The House opposes escalation.
The House of Representatives has passed a resolution opposing President Bush’s escalation in Iraq, 246-182, marking the first time in four years that Congress has voted decisively against Bush’s Iraq policy.
Help stop the escalation.
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Great! No do something binding. CUT FUNDING!
February 16th, 2007 at 3:46 pm….they were that desperate to get out of working tomorrow…..
February 16th, 2007 at 3:47 pmToo bad it don’t mean jack sh!t. C’mon impeach or get off the pot.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:49 pmNow cut the f*cking funding.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:50 pmFirst step - done.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:50 pmNow make sure all those who voted against this get that FACT splattered all over their hometown newspapers, radio, tv and their internets.
Dave Reichart R, District 8 State of Washington, welcome home for your President’s day recess. I’ll be camping out on your district office doorstep to give you a full ration of shit about your vote!
February 16th, 2007 at 3:52 pmKill the funding and then we’ll talk.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:53 pmThe repukes are clearly cowards, liars and propagandists. After 3 days of pseudo chest thumping, religious hokum, and questionable reasoning from the right, any American who still believes in the legitimacy of the Total War Against Terror (TWAT) needs a good slap.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:54 pmWar is not a game, it is a racket.
who were the two dems to vote no?
February 16th, 2007 at 3:55 pmI will meet you down there RUCerious. Maybe Dave will notice.
February 16th, 2007 at 3:56 pmNow that they’ve got the resolution on record, they can go for the jugular and cut the funding! It’s a win/win! No, it’s now a “slam dunk”! Bring ‘em on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:00 pm#9 you got it and the Repukes know all about “money trails”….this is all about “war profiteering” right up to the highest offices in this government (three guesses and the first two don’t count!). That’s ALL this ever was and has been! We need to stop the war profiteers (Haliburton et al) in their tracks - NOW.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:01 pmMarshall and Taylor voted No.
http://jimmarshall.house.gov/
http://www.house.gov/genetaylor/
Shocker.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:01 pmJust saw that Jebbie is considering a run in 08! Well, that vote-rigging crooked Bush Crime Family misanthrope had better take a very long run because there is NO WAY americans will ever want to hear that another “Bush” is running this country…..they’ve both already failed abysmally and run this country into the ground and we will not give them another opportunity to sink this country any further. Go sell some cars, Jebbie!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:03 pmOnly 17 from among the TREASONOUS corrupt inbred Repulsivescum voted against the evil Bushites…
…time for the Repulsivescum Party-before-country TRAITORS to go the way of the Whigs…
…if the Democrats are smart (and I think some are)…
…they’ll expose the monumental CRIMES that have been committed in the prosecution of this illegal invasion and occupation…
…then remind the people of the Repulsivescum cultists’ unflinching loyalty to…
…the criminal Bushite junta…
February 16th, 2007 at 4:04 pm182 GOP voted to place our Soldiers at the tip of the spear, in battle, without gear to protect them???!!!!!!!
Wow, these loathesome people HATE THE TROOPS.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:04 pmJeb,
Thanx for the links on Marshall and Taylor. Does anybody know which republicans voted yes? Could those same republicans be counted on to support another resolution with more BITE in it?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:06 pmLet us know the names of the 182 ‘military haters’ who still desire to place our troops in harm’s way so we can contact them and tell them what we think of them. Repuke on-the-take swine! Now let’s see how many of those 182 were either blackmailed into it (due to one of their own knowing about “illegal activities” they’ve indulged in)….and I believe we’ll get a much clearer picture of why anyone would vote against the welfare of our troops.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:08 pmComment by Your Conscience #17
They hate America period…
February 16th, 2007 at 4:09 pmBig Papa - Bushit Junta is precisely what we’ve got here. It’s been a concerted effort (junta) from inside to overturn democracy in this country. This organized crime family makes the Mafia look like members of the Peanut Gallery!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:10 pmoops….meant “Bushite Junta” ….er….no, I didn’t really. It sounds better without the “e”, doesn’t it?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:10 pmNow that they’re on record in opposition to this president and his escalation, they can move forward with impeachment proceedings.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:11 pmBig Papa - They hate “democracy” - that’s what they hate and have quite handily orchestrated a major coup on it - beginning with 911….then to the Patriot Act (which would squelch any questions/investigation about 911 and any complicity on their part), then the NSA illegal wiretapping (Bush: We’re NOT wiretapping american citizens….hah!) and now they’re trying to censor the internet in the guise of protecting children. When does this fascism stop?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:13 pmFINALLY - Someone on the HILL of CONGRESS _ Actually standing up and doing something FOR THE PEOPLE - not the FASCIST Repugs destroying our Country and World.
Thank you Democratic Party. This is just a start.
YOU MUST IMPEACH/IMPRISON
Bu$hCo & Cronie WAR PROFITEERS.
YOU MUST bring back the RULE OF LAW.
YOU MUST reinstate Haebus Corpus, Geneva Convention, STOP TORTURE - It’s UN-American!
Abe Lincoln: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.â€
February 16th, 2007 at 4:18 pmI’ll pass along a suggestion that Wayne thought of the other day: if the Dems are too afraid to cut troop funding, why not specifically cut funding to the contractors?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:23 pmGiven the constituents in each congressional district multiplied by the 182 coward votes - with the US census estimate of 9% being of military age, half of those being male - the right should have no problem sustaining a strong all-volunteer force of fodder to fight thier “radical Islamist” nemesis. They can pay for it too. We’re trying to have a civilization here.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:27 pmIt’s been a concerted effort (junta) from inside to overturn democracy in this country.
Comment by veritas #21
veritas,
The (Rehnquist) Supreme Court is proof positive there was a “political” coup d’ etat here in America in 2000…
…voting along party lines (all five justices voting in Bushiva/L’il Dick’s favor)…
…were Repulsivescum TRAITORS…
…where was the “equal protection” for all of the disenfranchised Florida voters from minority neighborhoods who were intimidated by State Police from voting?
…we the people should’ve taken to the streets then (2000)…
…but Karma’s a bi*ch, as Bushiva, L’il Dick and the TREASONOUS Repulsivescum will learn…
…the curse is working…
February 16th, 2007 at 4:28 pmNow, it’s time to cut off funding and bring our people safely home.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:28 pm….they were that desperate to get out of working tomorrow…..
Comment by tom baker
I think this did have an influence on it. The threat to cancel recess motivated all these clowns.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:29 pmWe should start heavy military recruiting in the “parochial” universities. THEY know all about holy wars.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:30 pmDear Congress,
Please perform the following in my name immediately:
1. Cut the Iraq Invasion funding
2. Rescind the authorization that Bush used to begin the invasion in the first place.
3. Collectively stand up, turn your backside towards the Whitehouse, and then bend over and drop trou so as to show Bush the “moon”.
