my analysis of Edwards' speech and the policies he presents.

He began with a reference to 9/11, an introductory theme that was introduced by a 9/11 widow who introduced Edwards to the crowd. To me the key point, damning of Bush and the do-nothing Republicans, is this:

Seems Republicans are going in hiding rather than facing America about the Iraq quagmire. This comes from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:

Members of Congress are Afraid to Face Their Constituents on Their Support for Endless War in Iraq

All Across the Country, Republicans who Supported Bush’s Failed Iraq policy are Running away from, Avoiding, and Even Locking Out Their Own Constituents

WASHINGTON - Just seven days before national “Take a Stand Day,” the culmination of the “Iraq Summer” campaign that has pressured Members of Congress to stand up against President Bush and his endless war, Iraq Summer organizers and constituents have noticed a disturbing trend – Members of Congress running away from, avoiding, and even locking the door in constituents’ faces, all to avoid listening to their constituents’ requests for them to take a stand against the President Bush’s reckless Iraq policy.

PA: Rep. Tim Murphy Locks Door in Constituents’ Faces:

IL: Congressman Mark Kirk Runs Away from Iraq Vet, War.

VA: Rep. Thelma Drake Runs From Iraq Question.

MI: Rep. Vernon Ehlers Ducks Out on Iraq.

So I was watching my cousin's show, The Henry Rollins Show, on IFC last night as I worked on some data I brought home from lab. His show is ALWAYS worth watching, but last night was particularly kick ass. His guests were two Iraq war veterans who were extremely articulate and effective critics of the Iraq quagmire and of Bush in particular. One of these articulate and intelligent veterans was particularly impressive: 1st Lieutenant Paul Rieckhoff.

Paul is a fellow New Yorker and he spent several weeks contributing to the rescue effort at Ground Zero. He also served for one year between 2003 and 2004 in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry and 1st Armored Divisions. Upon his return he founded the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an organization I have written about before.

Henry Rollins asked both Veterans when they first realized that something was wrong with the war in Iraq. For Paul it was when he was first going into Bagdhad during the invasion when there was still sporadic fighting. He said he and his soldiers looked around and saw no other US military units in sight. His seargent asked him where everyone else was, and Paul had no idea. They were thrown in with too few boots on the ground (as was predicted) with insufficient supplies and almost no training of how to deal with the occupation. They were thrown in with almost no support from the US government. Paul's condemnation of the war and it's architects, the McCain/Bush/Lieberman escalation included, is harsh and his description of the poor treatment of veterans upon their return from Iraq is a condemnation of the government and our society. Those who are most willing to send our soldiers to war are the least willing to support them when they come home. I have previously particularly criticized John McCain for his failure to support government programs for veterans because he, of all people, should know better.

Thank you, GV.

The latest ad from VoteVets.org targets John McCain for his terrible idea of escalating Bush's war in Iraq.

Remember, McCain received a D rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a zero rating from The Retired Enlisted Association and in 2005 and 2006 he received 25% or lower from the Disabled American Veterans. John McCain wants to send our troops off to the Iraq Quagmire, but he doesn't support them when they come home.

I have written in the past how Republican Sentor Bill Frist, in a tacit admission that we have largely lost in Afghanistan, was suggesting that we ask the Taliban to join us in governing Afghanistan. Yep...we want those al-Qaeda allied religious extremists to save our asses in Afghanistan.

Then I reported that the Iraqi government, the people we put into power, are so desperate to find someone who can help restore stability to Iraq that they are recruiting former Baathists (that's Saddam Hussein's party and the party that runs Syria) to rejoin the government. Since America can't stabilize Iraq, it seems that Iraqis want a return of Baathists to power.

Now it seems like the Iraqi government isn't alone in desperately seeking Baathists. According to Yahoo News India, US and Iraqi officials both confirm that we are asking Baathists to return to power. But we aren't just recruiting ANY old Baathists. We are recruiting members of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi intelligence service, those people who CARRIED OUT the torture and human rights abuses under Hussein.

So, to all those Republicans who keep telling us that the McCain/Bush/Lieberman escalation will bring us victory, I once again have to ask just what the hell kind of "victory" are they talking about.