"America's greatest strength lies in using leadership that seeks to inspire, not dominate. This is where Bush has it all wrong. While Bush overuses our finite military resources to enforce our will in remote lands, he does little to call forth the infinite creativity, goodwill and generosity of the American people and their inclination to befriend other peoples -- which is, in the long run, our first and strongest line of defense against violence and terrorism." Ted Lewis
When Bush was pushing for the war, and others were renaming French Fries as Freedom Fries, and other jabs against anti-war nations, the first thing I thought was why are you trying to alienate nations when you most likely will need them to help rebuild Iraq in the near future?
Interesting article on what is happening over in Iraq. Do you agree?? Disagree?? Any comments??
Article is from: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...4/ED276949.DTL
Why we must leave Iraq
Ted Lewis Thursday, September 4, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The American military occupation in Iraq looks ever more grim as the death toll rises and bombings such as the one at the Najaf mosque last week portend a phase of expanding violence. Increasingly, Americans are questioning the strategy, goals and methods of the Bush administration's handling of our nation's most extensive foreign intervention since Vietnam.
Hundreds of U.S. and British troops and untold thousands of Iraqis have died since March, while poor American planning has left Iraq with intermittent electricity, no phones, water shortages and a nearly complete breakdown of public order. Such basic failures guarantee an ever more hostile environment for occupiers, humanitarian workers and any Iraqis who assist them.
Millions of Americans publicly demonstrated against war and occupation. We warned that pre-emptive war based on exaggerations and deception of the American public destabilize Iraq and lead to a draining occupation, gross misspending of our national treasure and potentially serve as a recruiting ground and target gallery for all types of anti-American warriors. When we asked for genuine national debate about the consequences of war, Bush neocons, mainstream pundits and even Washington Democrats dismissed us as unrealistic and unrepresentative rabble.
It is too bad the voices of restraint were right.
President Bush's version was prettier: a tyrant vanquished; Americans embraced; Iraqis put aside age-old grievances, uniting to practice democracy under American free-market rules; Palestinians and Israelis sheathe their swords; dispirited terrorists throw in the towel from Afghanistan to Bali and an unstoppable wave of democracy sweeps the region, deposing despotic rulers in an orderly, pro-American way.
The painful truth is that the Bush dream for the Middle East has become the region's nightmare. It would be all too easy for those of us who opposed the war to say "I told you so" and turn away as Bush slides into the pit that he has dug for himself. But we cannot turn away, because our entire nation is in danger of slipping into the pit along with him. We must work together to restore our pride and unity as a nation as well as our reputation with neighbors around the world.
America's greatest strength lies in using leadership that seeks to inspire, not dominate. This is where Bush has it all wrong. While Bush overuses our finite military resources to enforce our will in remote lands, he does little to call forth the infinite creativity, goodwill and generosity of the American people and their inclination to befriend other peoples -- which is, in the long run, our first and strongest line of defense against violence and terrorism.
Leaving Iraq won't be simple. The United States promised many things to many people. Sudden withdrawal could throw the Iraqi people from the frying pan into the fire. Yet U.S. occupiers have already blown a priceless opportunity to win the confidence of many ordinary Iraqis who were initially willing to believe that the clever new American rulers could provide them a better life. Now, with our credibility in tatters, common sense dictates that we must:
Leave Iraq sooner rather than later. The more swiftly we turn over responsibility for the job of rebuilding Iraq to an international body, the better. Rapid pullback from Iraq and handover of administrative authority to an international transition force does not represent the "retreat" before terror that Bush says will lead to more attacks on U.S. soil. Rather, it represents the best of the bad options left to us by the anti-democratic decisions of the Bush administration.
Contribute financially to both an international stabilization force and the urgent reconstruction of Iraq. An independent peacekeeping force will more likely succeed than one seen as an appendage of the U.S. occupation army.
Restore alliances with key democracies in Europe and around the globe. We need to rebuild our credibility as a global partner and coalition-builder, not the unilateralist of imperial bent.
When we lead in matters of justice, human rights, environmental stewardship and control of deadly illnesses, we acquire life-long allies and enhance our collective prospects of surviving. Kicking in doors at midnight in Fallujah, Ramadi and Babylon just turns innocent youth into deadly enemies.