Thank you.
Tuber
P.S. #3 is optional, but I would very much like to see it happen if at all possible.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:30 pmmaybe a little off topic, anyway … cnn tells us that ‘the commander in chief’ is too busy watching this on TV .. Bush and busy ….
Anyway, I’d like to know why everybody calls POTUS ‘commander in chief’, because the USA has not declared any war since WW2. Every war since then were wars of agression started by US (those with US involvement, like Korea, Vietnam, …, Afghanistan, Iraq). Or is he just ‘commander in chief’ so he can be above the law, against congress/house, against the constitution?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:30 pmGood move, House. I also understand that two Dems (Georgia and Mississippi) voted nay, along with the Repubs. Now, I understand the Senate will be forced to work on Saturday this week, making thier votes count as well. Although this doesn’t really change much, it does put the onus directly on Bush. It is anticipated that funds will be approved, to support the troops already there in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, if Murtha’s bill is pushed through, there will be actual bench marks placed on the monies. This should have been done since day one, all along.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:31 pmYes, but it’s a non-binding resolution, so if the Congress goes ahead and funds the Iraq Fiasco War anyways, then this was just for show.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:31 pmSo they passed a non-binding resoluotion, whoop-T-doo.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:33 pmI guess now they will go on vacation before they actually DO Something to stop the insanity?
SO that newbie weenie Democrat Rep from Kansas voted yes? I thought she said she was gonna tow the line? What a weenie.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:36 pm#36 - I’m with you, Wayne. Just f*cking DO SOMETHING.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:37 pmThe LAST thing we need to do is cut funding. That’s like refusing to feed your kid because your spouse abuses him. DON’T make the soldiers pay for Bush’s mistakes. Bush hasn’t been supplying them adequately anyway. We certainly don’t want to make that worse. Give them what they need to continue fighting and defending themselves. Bush is just stubborn/stupid enough to let the military run out of supplies and then blame it on the “Dissenters” After all, it won’t be his fault. He was trying to win.
BUT CALL THEM BACK. Give Bush the finger and order him to stop the war.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:38 pmI agree with #6 as the next step. BushCo must, I repeat, must be forced to order the withdraw from Iraq. Congress should move quickly to get rid of stop loss measures and limit stints in Iraq to one year for our troops. With these things done BushCo will have only one recourse that would allow the US to remain in Iraq and that is the draft. Fear of the draft alone would cut the 30 percenters down to 10 percenters and republicans, in large numbers, would be calling for an end to the occupation to save their skins.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:39 pmRandi on AAR is having a good show today. It is telling, for those that can’t get it straight: Shiite-Sunni/Iran-Saudi Arabia?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:39 pmWho were the two DEMOCRATIC IDIOTS that voted against the resolution and what rationale could they have for that???
February 16th, 2007 at 4:40 pmHooo-rah.
Now it’s off to the Senate for an up and down vote on Saturday (chuckles). If Republic Senators rushed back to Washington to vote on a resolution for a brain dead woman, they surely will not complain about having to hang around on Saturday to vote on a resolution to save our troops.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:41 pm#42- Georgia and Mississippi. See #34, above.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:43 pmNevermind…I got ‘em!
House members Marshall (GA) and Taylor (MS) voted “no.”
Congrats GA and MS!!! Two traitors are in your midst!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:43 pmswordsbane, you raise a valid concern. Bush is baiting, praying the funds are cut so he and his Necon Cabal can forever blame the Dems for losing the War. This is a slow painful process but we cannot let Failure in Chief off the hook that easy. Be patient, be Firm.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:44 pmRoll Call votes
http://clerk.house.gov/ cgi-bin/ vote.asp?year=2007&rollnumber=99
February 16th, 2007 at 4:47 pmI notice there is at least one democrudic house member with some balls and they cast the lone nay vote amongst the democruds.
You should all be so lucky as to get the drive and gumption up to do the right thing. But thats alright. You all lay up in your highrise gay apt sweets and wax poetic about how good things are going for you personally, but you are dragging the rest of the country down with you.
I would like to see the democruds registered voting rosters purged, and then these registered democruds could be rounded up and shipped somewhere else in the world.
Perhaps Wyoming or an eastern bloc CIA run gulag system would be the way to go. But then you would have to be fed and clothed.
Okay scratch that, how about rounding ALL registered democruds up and giving them a nice dose of aerial VX nerve gas or another chemical weapon of some kind.
I have visions of this, just as the little wee ones have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads at Christmas time. It is coming, and it will be before the 2008 elections, so live this hollow victory up maggots, its likely the last crumb you will be tossed, courtesy of my President and King, George W Bush.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:48 pmJim Gerlach (R), PA 6th District voted “nay”. He has just handed over his seat to a Democrat and there is a possibility that an Iraqi veteran will be running for this seat in 2008.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:52 pmMaggot - so sad for you… you sound lonely and filled with hate and anger. Doesn’t anyone love you?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:58 pmFarmer post 48 > you are a sick creepy fascist. You need to be put in a mental institution before you harm others or even yourself. Shame on you!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:59 pmThe LAST thing we need to do is cut funding. That’s like refusing to feed your kid because your spouse abuses him. DON’T make the soldiers pay for Bush’s mistakes. Bush hasn’t been supplying them adequately anyway. We certainly don’t want to make that worse. Give them what they need to continue fighting and defending themselves. Bush is just stubborn/stupid enough to let the military run out of supplies and then blame it on the “Dissenters†After all, it won’t be his fault. He was trying to win.
Comment by swordsbane
That won’t happen. Funding is in and always has been in the pipeline to move the troops when needed. Lets not forget the original plan was to have troops at about the 5,000 mark on Dec 2006. The Iraqis have simply not stood up. America is meant to deliver justice, and not to enslave or occupy. Live and let live.
The plan was never to ‘win’ it was to create a democracy that would
spread thru out the middle east.
Maggot farmer go eat a worm.
The failure does not belong to Democrats nor the Republicans nor with the troops.
You fail to see the larger picture.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:01 pmRachel’s getting an early start this evening. *sigh*
February 16th, 2007 at 5:03 pmRachel’s getting an early start this evening. *sigh*
Comment by Zooey
Rachel is stuck in the past and cannot break thru the entropy of it’s own mind.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:05 pmNow with this vote, where do we go from here..?. If coming votes by the House and Senate remain all ‘non biding’,then don’t expect any change.
Bush and Cheney know that unless votes have teeth to them,then all votes will be just a political show.
