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‘End Our Military Involvement in Iraq’ |
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It is time for the United States to bring its military involvement in what has become a “civil war” in Iraq to an end, the AFL-CIO Executive Council says in a strongly worded statement approved today at its winter meeting in Las Vegas.
Here is the statement in its entirety:
No U.S. foreign policy can be sustained without the informed consent of the American people. Last November, the people spoke clearly, calling on the president and Congress to change course in Iraq. Rather than heed the will of the citizenry or listen to the military leaders speaking out against the current policy in Iraq, the president has chosen to escalate military action. This blind pursuit of the war now undermines the very war on terror that was its justification.
More than 3,100 U.S. men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, with nearly 30,000 wounded, many of them severely. Estimates of Iraqi lives lost range from 60,000 to many hundreds of thousands.
We should not be asking our young men and women who serve this nation in its armed forces to remain in Iraq on extended tours without proper armor or equipment, caught in an endless occupation in the midst of a civil war. The men and women risking their lives in Iraq come from America’s working families. They are our sons and daughters, our sisters and brothers, our husbands and wives. They have answered their call to duty with the utmost courage and dedication. And the best way now to recognize and honor their service is to take them out of harm’s way.
It is time to bring our military involvement in Iraq to an end. Admittedly, there are no good options now in that country. It has descended into a sectarian civil struggle, with American troops caught in the crossfire. The latest National Intelligence Estimate reports that the greatest violence comes not from al Qaeda and foreign terrorists, but from sectarian militias caught up in their own internal conflict.
The president insists we must succeed militarily to establish the conditions for a political settlement. In fact, the reverse is true: Unless there is the political will to stop the violence, there can be no military solution. As such, the U.S. presence only encourages the factions to continue their warfare and serves as a magnet for foreign interference. What is needed is courageous political leadership from the Iraqi government and from the governments of neighboring countries, in a concerted effort to surmount their own considerable differences and to avoid a growing, destructive war which threatens lives and interests across the region. America should be strongly encouraging that kind of diplomatic solution, together with our allies and the United Nations. Redeploying U.S. troops should help force Iraq’s political leaders, its neighbors and our allies to reconsider their course.
The AFL-CIO continues to strongly support initiatives and programs to promote democracy, workers’ rights and economic development in the Middle East. We believe the bipartisan Iraq Study Group (the Baker-Hamilton Commission) provides the president and Congress with a broad range of recommendations to address the wider regional conflict as well as economic and reconstruction assistance while charting a path for reducing the U.S. presence in Iraq.
We, therefore, call on President Bush to reconsider the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. Specifically, the administration should open up a diplomatic offensive with allies and Iraq’s neighbors. This should include a new initiative to revive a peace process in the Middle East and it should include a timetable for redeploying U.S. troops out of Iraq’s civil strife. We also call on Congress to support these actions and insist on a timetable for disengagement. If the president refuses to act, Congress must use its powers under the Constitution and act.
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[...] ‘The fact that the most vulnerable survivors cannot expect help from the Bush administration sounds like more of the same to residents of New Orleans, who are still trying to get real federal help 19 months after their homes, jobs and lives were devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Bush prefers to spend money on the war in Iraq; which the AFL-CIO states it opposes. Comments » [...]
i applaude the commitment of labor in it’s efforts to demand an end to this tragic and ill-advised foray into iraq which has now turned into a full blown war of genocide. further investment in this conflict will only create a financial crises in this country which will affect all of us our efforts to put some muscle back into america. the price will be high enough as it is and further involvement will only push the debt that we will behind for our children even higher. this is not a responsible approach towards the future of the united states.
I am glad to see that our Union has finally called for an end our military involvement in Iraq. The war in Iraq was an illegal war that Bush, the Neo-Cons and the Corporatists wanted. We had no business starting a war with Iraq. Saddam and the Iraqi people had nothing to do with 9/11.
Bush and the Neo-Con war mongers lied to the American people so that the greedy Corporatists could profit from the war. As Workers we know that if it were not for our Union the Corporate elites would not give a dam about their workers. They care even less about our Sons & Daughters who fight these wars and give up life and limb in the service of our country .
To these “Chicken Hawks”, our Sons and Daughters are no more than some of the materials used to further their profits and to be disgarded afterwards ( as whitnessed by the recent revelations a Walter Reed Hospital).
It is time to cut the funding for this illegal war , bring our troops home and hold the Bush administration accountable for their multitude of crimes.
The Bush administration is INCAPABLE OF HANDLING ANYTHING.They failed Katrina,,failed to keep our borders secure, failed healthcare,failed workers rights…This administration has been a failure from the beginning…..The MAJORITY of Americans want our troops brought home now,,,,The MAJORITY of Americans want our borders secured now. This administration will undouibtdly continue to FAIL EVERYTHING THEY ATTEMPT TO DO. The reason for their failures ,,,,,,IGNORANCE, CONTEMPT FOR THE AMERICAN CITIZENS,,,,,,,AND MOSTLY OF ALL “ARROGANCE” G. Bush apparently has always had his way…….Daddy should have kicked his ass when he was a kid and got his attention. If i was G. Bush father,,,,,,,i would kick junior’s ass right now
I have VERY mixed feelings on this, and I hope can understand that there are somethings we are not to know (secert) and Iraq may be a stepping stone. But what about the Afgans-Parkistans-Kersmere, were the real one lys we want? Do we end what was started by THEM? BE-Ladin? Why not just drop serveal hundred NUKES? And if these is a personnel war for Corpate to get rich, and I am wrong about just wriping out the hevens then IT IS our responsibilty not to let Personnel gains be brought to war for one profit, just as the corperations of CEO’s of to-day. May we trust in GOD we make the right decesions of election the following times in history and peace be the world over. But once agin the human will send forth another who wants to be KING OF THE HILL!
