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An Open Letter to the Democratic Frontrunners |
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Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards:
This came a few days late primarily because I have been in complete shock and disgust. The Democratic party I believe in doesn’t capitulate on matters of life and death. The Democratic party I’d like to support in 2008 is more concerned with doing the right thing than playing it safe politically. The Democratic Presidential candidate I’ll vote for will have the leadership qualities and political will to do absolutely everything in their power to end the war in Iraq as soon as humanly possible. The Democratic party has let me down.
It is time for a serious change in our Iraq policy. 2013 is not acceptable. Refusing to make a commitment to have all troops out of Iraq by then is both immoral and politically dangerous. Even if you are shamelessly playing softball on the issue because you think it is politically safe, you are mistaken. As it stands, 72% of Americans want all troops out within two years. 92% of Democrats and 70% of all adults disapprove of the President’s handling of the war. Why then are you approaching the war haphazardly, as if it isn’t the most important issue we currently face as a nation? Why are you blindly following the lead of the right-wing and condemning large swaths of the progressive movement?
The “evidence” presented by General Petraeus has already been debunked. The American people were not swayed by his arguments. An average of 90 Americans are being killed in Iraq every month. How many more is it worth? How much blood do you want on your hands?
Here are what bloggers, your colleagues and others are saying about your lack of leadership on Iraq.
Ironically, all of these developments suggest that the big story articulated by the leading Democrats when it comes to Iraq is: continuity. With the exception of Richardson who called for a tectonic shift from an Iraq-centered policy to a regional shift, none of the candidates placed Iraq inside a new Democratic Party story about what foreign policy should be about or where it will be heading.
Hunter on Daily Kos has a solid take on the alienation many of us are feeling right now:
In September, we were told, the Democrats would be finished bargaining, or debating, or cooperating with the President, and would barring substantial and concrete progress seek to end the war themselves. Defunding reeks of partisanship; defunders can be branded as traitors by all those that earnestly wish to keep the troops in Iraq. But we must, out of respect for the office of the President, give time for the new strategy to work. We must wait a respectful amount of time, for the respectable number of months of bloodshed and killing, to determine what those deaths have purchased. And if then, after that respectful summer, those deaths have turned out to purchase very little, then things will be different, and we must begin to end the war.
“It is absolutely astonishing that these candidates have the audacity to portray themselves as pro-peace and anti-war when their statements, their actions, and their votes reveal just the opposite. They must be held accountable and answerable for their roles in this illegal, immoral, and disastrous war.”
“The three Democratic frontrunners said last night that setting a timetable for complete withdrawal is irresponsible, because you can’t project what the future situation will be in Iraq and pulling out troops basically depends on the situation on the ground. Otherwise known as the Bush plan.”
Senator Chris Dodd got it right at a campaign stop in Iowa Saturday:
“The idea that the so-called leading candidates for the Democratic nomination would not say categorically that six or seven years from today–four years after [assuming] the presidency–we would not be out of Iraq I found rather stunning.”
So, Democratic candidates, the question is this: Do you want my vote in both the primary and general elections? More importantly, do you want the votes of millions of other Democrats, moderates and Republicans like me who have had it up to here with this seemingly endless war? Are you willing to stand up to the Bush administration by taking the politically popular, morally strong position that the war should be ended as soon as logistically possible? Are you enough of a leader to make this a reality? If so, you can count on my vote. If not, I can’t make any promises.
A copy of this letter has been sent to all three campaigns. I’ll post responses if I get them.
The capitulation to Republican frames is dissapointing. It seemed Edwards was once going to challenge that by challenging the whole war on terror bullshit, but now he looks like he’s playing catch-up. Honestly, the numbers aren’t that important to me if you talk about it right. As long as Democrats are talking about ending the war now, about diplomacy period (no threat from Iran!), and about how we are making things worse by dragging out our withdrawal, it doesn’t matter what the years or numbers are. It’s only because our leaders have been so poor at framing and following through that we, the airmchair generals, have to get involved.
If someone can restore my faith in their arguments, I won’t care what the actual numbers look like.
What are they going to do?
Nothing.
Funny how since you wrote this Hilary is even more “pro war/supporting the troops”.
A typical tactic to ensure she gets some right-wing votes.
I support neither party because I think both have left their core. I condemn people who vote party line because they feel they have no choice.
You want change?
Vote for someone least likely to win and most centered politcally who has no real ties to a party.
Wait, there isn’t anyone like that out there is there. Everyone is owned by their party.
Actually, they’re pretty much all the same, regardless of party.
And as far as calling yourself part of the Progressive Movement. Dude, it’s regressive. You act as if your ideas are fresh and new. Countries around the globe have enacted many of the same ideas, and did so prior to 1960, and prior to 2000 or whenever you decided you were progressive.
In almost everycase, they either failed miserably, or only look to have succeeded when you don’t look at everything else going on in those countries. Yeah socialized medicare looks to work excellently in some places… But then when you factor in that the citizens in those places are contributing in some cases 40% of their income in order to live like they do, suddenly it isn’t so great.
I think America needs to stop trying to be like everyone else. Quit worrying about what the rest of the world which doesn’t give a lick about us anyway thinks of us, and stops trying to please everyone.
Worry about americans, and by that I don’t mean create endless programs were middle class americans pay so people who don’t want to take care of their own situation can get things on the cheap or for free, and others can abuse those programs by falsely qualifying for them.
I mean seriously invest in improvements instead of sending billions to care for people in other countries who we feel don’t live as well off as we do.
Maybe they should make an effort.