They know also that such votes will not stop them as long as they have the money which enables them to continue the war, escalation,and pay contractors.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:07 pmThe easy part is done. Now is when things start getting tricky. Soon we learn whether the Democrats in Congress are up to the job or not.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:07 pmcourtesy of my President and King, George W Bush.
Comment by Democrud Maggot Farmer
King? OMG, you have flipped what little lid you controlled.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:08 pmMaggot Farmer just admits that Dubya Dunce Decider Despot Dictator is their Emperor who has no clothes. Bush loving GOPers are very creepy people.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:16 pmThis, from the Gold Star Families For Peace website:
Deadly Wait
February 16th, 2007 at 5:26 pmby
Ken Mackie
sound and fury, signifying nothing.
this is all the congressional opposition the voters will ever see.
they’re all making too much money murdering for profit
February 16th, 2007 at 5:29 pmWe all, Democrat and Republican, need to stand up to this crowd of crooks now in the White House. We are looking at a hostile take-over of our form of government by corporate America and the military-industrial complex. The last election cycle just slowed it down a bit.
If we are not vigilant…
We will all be: “Just working for the Company.â€
Just a thought
February 16th, 2007 at 5:30 pmToss It Around.
The Congress goes on vacation all next week, so they hope this vote will placate average Americans while they party eating caviar with elite.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:38 pmComment by Democrud Maggot Farmer — February 16, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
President and King? I HOPE that’s sarcasm.
Us non-democrats don’t want Bush getting any more soldiers killed either unless he can provide some indication that he’s going to do something different. He hasn’t been willing to do that.
Fighting a war is not just strategy, tactics and logistics. Those people who understand this have said over and over that Bush is mishandling the war and that more troops won’t help. The only one’s saying any different are the ones appointed by Bush. Even if I ignore everything that’s come before, I can’t ignore the fact that Bush is going against all the ‘experts’ in continuing the war. If he doesn’t want to even try to keep us on his side, then the hell with him. He deserves to have Congress yank on his leash. That is EXACTLY why the founding fathers made an adversarial government, so that no one branch could dictate what was going to happen. If Bush can’t handle that, then he should step down. If YOU can’t handle that, then it is you who are un-american.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:40 pmsound and fury, signifying nothing.
this is all the congressional opposition the voters will ever see.
they’re all making too much money murdering for profit
Comment by getaclue
Yup all the politicians have been “gotten to” by the big money. No big differences between Dems and Repubs. I tell the trolls to not worry their pretty little heads, this is just a show. No-ones gonna stop thier war.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:50 pmWELL DONE HOUSE OF REPS.!
February 16th, 2007 at 6:02 pmNOW GET SOMETHING WITH BLOOD, GUTS and THUNDER PASSED
AND SHOW CHIMPya WHAT A CRAVEN CREEP HE IS!!!!!
America would collapse under Corporate rule for they would eventually put each other out of business. Personally, I don’t see it happening. Corporate America isn’t dense enough, I hope, to strangle itself.
Moderation is limited peace, extremism is unlimited war, greed is limited monarchies and dictatorships become unworkable communes, theocracies war with another for religious reasons and man will always go to war for resources when need be.
None of the above is the answer.
We need new ideas.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:03 pmWINDOW DRESSING!!! NOW: DO SOMETHING!! DO YOUR JOBS!!
February 16th, 2007 at 6:05 pmI hate to make this argument, because people are dying, but it’s only February. They’ve been in session a few weeks now and there have been oversite hearings, laws passed and lines drawn on this war. Moreover, Dems have made it pretty clear that Bush can’t just attack Iran without risking impeachment. Representative democracy does not work like lightning. There are procedures. What the hell did Repubs do about this war for the last 4 years when they pulled the strings? Nothing.
Besides, I can’t shake the nagging thought that some of those complaining most bitterly about the Dems also thought there was no difference between Gore and Bush in 2000 and voted for Nader. If you’re looking for someone to blame for this bloodshed besides Bush, look in the mirror.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:10 pmThis war was wrong in the 1st place, lets find a way to end it before more of our men and women die for Bush’s revenge and oil.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:18 pm#69,
Agreed.
Oh, and those 650,000+ murdered Iraqi people probably had it coming to them anyway. After all, the are…er, I mean, were brown.
So let’s not end it for them. That would be stupid.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:23 pmGeez guys a good portion of you sound just as irrational as the morons on the other end of the spectrum.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:33 pmI kind of thought that the idea here was to take rational control of the situation and begin to redeploy and begin to open up an intelligent discourse with all sides in order cool this down without continuing to throw our people and resources down this meat grinder to no purpose.
Self serving ranting is just that, and serves no real purpose.
We still DO have a war with terrorists on our hands. Perhaps this is a step to free our attention and resources to start actually dealing with this problem.
Instead of playing out Bush and Cheney’s John Wayne fantasies.
I can’t shake the nagging thought that some of those complaining most bitterly about the Dems also thought there was no difference between Gore and Bush in 2000 and voted for Nader.— bluedog49
I voted Gore in 2000, Kerry in 2004, and I think a non-binding resolution is pure bullsh*t as well as a waste of time. It does nothing to stop this rogue administration that is breaking the law daily, as we speak.
It would have been as easy to pass a Binding resolution as it was a non-binding, because the vote broke almost on party lines anyway.
A non-binding is nothing more than them shaking a finger at the whitehouse. It does NOTHING to fix the current issues at all.
Now it passed and all the Democrats are patting themselves on the back for passing a resolution that does nothing at all.
It is a waste of time. They need to do something now.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:44 pmA previous commentor stated two DEMS voted “NO”. Actually the two DEMS did not vote. As for the majority of Republicans who voted “no” they were from the great state of? You guessed it “TEXAS”! Thanks to Delay, the corrupt SOB, the Republicans rule the state and seems the perps all have a communial ideology for stupidity and allegiance to the aristocracy!
February 16th, 2007 at 6:47 pmWe still DO have a war with terrorists on our hands
Comment by scsurfer
Yeah, where is Osama Bin Forgotten now anyway?
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.”
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02
“I am truly not that concerned about him.”