While I am glad to see the AFL-CIO leadership finally do part of what it was OFFICIALLY MANDATED to do by the 2005 National Convention in Chicago–they got the “withdrawal” part right, but failed on the “rapid” part–this still accepts that the US should control the Middle East.
Empire, folks, is simply not acceptable. One of the these days, this will become obvious, even to our labor leaderhip.
When will AFL-CIO leaders figure out that the US can either take care of our people, or it can try to control the world, BUT IT CANNOT DO BOTH. Our national governmental leadership is destroying the United States, but still the AFL-CIO leadership sleeps. Read my article at http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?itemID=12018 , and tell me what American workers–or workers anywhere–are getting out of the US elite’s efforts to control the world?
I am a United States Marine and a Teamster. I have served in Kuwait and Iraq. I have seen first hand the affects of the late Saddam. I am glad he is gone. I am proud that President Bush had the courage to finally take action against Saddam and his horrific ways. After the outragous statement from the AFL-CIO, I am also proud that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters withdrew from your orginazation. I have continued to recieve e-mails from the AFL-CIO because the orginazition has fought for workers rights. You should fight for all Americans, not just the ones you agree with. I will no-longer accept any information from such an orginazition. Most people that disagree with this war have never fought for anything in their lives, they have had freedom given to them and do not appreciate that freedom or anything that braver Men than themselves have handed to these cowards.
On Iraq; the Dems would be well served to abandon any direct policy towards changing war strategy in Iraq. It’s Cheney and Bush’s War; they’re the 2 guys who have to find the solution. However, the Dems are obliged to try and influence the course the administration takes to end the war.
I believe the most effective action the Dems can pursue to get Bush to change his policy in Iraq is a Cheney/Bush War Tax. This administration represents the rich, so if the Dems pursued an effort to get into the pockets and wallets of the rich, the War would be over in no time. Cheney and Bush might feel a little differently about their war in Iraq if they knew there would be a new tax to cover the cost of their mismanaged war, retroactive back to May 1, 2003; “Mission Accomplish, the war is over.” It should be a progressive tax with the greatest burden falling on the 2% of the richest Americans. The windfall from the Cheney/Bush War Tax should be dedicated to:
1] rebuilding the US Military
2] to expand lifetime health and family benefits to all GI’s who have served in Iraq, with special death and severe injury benefits
3] expand border agents along US borders
4] rebuilding and re-energizing the US Gulf Coast ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
5] Fighting the War on Terror
I would think every Republican in the House and Senate would be inclined to join the Dems in support this measure; it supports the troops, the US Military, secures our borders and helps in rebuilding an important part of America. Plus it’s fiscally responsible. This should win by big majorities! Who could possibly oppose it?
Albert Colone
Oneonta, NY 13820
607/432-4057
What will be the consequence of leaving Iraq prior to their government being capable of providing security within their boarders?
Iran is the big problem. If we leave too soon, those radical will soon be into Iraq.
Since we have been at war since 1980’s with the attacks on our barack in Beiruit, the various embacies, and the ship called Cole it is clear that we have to contain them their, or they WILL be on our shores.
It is very sad that our own government that “We the People” support through our Taxes and our Lives in some cases, can’t be deemed valuable enough to have 500 Billion spent on Our Nation, and not pissed away on Iraq and other ficticious enemies.
It looks like I am the only one for the war in Iraq. I have lived overseas many years and I prefer to be free and live in a democratic society. I know what it is like to live in a country where you are not free. The above commentators have obviously never lived overseas.
If the military leaders (Bush and the generals leading the military) had been allowed to go in and bomb Iraq in the first place we would have been done with this war within a few months. War is war and innocent civilians will be killed if they choose to stay where bombing is taking place.
I have a son in Iraq and a brother (I am very proud of them) and I want Bush and the military leaders to go in and bomb the hell out of Iraq and then leave, but they can’t do it without money and without carte blanche help from congress.
Side note: Putting young soldiers in prison for doing their job is as dumb as it gets. Those young men were fighting a war and protecting the stupid US citizens who convicted them. Personally I think those jurors should be the ones in jail not the soldiers because it is a war. That message told the Iraqis, “we can kill you but you can’t kill or torture us!!”
I am proud to be an American and proud to fight for the freedoms that we enjoy. Did you other commentators forget about 911 and the thousands of people that died in the trade towers and hijacked planes???
We are free because of wars since 1776 - I prefer freedom - doesn’t anyone else?
Bless you flipper - You are not alone my friend. Your comment was well expressed and a mirror of my own. My God bless your son and brother & bring them home safe. A free country for the children is our first and foremost responsibility of all our generation.