From Council for a Livable World
When the Bush Administration launched its attack on Iraq in 2003, it assured the American public that the war would be quick, cheap and easy.
Wrong on all three counts.
Now, almost five years into this disastrous war, President Bush, his Republican allies and Iraqi officials are talking about occupying Iraq for another decade - or even longer.
In response, the Council for a Livable World is launching a major campaign to try to stop the President from dumping a foreign policy disaster into the lap of the next president. The first thing you can do is sign your name to our petition. We'll be releasing other aspects of the campaign soon.
The American public wants the United States out of Iraq, but Bush refuses to listen. And he is not the only one. Where Bush talks about a 10 year occupation, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain talks about another "100 years."
When asked on January 11 if the U.S. presence in Iraq would continue for another ten years, President Bush responded "It could easily be that. Absolutely."
The Iraqi defense minister agreed a few days later, saying that Iraq would need American help to defend its own borders until at least 2018.
We did the math. Keeping just one third of our current troop levels in Iraq through 2018 pushes the cost of the war to over $1 trillion. And many, many more American and Iraqi lives lost.
Click here to tell President Bush that it's time to bring our troops home.
George Bush and his cronies want to keep control of Iraq's oil and build permanent military bases to ensure a major military presence in the Middle East for generations to come. They have no regard for the cost, either in money or lives or the U.S. image in the world.
We reject this dreadful policy to commit the United States to occupation long after George W. Bush leaves office and hope that you do too.
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Comments: 22
Council members!!!
Sen. McCain has consider a 100 year war in the middle east and other far flung countries, so I say, 'let's go for it.' First let's send all of the Republicans along with the Neocons and then pay for it all with a tax on the U.S. overpaid 'so-called' top corporations CEOs.
Those CEOs, who have recieved, along with their enormous salary, a ridculous bonus or either apart of their shameful 'golden parachute' when they have departed or resigned after their companies have lost millions.
Furthermore, let us pay all the rank and file / non-com's what we pay Black Water mercenaries or better yet, file suite for equal pay, maybe that should be enough to get a rational hold of this military industrial complex.
Oh, whatever happen to Star Wars, Pres. Ronald Regan's baby, you know the one, that president where Republicans get a 'kinipshun' with the mention of his name, are we still funding that contraption too?
So, let's shift the cost of that boon-doggle to take care of the wounded service personel, just think the cost of treating P.T.S.D. will drain the U.S. treasury for sure.
We need a plan quick!
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977237200&nav=Namespace
"BTW - The Iraqi ppl were doin' just fine before your kind showed up."
Yes, Tony. Just like the people of Germany. A real Heaven on Earth....
The job of our troops is not to decide whether or not they should be there, it's the job of our commander-in-chief. I think people on all sides of the argument trust the troops that they are doing what they have been told to do. We're supposed to trust our elected officials that they make the best decisions for our country (and subsequently for our troops). I don't think that U.S. military action is going to "fix" Iraq, as you say. The solution does not lie in occupation, it lies in political reconciliation among warring factions in the country and a true commitment of behalf of the Iraqi government to step up the plate. As long as we continue the presence and mission we have, we're not going to see that.
I don't think you or I really know what life was like under Saddam, but I don't think you are right to say that the only people who had basic life necessities under Iraq were Saddam loyalists. Take for example, this seemingly a-political blogger from Iraq.
"As for the normal life, we had an almost normal life, we used to go out and stay late as long as we wanted. Security was very good, I can go alone and walk without fear of being kidnapped, Electricity was good, we never had a problem with water, We had few problems with Fuel but it was solved after few days and once the Goverment made coupons in order to solve the problem. Shops and restaurant stayed open very late, female students at universities were free to wear what they like as long as it was descent..."
http://rosebaghdad.blogspot.com/2005/02/life-under-saddam.html
Yes, she goes on to say that there were bad things, terrible things, under Saddam. No one is arguing that he was an evil dictator. But, was there another option for us to encourage democracy? Is this really the only way Teresa? Not to be cliche, but are we really winning hearts and minds by being over there right now? A public opinion poll conducted in Iraq in September 2006 showed that 71 percent of people wanted us gone and 79 percent of Iraqis say that the US is having a negative influence on the situation in Iraq.
You can find the full report here: http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/sep06/Iraq_Sep06_rpt.pdf.
The sad thing is if Bush had actually planned this war we would already be home. However, his administration is just plain incompetent.
It's all about oil and profits from stealing as much money from the government as they can until the next president gets us out and the bushs go on trial in the world court.
md have you enlisted yet , put your life where your mouth is punk and any parent that allows their child to join the military should be prosecuted for wrongful death if they are killed.
Starting the draft would end this only if the rich elite had to go also unlike Vietnam where they didn't.
I pay to much in taxes and I demand better preformance get me another republican in here quick.
That would be a mistake.
But how long can we remain there?
And how are we going to decide when
it is time to leave?
Don, that is such a disgusting statement. Its a good thing that 99.9999999% of parents in this country do not share you point of view, or else this country would have vanished decades ago. Its a sad day when a Americans view the military, defending out nation, and national service as something negative.
Those who choose to serve in Iraq and other
places around the globe are not children.
They took an oath to defend this nation
and make the ultimate sacrifice if it comes to that.
Whether you are for or against this war, you
have to respect their decision.
Nobody likes Bush in Iraq.