February 16th, 2007 at 6:48 pm- G.W. Bush, repsonding to a question about bin Laden’s whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)
Wayne, I hear you. I really do. But, as we are understandably impatient with the Dems, let’s just remember who caused this entire thing and who obstructed any efforts to question this thing for the last 4 years. I am also mindful that corporate thugs and liars run our public discourse on television and much of print. Dems have to deal with that as well. My prediction is that significant troop withdrawls will start happening before the year is out and Cheney will resign before the end of the year. I also predict that Democrats will be holding impeachment hearings before the end of this year.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:56 pmTime we started concerning ouselves with ourselves and stop paying a huge price in money and lives. This Iraq war is something that should never have started and needs to be ended like yesterday.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:00 pmBig fat silly waste of time. This does absolutely NOTHING at all. I am soooooooooooooooooo sick of all these people. Apparently all of them are only concerned about their own jobs and are willing to allow thousands of people to be killed and our country to be bankrupted as long as they get to keep their jobs. NEWSFLASH PEOPLE: there is every likelihood that you will lose your job in your next election ANYWAY because you are not doing what you were elected to do. I’m disgusted.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:03 pmNEXT ITEM!!!!
February 16th, 2007 at 7:04 pmComment by Bluedog49
Thing is the House is owned by the Democrats, there is not enough Republican votes in the House to stop any Democratic bills or resolutions from being passed. Fact.
Did the Republicans have any consideration for the Democrats in the 109th?
Do like they did and just pass the freekin bills that will fix things.
They need to just pass the bills and let the Senate be the battleground that it is destined to be anyway. We then see who in the Senate obstructs the new course for Rule of Law to be re-established, then we push on them, or push them out next election.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:07 pmJust watched “WHY WE FIGHT” on DVD, a terrific film about how Congress is beholden to the military-industrial complex.
We need to PURGE Congress of this influence, otherwise we will always be at war with somebody, somewhere….
http://www.putpeopleoverprofit.org
February 16th, 2007 at 7:08 pmWhy don`t we try to find out what these people want from us and try to work for a peacefull outcome isn`t it time we reached out to people all over the world instead of going to war every time we don`t like whats going on in the world. we need to unite as human being and find a way to help one another. enough war— UNITY
February 16th, 2007 at 7:08 pmThe so-called “Democratic” party, America’s corporate owned sorry excuse for an opposition, has just put on an empty show of opposition to a war most Americans oppose.
Nowwatch as scores of them go right ahead and vote to keep on funding this rotten war. Many will, unless they know we are watching them. And some will do so anyway even if they know we are watching because we aren’t their real constitutents. Their real constituents are the moneyed interests who fund their campaigns. In their campaign literature they will tell us how they voted against the war in this nonbinding made-for-TV resolution so as to make themselves sound as if they are representing our interests. Meanwhile, their real constituents will be satisfied to see them vote to keep funding the war - the vote which actually counts. This kind of game has worked in the past and we can expect America’s “Democratic” corporate-funded “opposition” to keep playing it as long as it keeps working for them.
A real opposition party would PUT IMPEACHMENT ON THE TABLE, and not just for Bush & Cheney. Rumsfeld, Condy Rice, Alberto Gonzales, John Yu, Douglas Feith, and Paul Wolfowitz should all be indicted, and that is just for starters.
A real opposition party would RESTORE THE FAIRNESS ACT which used to require that broadcasters air opposing views. In its absence, a handful of corporations now control the radio airwaves and as a direct result we have all right wing rants all the time from one end of the radio dial to the other.
A real opposition party would REPEAL THE P.A.T.R.I.O.T. ACT.
A real opposition party would RESTORE HABEUS CORPUS.
A real opposition party would CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY AND THE CIA SECRET PRISONS.
A real opposition party would INDICT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN EXTRAORDINARY RENDITIONS. (Italy just indicted 25 CIA agents this week in absentia for their involvement in just one extraordinary rendition on Italian soil. This case involved the kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric who was whisked off to Egypt to be tortured. With a real “opposition” party in power in the USA, Americans would not need other countries to prosecute our international felons for us. Too bad we do).
Unfortunately, we don’t have a real opposition party in power in the US Congress. All we have are the Democrats, a party whose controlling faction, the Democratic Leadership Council, is just as busy sucking up to the billionaires and centamillionaires as the Republicans. They can be counted on defend the interests of the rich while placating the rest of us with lip service and with nonbinding symbolic votes like this one.
A real opposition party will VOTE TO DEFUND THE IRAQ WAR AND PREVENT THE NEXT WAR ON IRAN.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:15 pmWhy don`t we try to find out what these people want from us and try to work for a peacefull outcome isn`t it time we reached out to people all over the world instead of going to war every time we don`t like whats going on in the world. we need to unite as human being and find a way to help one another. enough war— UNITY
Comment by Bob Siemion — February 16, 2007 @ 7:08 pm
I’m not sure Bush knows the difference between war and peace:
February 16th, 2007 at 7:20 pmSkyfish: “We need to PURGE Congress of this influence, otherwise we will always be at war with somebody, somewhere….”
• Public financing of all federal elections.
• A legal “firewall” between broadcast and cable news organizations and the corporate boards of their parent companies.
Chris, which major party do you think would favor public financing of elections? With which party are we more likely to get a universal healthcare system? Which party has been trying to investigate the manipulation of intelligence leading up to the war. Which party favors a roll back of the tax breaks for the wealthiest among us? Which party is beginning congressional investigations into the renditions and GITMO? Which party has attempted to prevent Bush from hiring unqualified cronies to run important disaster relief agencies?
One more: which candidate for President in 2000 who had a chance of winning would definitely NOT have invaded Iraq?
February 16th, 2007 at 7:30 pmThe so-called “Democratic” party, America’s corporate owned sorry excuse for an opposition, has just put on an empty show of opposition to a war most Americans oppose.
Now watch as scores of them go right ahead and vote to keep on funding this rotten war. Many will, unless they know we are watching them. And some will do so anyway even if they know we are watching because we aren’t their real constitutents. Their real constituents are the moneyed interests who fund their campaigns. In their campaign literature they will regale us with how they voted against the war in this nonbinding made-for-TV resolution so as to make themselves sound as if they are representing our interests. Meanwhile, their real constituents will be satisfied to see them vote to keep funding the war - the vote which actually counts. This kind of game has worked in the past and we can expect America’s “Democratic” corporate-funded “opposition” to keep playing it as long as it keeps working for them.
A real opposition party would PUT IMPEACHMENT ON THE TABLE, and not just for Bush & Cheney. Rumsfeld, Condy Rice, Alberto Gonzales, John Yu, Douglas Feith, and Paul Wolfowitz should all be indicted, and that is just for starters.
A real opposition party would RESTORE THE FAIRNESS ACT which used to require that broadcasters air opposing views. In its absence, a handful of corporations now control the radio airwaves and as a direct result we have all right wing rants all the time from one end of the radio dial to the other.
A real opposition party would REPEAL THE P.A.T.R.I.O.T. ACT.
A real opposition party would RESTORE HABEUS CORPUS.
A real opposition party would CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY AND THE CIA SECRET PRISONS.