Ted Lewis of Global Exchange traveled to Iraq in July to help establish the Iraq Occupation Watch (www.occupationwatch.org).
When Bush was pushing for the war, and others were renaming French Fries as Freedom Fries, and other jabs against anti-war nations, the first thing I thought was why are you trying to alienate nations when you most likely will need them to help rebuild Iraq in the near future?
Interesting article on what is happening over in Iraq. Do you agree?? Disagree?? Any comments??
Article is from: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...4/ED276949.DTL
Why we must leave Iraq
Ted Lewis Thursday, September 4, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The American military occupation in Iraq looks ever more grim as the death toll rises and bombings such as the one at the Najaf mosque last week portend a phase of expanding violence. Increasingly, Americans are questioning the strategy, goals and methods of the Bush administration's handling of our nation's most extensive foreign intervention since Vietnam.
Hundreds of U.S. and British troops and untold thousands of Iraqis have died since March, while poor American planning has left Iraq with intermittent electricity, no phones, water shortages and a nearly complete breakdown of public order. Such basic failures guarantee an ever more hostile environment for occupiers, humanitarian workers and any Iraqis who assist them.
Millions of Americans publicly demonstrated against war and occupation. We warned that pre-emptive war based on exaggerations and deception of the American public destabilize Iraq and lead to a draining occupation, gross misspending of our national treasure and potentially serve as a recruiting ground and target gallery for all types of anti-American warriors. When we asked for genuine national debate about the consequences of war, Bush neocons, mainstream pundits and even Washington Democrats dismissed us as unrealistic and unrepresentative rabble.
It is too bad the voices of restraint were right.
President Bush's version was prettier: a tyrant vanquished; Americans embraced; Iraqis put aside age-old grievances, uniting to practice democracy under American free-market rules; Palestinians and Israelis sheathe their swords; dispirited terrorists throw in the towel from Afghanistan to Bali and an unstoppable wave of democracy sweeps the region, deposing despotic rulers in an orderly, pro-American way.
The painful truth is that the Bush dream for the Middle East has become the region's nightmare. It would be all too easy for those of us who opposed the war to say "I told you so" and turn away as Bush slides into the pit that he has dug for himself. But we cannot turn away, because our entire nation is in danger of slipping into the pit along with him. We must work together to restore our pride and unity as a nation as well as our reputation with neighbors around the world.
America's greatest strength lies in using leadership that seeks to inspire, not dominate. This is where Bush has it all wrong. While Bush overuses our finite military resources to enforce our will in remote lands, he does little to call forth the infinite creativity, goodwill and generosity of the American people and their inclination to befriend other peoples -- which is, in the long run, our first and strongest line of defense against violence and terrorism.
Leaving Iraq won't be simple. The United States promised many things to many people. Sudden withdrawal could throw the Iraqi people from the frying pan into the fire. Yet U.S. occupiers have already blown a priceless opportunity to win the confidence of many ordinary Iraqis who were initially willing to believe that the clever new American rulers could provide them a better life. Now, with our credibility in tatters, common sense dictates that we must:
Leave Iraq sooner rather than later. The more swiftly we turn over responsibility for the job of rebuilding Iraq to an international body, the better. Rapid pullback from Iraq and handover of administrative authority to an international transition force does not represent the "retreat" before terror that Bush says will lead to more attacks on U.S. soil. Rather, it represents the best of the bad options left to us by the anti-democratic decisions of the Bush administration.
Contribute financially to both an international stabilization force and the urgent reconstruction of Iraq. An independent peacekeeping force will more likely succeed than one seen as an appendage of the U.S. occupation army.
Restore alliances with key democracies in Europe and around the globe. We need to rebuild our credibility as a global partner and coalition-builder, not the unilateralist of imperial bent.
When we lead in matters of justice, human rights, environmental stewardship and control of deadly illnesses, we acquire life-long allies and enhance our collective prospects of surviving. Kicking in doors at midnight in Fallujah, Ramadi and Babylon just turns innocent youth into deadly enemies.
Ted Lewis of Global Exchange traveled to Iraq in July to help establish the Iraq Occupation Watch (www.occupationwatch.org).
He didn't really get any support from any other countries (except a few) when he declared that he was going to get rid of Saddam Hussein. Maybe he should've thought of why he got such a poor support.