A real opposition party would INDICT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN EXTRAORDINARY RENDITIONS. Italy just indicted 25 CIA agents this week in absentia for their involvement in just one extraordinary rendition on Italian soil. This case involved the kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric named Nasr who was whisked off to Egypt to be tortured. After four years of Hell he has now been released by the Egyptians who now admit that there was never any basis for holding him. With a real “opposition” party in power in the USA, Americans would not need other countries to prosecute our international felons for us. Too bad we do, and too bad the Italians have only indicted the low level grunts thus far and not their superiors in Washington.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a real opposition party in power in the US Congress. All we have are the Democrats, a party whose controlling faction, the Democratic Leadership Council, is just as busy sucking up to the billionaires and centamillionaires as the Republicans. They can be counted on defend the interests of the rich while placating the rest of us with lip service and with nonbinding symbolic votes like this one.
A real opposition party will VOTE TO DEFUND THE IRAQ WAR AND PREVENT THE NEXT WAR ON IRAN. Lacking a real opposition party, Americans who oppose the Iraq war and the neoconservative led campaign for global domination will just have to get mad enough and active enough to force the “Democratic” party to behave like one.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:31 pmMaggotfarmer had me laughing out loud and spewing coffee over my desk. Very funny, you nailed the right wing authoritarian, fascist mindset to a tee! Good job.
On the other hand, on the off chance he was serious, perhaps legal/ psychological and/or drug addiction intervention is called for.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:34 pmI’m not sure Bush knows the difference between war and peace:
—- Nat
“Money trumps…….. peace…… sometimes.” - George W. Bush
February 16th, 2007 at 7:35 pmComment by Chris — February 16, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
A real opposition party would have filibustered the laws you mention, so they wouldn’t have been passed in the first place.
In the words of Commander-in-Chief Bush: Profit Trumps Peace.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:35 pmI’m afraid that if we withdraw the troops that Iraq might descend into civil war and sectarian violence. It WHAT? Oh, sorry.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:37 pm’m afraid that if we withdraw the troops that Iraq might descend into civil war and sectarian violence. It WHAT? Oh, sorry.
Comment by Jack Jones
Pottery barn, eh?
February 16th, 2007 at 7:41 pmI have watched the progress in the House today and am so proud of the Democrats for what they are doing. Many Republicans also voted for the resolution. My senator says he will voted for the resolution and that made me proud. I lost a great Nephew in Afghanastan a year ago. Bush/Cheney are the worst and only after the oil. They are both like a couple of wild boys who wants their way in everything. We need to bring back the jobs that they have moved out of the US and just continue to do, in other words there is so much that our congress needs to change, I have hope that they will.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:43 pmIn the words of Commander-in-Chief Bush: Profit Trumps Peace.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
key word ’sometimes’
February 16th, 2007 at 7:43 pmA real opposition party would have filibustered the laws you mention, so they wouldn’t have been passed in the first place.
Comment by Briseadh na Faire
Yeah, I didn’t see any support for Feinstein when he did try to fillibuster or try to pass censor on Bush.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:44 pmWe Gave them the House and almost the Senate ( damn the stupid voters in Conn ), let the House show us now by passing real laws and stop the non-binding BS.
More than one comment indicates, with various flavors of colorfull language, “Cut off the funding. Then we’ll talk.”
That is what I wrote on the “survey” sent to me by the Democratic Party and sent back to them without money.
Not only hold up the funding of the war, hold up the funding of the Democratic Party till they get the message.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:48 pmThose of us who really support our troops want them home..But then again we weren’t fooled like so many. next stop SUPPORT MURTHA
February 16th, 2007 at 7:49 pmOn the other hand, on the off chance he was serious, perhaps legal/ psychological and/or drug addiction intervention is called for.
Comment by Mjshep
Unfortuantely most of the republican trolls are serious. Sad huh?
February 16th, 2007 at 7:49 pmUnfortuantely most of the republican trolls are serious. Sad huh?
Comment by Wayne
We all are in our belief systems.
I hope that man can accept that, deal with it, and replenish the earth he was given as his domain, no matter your thoughts on lifes beginnings, or belief that you hold, time is nothing, it all started right here.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:56 pmNot only hold up the funding of the war, hold up the funding of the Democratic Party till they get the message.
Comment by Joel Landy
Follow the money trail and see who funds Hillary Clinton, for example. She wouldn’t care if the “little people” withdrew their money support, unfortunately.
“Iran is a real threat”, Hillary Clinton, at a dinner in Manhattan for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee about 2 weeks ago.
“Israel and the United States have shared values and an unbreakable bond, Clinton also said. “Qualities that will be necessary as they stand up to terrorism and Iran.”
Notice how she ties Iran and terrorism together?
February 16th, 2007 at 8:03 pmCongress, now do your job as required by the U.S. Constitution!!! Or is it “Just a piece of paper” to you also, as Bush said about our Constitution? Our Constitution REQUIRES
Congress to impeach the President and Vice President if they commit high crimes and/or misdemeanors!!! Bush and Cheney are INDEED GUILTY of both high crimes and misdemeanors!!! They are both guilty of treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity, self admittedly guilty of spying on U.S. citizens without required warrants. FOLLOW the money!!! You will also learn that they are guilty of theft of billions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury to give to their corporate cronies.
YOU MUST HOLD BUSH AND CHENEY FOR THEIR CRIMES!!! If you do not you will be complicit in their crimes!!! DO YOUR JOB THAT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION REQUIRES YOU TO DO!!! Stop your non-binding bull shit stuff! You are wasting precious time!!!
Please consider that Bush/Cheney do not plan to give up any of their power!!! Before November 2008, they will cause to happen another MAJOR “terrorist” attack within the U.S. They will then declare martial law, and will cancel the 2008 elections due to the threat of terrorism. THE FUTURE OF CONTINUED DEMOCRACY IN THE U.S. DEPENDS UPON THE ACTIONS YOU TAKE, OR DO NOT TAKE NOW!!!
February 16th, 2007 at 8:24 pmNotice how she ties Iran and terrorism together?
These are lawyers. Interpolate.
Please consider that Bush/Cheney do not plan to give up any of their power!!! Before November 2008, they will cause to happen another MAJOR “terrorist†attack within the U.S. They will then declare martial law, and will cancel the 2008 elections due to the threat of terrorism. THE FUTURE OF CONTINUED DEMOCRACY IN THE U.S. DEPENDS UPON THE ACTIONS YOU TAKE, OR DO NOT TAKE NOW!!!
Comment by Bill Scherr
Get a beer bill.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:28 pmThese are lawyers. Interpolate. — Zep Tepi
She is rattling the Sabre at Iran as much as Bushco is. Add that to her pre Nov 2006 support for Bush in Iraq.
I do not trust her.
I wish Feinstein or Gore were running.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:37 pmIf Hillary wins the Democratic nomination, 2008 will be Republican vs Republican-Lite
Bill Sherr sez:
While I’m fully in agreement with you concerning another “terrorist incident” (most likely another false flag operation, pulled off with the expert assistance of the unmatched masters of the false flag attack, Mossad), I disagree with the “martial law” supposition. The neocons will instead haul out their old chestnut about ‘a vote for a Dem is a vote for the terrorists’, and, when they win the 2008 election (with the now-usual massive election fraud), they’ll claim it’s a mandate from the people against terrorism. There’s no need for them to suspend the elections, and, as another poster noted, martial law would lead to an unacceptable decline in corporate profits.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:47 pmWayne sez:
One word (an acronym, actually): AIPAC.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:50 pmWhy is there a belief out there that if the funding is cut, suddendly the troops in Iraq will be defenseless? Like they would be in the middle of a fire fight, bullets flying, “click, click” “I’m out of ammo!” “Damn you Democrats!!! If only you would have approved another 100 Billion dollars, we would have been able to complete the vague mission”
February 16th, 2007 at 8:56 pmI agree.
February 16th, 2007 at 8:57 pmI am trying to find out how my Congressman voted on the Resolution. Can any head me toward a site? This will determine if I support him any longer.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:12 pmI called and ask him to support the resolution—-God he better let me know soon.
Robert
All this week the media telling (SELLING) us the polls which are showing Hillary is ahead of all candidates with 45-50% of people willing to vote for her as a president. Hard to believe indeed.
I find it really hard to believe such polls….Just go out and talk to people and ask them if Hillary is their choice for president and you will see that these polls are not accurate by no means.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:21 pmtarazan > I do not believe that Americans of either party will be allowed to choose their candidate for president. US Elite have decided to choose the candidates themselves. They have decided on Hillary Clinton, with Barack Obama as her running mate for Democrat party, and John McCain, with Condi Rice as his running mate for Republican party. That would mean we get a choice between 2 warmongers who love Israel and we get a Black VP just for show. Sweden is looking good to me to move to now.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:53 pmTime to write in support of how your Representative voted. Make your voice heard Loud and clear. And spread the word, get others to write, also.
February 16th, 2007 at 9:58 pmThis is just the begining, and we can’t stop until the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are home, or at the very least, in a safer area. Urge your representative to make every new dollar spent in this Rape-pulican war work for our Military men & women as a benefit in proper training and reliable protection equipment and body armor.
And lets not forget what ever happened to the previous trillion dollars - lets hold all those medal of freedom winners responsible for their deeds.
I Oppose Bush’s War Escalation Plan To Kill More American Soldiers.
After 3,132 dead American soldiers the filthy pro-death, pro-war, pro-torturing, sanctimonious phoney christian republicans lust for blood is still not satisfied. It just bothers me that I have to breath the same air as these dumbass republicans!
At least 17 of the republicans in the Congress had enough courage to oppose Bush’s illegal war for oil and Halliburton profiteering. The moron-in-chief, Chimpy The DECIDER, (Wastey Pants) now plans to start a war with Iran. IT IS TIME FOR THE CONGRESS AND THE SENATE TO PUT AN END BUSH’s WAR IN IRAQ AND HIS FUTURE WAR PLANS WITH IRAN!!
February 16th, 2007 at 10:11 pmA symbolic vote that happens to reflect the sentiments of the American people but which will accomplish nothing. What is necessary is a bidding resolution to let Mr. Bush know we do not appreciate deception and incompetence. Its time Congress stop playing games and stop funding a lie and a mistake.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:32 pmGreat, Congress disapproves. So do I. Whoopty-doo.
Now, just do it.
CUT THE FREAKIN’ FUNDS.
February 16th, 2007 at 11:05 pmThis was tantamount to a vote of no confidence for the Bushista regime. Bush and Cheney should therefore resign and let Pelosi clean up the catastrophic mess they’ve made, both domestically and worldwide.
February 16th, 2007 at 11:20 pmThe next person that tells me that it was the democrats who voted them in and now we’re flopping on the issue, I WILL PUNCH IN THE FACE.
Seriously people. Get your head out of your arses. We voted yes because the we were presented with facts that were presented as true. THEY AREN’T TRUE.
Got that? K, thanks, bye
February 17th, 2007 at 12:50 amWell, it’s no surprise how my “repug” Lamar Smith from Texas voted! He’s such a weasel!
February 17th, 2007 at 12:53 amThis is vote on a non-binding resolution, which means next to nothing. If you have not heard this Quote By BUSH on 2/14/2007 in the east room of the white house, then make sure you read it now, “MONEY TRUMPS PEACE, SOMETIMES”
America is in Iraq for one reason alone, “OIL CONTRACTS/compac’s (?). Europe and Iraq had made such deals prior to the war, Cheney, Bush, and the American Oil interests did not like being left out, it is as simple as that.
The Afghanistan War, About a GAS pipeline?
Could not have been about Usama bin Laden, because we let him go and are not looking for him. Bush quote “I don’t know where he is, I don’t spend that much time on him.
We have given Usama what he has wanted, BUSH closed the Saudi military base after the 911 attack, Bush Flew the Bin Laden family out of the United States, on that very day, after the buildings were hit.
The family (Usamas father) was in the US to attend a meeting of the Carlyle Group (largest private investment group in the world) it is possible to find all of the maneuvers Bush and the administration made, because of Usama, and his demands prior too, and after the attack, you need to do the research.
Afghanistan, In 1998, Dick Cheney, now US vice-president but then chief executive of a major oil services company,(Halliburton) remarked: “I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian.†But the oil and gas there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan. [Guardian]
This is a coincidence, I believe, but for the oil/gas industry it the best possible coincidence.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAP or TAPI) is a proposed natural gas pipeline being developed by the Asian Development Bank. The pipeline will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India.
Started in March 1995 when inaugural memorandum of understanding between the governments of Turkmenistan and Pakistan for a pipeline project was signed. In August 1996, the Central Asia Gas Pipeline, Ltd. (CentGas) consortium for construction of pipeline, led by Unocal was formed. On 27 October 1997 CentGas incorporated in formal signing ceremonies in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan by several international oil companies along with the Government of Turkmenistan. In January 1998 the Taliban, selecting CentGas over a Brazilian competitor, signed an agreement that allowed the proposed project to proceed. In June 1998, Russian Gazprom relinquishes its 10% stake in project. Unocal withdrawn from the consortium on 8 December 1998.
On 27 December 2002 by the leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan and in 2005 Asian Development Bank submitted the final version of feasibility study designed by British company Penspen. Signing the agreement was made possible by the invasion of Afghanistan by United States military forces a year prior, which overthrew the Taliban government controlling most of Afghanistan. Building the pipeline was cited by some critics of the Bush administration as a motivation for the invasion. Some people have even said that if you take a map of U.S. military bases in Afghanistan and a map of the proposed pipeline they are very close together, suggesting that bases are positioned to protect natural gas interests. However, since then the project has essentially stalled; construction of the Turkmen part was supposed to start in 2006, but the overall feasibility is questionable since the southern part of the Afghan section runs through territory which continues to be under de facto Taliban control.
Bush just ordered 3200 troops to Afghanistan, There is no questioning, fighting in Afghanistan has intensified, I am not stating that we are attacking the Taliban because of the stall in the construction of the pipeline.
Please disregard everything I have written here, also the information taken from other sources. Please, do your own fact-finding research. I happen to use “Google search†Enter Afghanistan: gas pipeline construction, also enter Bush quote: “Money trumps peace, sometimes†please do the research yourself. The so-called left wing media is not going to bring this to our attention, if they did/do it is only because Randi Rhodes of “AirAmericaRadio.com†spoke about it first.
She is always first when it comes to the most important information Fox News and the Bush administration do-not want you to know! They want you to focus on the tragic life of Anna Nichole Smith, and not on what is important to us, and the world.
February 17th, 2007 at 1:08 am‘If you believe in the United States you stay in and you keep doing it and you accept the risk.’â€
Uh? Duh? Hello?
Since when did the military become the nations “welfare youth camp”?
There have always been risks in the military and anyone who signs up knows this BEFORE they enlist. Again I ask, since when did you Liberals make the military the nations “post leave the nest babysitter”?
Welcome to the new world people. Us Conservatives want OUR MONEYS WORTH out of these “troops” we have deployed in Iraq.
No more sitting around with a thumb up their ass getting paid and getting fat while us Conservatives have to foot the bill. These boys need to get their asses in gear. No more patty cake here. Lets see some results for a change.
We are doing the American taxpayers a great service by DEMANDING the American troops STEP UP TP THE PLATE and give us a better performance.
Hopefully Duckworth is a fighter and not a silly “Liberal Progressive Useless Eater” getting fat stateside.
February 17th, 2007 at 6:25 amTop Ten Reasons Why You Might Vote Democrat in 2008
1. Everything changed on 9/11
2. Republicans are evil
3. You’re picky about which lies you opt to believe
4. If we don’t vote, we have no right to complain…right?
5. Republicans are mean
6. Voting for Hillary or Obama would prove once and for all that you are
truly more liberal and open-minded than your Republican brother-in-law
7. Republicans are stupid
8. Ralph Nader is still an egomaniac
9. Republicans hate us because we’re free
10. You’re certifiably insane
Mickey Z. can be found on the Web at
http://www.mickeyz.net.
Ten Reasons Why Militarism is
Bad for Queer People
http://popdev.hampshire.edu/ projects/ dt/ pdfs/ DifferenTakes_21.pdf
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer (lgbtq) people cut across race, class,
gender, and nationality lines and represent a
full spectrum of political opinions.There
are queer people in the military and a
visible queer presence at almost every
recent peace rally. Queer organizations,
listserves, and communities have been rife
with debates about what position to take on
a war with Iraq. Meanwhile, lgbtq people
remain under attack by military and
fundamentalist governments around the
world, including the U.S.While some might
argue that war is not a queer issue, the fact
of the matter is that state violence has been
a central theme in the history and lives of
lgbtq people for centuries. No matter what your politics, here are
some basic facts to keep in mind about war’s effect on queer
people’s lives:
1.War decreases civil liberties,freedom of expression,and dissent.
In times of crisis, already marginalized groups and under-resourced
populations are blamed and attacked. Jerry Falwell, Religious Right
figurehead, accused queer people and feminists for the 9.11
terrorists attacks two days after they took place:“I really believe
that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the
gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an
alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way — all
of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger
in their face and say ‘you helped this happen.’â€
In the wake of 9.11, progressive social justice organizations who
speak out against military action are often criticized for being un-
American or paving the way for more terrorist attacks. In addition
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender anti-war activists are
frequently targeted by the police at protests, marches, and rallies
and face harassment and physical violence if put in prison.
2.Hate crimes increase during periods of militarism.
Since the attacks of 9.11, the number of hate crimes has risen
dramatically across the board in the U.S. Attacks against Muslims,
South Asians, and those of Middle Eastern descent skyrocketed, and
hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose 7.2% from 2000.
Hate crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation ranked
fourth highest category in 2001.The rise in hate crimes since 9.11
suggests that queer people are among the
first to be victimized in a climate of
militarism, violence, and fear. Queer people
of color are doubly impacted, facing
harassment and violence not only on the
basis of their racial identity, but also
because of their sexual orientation. In the
name of national security, the Bush
administration has turned a blind eye to
violence against queer people and people of
color since 9.11
at the hands of the military.
Sexual orientation is often used as a way to
criminalize social justice activists who are
working for peace. Bolan Aleksov, a gay
man from Yugoslavia, was arrested by the
State Secret Service in 2000 because of his
involvement with the anti-war group,
Women in Black. During the course of his
interrogation he was beaten and endured
anti-gay epithets by the police. In Uganda
in 1999, five gay, human rights activists
were held and tortured in military detention
centers and forced to flee the country.
4.The military discriminates against
lgbtq service people.
The military has always been hostile to
queer people. As a result of the “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell†policy, set in place by the
Clinton administration, queer service people
are required to keep their sexuality a secret
or face discharge. In this atmosphere of
secrecy, discrimination and harassment are
state-sanctioned. In 2001, as attention and
spending on the military increased and the
U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan
was at its height, 1250 service people
where discharged for being lesbian, gay, or
bisexual, the highest number of discharges
since 1987.The Conduct Unbecoming
report, issued by the Service Members
Legal Defense Network, also found 1075
cases of harassment and intimidation of lgbtq servicepeople, up
from 871 in 2000.
Discrimination against queer people seems to be one of the
military’s top priorities. At a time when the ability to communicate
with a wide range of people across the world is extremely
important, the U.S. military has fired service people with valuable
translation and language skills because of their sexual orientation.
In the fall of 2002, as an extensive military build-up was taking
place in the Middle East, the Army discharged nine student
linguists, including students of Arabic and Korean, for violating the
“don’t ask, don’t tell†policy.
5.Militarism threatens lgbtq immigrants.
Queer immigrants and asylum seekers face significant challenges to
immigrating even in peacetime. Because homosexuality is considered
a crime and/or disease in many countries, lgbtq immigrants are
often fleeing state-sanctioned torture, forced psychiatric treatment,
persecution, rape, and imprisonment on the basis of their sexual
orientation. Few immigration officers are trained to solicit
information about past abuses in ways that are sensitive, and queer
asylum-seekers are often reluctant to tell officials about their sexual
orientation for fear of further persecution.While one partner of a
heterosexual married couple can sponsor the other partner for
immigration, because same-sex couples are not legally recognized as
family in most of the world, couples often have to immigrate alone,
cannot sponsor their partners, and cannot receive the rights that
immigrating families receive.
Since 9.11 many countries, including the U.S. and several European
countries, have used national security and the threat of terrorism to
justify restrictive immigration policies and the crackdown on illegal
immigration. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people who
have fled persecution in their own countries now risk being arrested
as illegal immigrants and deported back to those countries
6.War is divisive for the lgbtq community.
As the government wages war on Iraq, heated debates have broken
out in lgbtq communities about whether to publically oppose the
war. Large organizations fear being labeled as unpatriotic and
losing funding if they speak out against the war.There have been
widespread accusations of racism in the lgbtq community, and even
calls to boycott or withdraw membership from lgbtq advocacy and
support groups who have not made public statements in opposition
to the war.
7.Militarism and war diverts support
for lgbtq people.
The focus of the U.S. government on the
“War On Terrorism†has come at the
expense of basic support services for lgbtq
people. Community organizations that
provide support for queer youth, HIV/AIDS
counseling, and referrals have experienced
extreme budget cutbacks, while government
spending on the military has skyrocketed. In
February 2002, President Bush proposed a
national budget for FY 2003 that would
raise defense spending by nearly 13%, the
greatest increase since the Reagan
Administration’s Cold War era budget. In
2004, President Bush hopes to increase the
US military budget to $399.1 billion, while
funding to social services would be
sacrificed in order to support this increase
in military spending. Recently, Illinois cut
$2.5 million designated for AIDS/HIV
support services and Massachusetts cut
funding for its Safe Schools Program that
provides support for lgbtq students and
youth.
8.Militarism encourages a climate
of fundamentalism.
In the past months, the fundamentalist
government of Egypt has made mass
arrests of anti-war activists and queer
people. Egypt has long been criticized for
its human rights abuses against its lgbtq
citizens, and is currently notorious for the
arrest of 52 gay men charged with
“debauchery.â€Two days before
international anti-war demonstrations in
February 2003, Egyptian State Security
Police also arrested 11 antiwar activists in
Cairo.The Bush Administration considers
Egypt a major ally in the Middle East. Not
only has the U.S. not spoken out against
the Egyptian government’s human rights
abuses, in 2002 it pledged $10.3 billion in
aid along with the European Union and
World Bank.The heightening tension in the Middle East and U.S.
military action in Iraq have allowed the recent arrests of gay men
and antiwar activists in Egypt to go unchallenged.
Five months after the 9.11 attacks, as the U.S. was engaged in
bombing Afghanistan, Pat Robertson, a religious fundamentalist
leader notorious for his anti-gay agenda, attacked Islam and
Muslims.“[Islam] is not a peaceful religion that wants to coexist,â€
Robertson said.“They want to coexist until they can control,
dominate and then if need be destroy.†It seems that many
fundamentalists make no distinctions in their hatred of peace
activists, queers, or people of different ethnicities and religions.
9.Militarism perpetuates rigid gender norms.
At its most basic level, militarism is rooted in traditional,
heterosexist ideas of gender that define masculinity as physically
powerful and aggressive and feminity as meek and passive.This was
made clear in debates about whether or not to allow women to fight
in front-line combat during the first Gulf War.These gender norms
have historically been used to marginalize and criminalize queer
people who often challenge the legitimacy of these norms.
Increasing our dependence on the military and making war a
priority strengthens the heterosexist, patriarchal culture that
promotes war, intensifying the stigmatization of those who defy that
culture.
10.War kills queer people.
February 17th, 2007 at 11:28 amThere is no question that war kills innocent people. It is estimated
that 1 in every 10 people is queer.This means that out of the 1.5
million Iraqis who have died in the last decade because of sanctions
and bombings, 150,000 where queer. 15,000 queer people where
sent to concentration camps during the Holocaust, the global
North’s most famous example of genocide and militarism. It is
estimated that over 300 lgbtq people died in the attacks on the
World Trade Center and Pentagon. From queer servicemen to
civilians, to political prisoners and prisoners of war, war threatens
everyone’s life.
Ryn Gluckman is a queer activist and writer. S/he is the Program
Coordinator for the Population and Development Program at
Hampshire College and sits on the Board of Directors for Children
of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere
according to the tally, the democrats names are in italics:
the 2 dems that voted against the resolution are Taylor and Marshall….not sure of the state….could look that up too.
and there were several republic….s that voted for the resolution
now for something that has teeth in it!
February 17th, 2007 at 1:07 pmwhat is next, Ms. Pelosi?
A good start. Now bring the military home right now. Everyday they stay, they create more enemies of USA.
February 17th, 2007 at 4:04 pm“This is vote on a non-binding resolution, which means next to nothing.”
HILARIOUS. Apparently you didn’t watch the speeches.
If you don’t know why Speaker Pelosi is one of the best politicians in modern history, listen to some of the speeches this last week:
http://www.youtube.com/user/NancyPelosi
Don’t miss Rep. Nadler, or Rep. Franks, Rep. Rangel, Rep. Lantos, or Rep. Wexler.
Some of the most powerful indictments of the Iraq war strategy you can find.
In the Leftist world, a ‘Good Dictator’ will just announce the policy — no democracy needed! But these will be Good policies, not bad policies like the rightwing Dictator.
For the rest of us, the process ignited by Speaker Pelosi and ML Hoyer is only too obvious to see, IF you watch the speeches. If you don’t, you can continue to pine for the Good Dictator to rise up and magically be elected with 3% of the vote.
February 18th, 2007 at 4:47 pmThe President is an employee of the American people, and as such would do well to abide by his employer’s orders or wishes.
An unruly employee who disobeys his employer’s orders and acts upon his will only deserves to be fired.
IMPEACH.
February 20th, 2007 at 7:58 pmGeorge Bush is not a king even though he seems to think he is. The Presidente of Venezuela was undoubtedly correct.
February 25th, 2007 at 2:02 pmPerhaps its time to purge Congress?
March 19th, 2007 at 6:47 pm