Congress, It’s Time To Clean Up Your Iraq War Mess - Phil Donahue

[Catherina]

Congress, It’s Time To Clean Up Your Iraq War Mess

by Phil Donahue

Eleven years have passed since the United States invaded Iraq in an unprovoked, unnecessary, unconstitutional action that violated international law.

...

Like obedient third graders, these politicians took the floor of their respective chambers and read the prepared alarms aloud, often with identical wording:

“A smoking gun will become a mushroom cloud.”

“A gun smokes after it’s been fired.”

“Saddam has more weapons of mass destruction than Hitler ever had.”

“The longer we wait the more dangerous he becomes.”

“Saddam is training al-Qaida in bomb making.”

...

Now, even though the troops have been withdrawn, the impacts of the war will be felt for generations on both sides. Iraq lost anywhere between 100,000 and 1 million civilians. And we lost 4,486 of our soldiers, while more than 100,000 Iraq War veterans are dealing with brain injuries.

...

They have all been traumatized, but the U.S. government is doing nothing about it.
In Iraq, cancer rates and birth defects have skyrocketed in areas polluted by toxic U.S. munitions, and the invasion and occupation led to massive sectarian violence and a new constitution that strips women and workers of their rights.

...

For all the members of Congress who voted aye, now it’s your responsibility to clean up the mess you created.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/03/19-4

[grasswire]

1. kick for Phil

I hope he continues to speak his mind. I miss him.

[CJCRANE]

2. The worst thing is

that I feel like we're marching to the neocon beat all over again.

All the small gains we've made, the chance of finally reducing the growth of military spending, mainstream economists starting to realize that austerity doesn't work, the small gains we're making against the surveillance state, the possibility of reining in the banks, the progress in the Iran talks...all these will be swallowed up in the us-and-them patriotic BS thanks to the neocon surprise.

[Catherina]

13. +1000. We are. They're leading this and no one's standing in their way

They've got a firm foothold in our most important institutions and they're not budging.

Chilling 2012 quote for you from one of the master neocons Robert Kagan (husband of Vicky Nuland. co-founder of PNAC and recently appointed to the State Department's Foreign Affairs Advisory Board)

“I actually believe in a bipartisan foreign policy, not for its own sake,” Kagan tells Salon, “but because I think there actually is a bipartisan consensus on foreign policy. There are plenty of neoconservatives in the Obama administration and there were plenty in the Clinton administration, if you would define ‘neoconservative’ as I would. What’s lost on people not in Washington is how close this community really is.”

Military interventions have occurred “under Democratic presidents, Republican presidents, idealist realists, you name it,” Kagan explains. “America keeps returning to these policies.” People may be sick of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he argues, but polls show support is high for an attack on Iran.

“So even as the American people tire of one war, they’re getting ready for the next one,” he says. “If this system is warlike, it’s the tendency that flows from the public.”

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/17/do_americans_love_war/

The most disgusting part is that they gloat about it openly, the show themselves in the open, and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it right now. I'm so mad... They're hellbent on mayhem and total madness.

[Enthusiast]

17. The question should be, why are there neoconservatives in the Obama administration?

Show me polls that show high support for an attack on Iran. I do not believe this.

[ProSense]

3. "Not long after the March 2003 military blunder began...."

Not long after the March 2003 military blunder began, journalist Tim Russert asked then-Sen. John Kerry, “Are you sorry you voted for the war?” He answered in a word, “Profoundly.”

Only 23 U.S. senators voted no. If there are others among the 77 aye voters who, like now-Secretary of State Kerry, have publicly offered remorse for their misguided vote, kindly notify the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCRJustice.org). Acknowledging a mistake is “manning up” in its finest expression, and the center will publish your mea culpa promptly.

Yes, Kerry did regret the vote and spoke out against the war: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024622802#post13

They have all been traumatized, but the U.S. government is doing nothing about it. In Iraq, cancer rates and birth defects have skyrocketed in areas polluted by toxic U.S. munitions, and the invasion and occupation led to massive sectarian violence and a new constitution that strips women and workers of their rights.

That would require foreign aid.

Here at home, American veterans aren’t getting the care they need.

He's right, and Republicans just blocked legislation.

With just 41 votes, Republican senators block veterans benefits bill
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024576498

[Vattel]

5. Kerry in 2004:

MR. RUSSERT: As you well know, this is a 50-50 race between Bush and Kerry, but there is one area where the president has opened up in a significant lead. And in the interest of candor and clarity, I want to give you a chance to answer a question right up top, and I promise we'll talk about the nuance later on. But the American people, I think, would like a yes or no answer: Do you believe the war in Iraq was a mistake?

SEN. KERRY: I think the way the president went to war is a mistake.

[ProSense]

7. I agree with Phil Donahue

Still, it's interesting the reaction to pointing to his statements about Kerry.

LOL!

[bvar22]

6. Being "profoundly sorry" is one thing.

Doing something Proactive to hold the criminals accountable is another thing entirely.
It is EASY to say "I'm Sorry".
It is difficult to make amends for our mistakes,
and work to Put things RIGHT.

[font size=4]The Democratic Party Honor Roll[/font]

These Democrats should be remembered for their principled stand against the WAR Machine.
They voted "NO" on the Authorization to Use Military Force in Iraq.
Bush was unable to "fool" them.
They had the intelligence and integrity to see through the Republican Lies,
and were unafraid to take a STAND.


United States Senate

In the Senate, the 21 Democrats, one Republican and one Independent courageously voted their consciences in 2002 against the War in Iraq :

Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)
Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico)
Barbara Boxer (D-California)
Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia)
Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota)
Jon Corzine (D-New Jersey)
Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota)
Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin)
Bob Graham (D-Florida)
Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont)
Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts)
Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)
Carl Levin (D-Michigan)
Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland)
Patty Murray (D-Washington)
Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island)
Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland)
Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan)
The late Paul Wellstone (D-Minnesota)
Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)

Lincoln Chaffee (R-Rhode Island)


United States House of Representatives

Six House Republicans and one independent joined 126 Democratic members of the House of Represenatives:

Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii)
Tom Allen (D-Maine)
Joe Baca (D-California)
Brian Baird (D-Washington DC)
John Baldacci (D-Maine, now governor of Maine)
Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin)
Xavier Becerra (D-California)
Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon)
David Bonior (D-Michigan, retired from office)
Robert Brady (D-Pennsylvania)
Corinne Brown (D-Florida)
Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
Lois Capps (D-California)
Michael Capuano (D-Massachusetts)
Benjamin Cardin (D-Maryland)
Julia Carson (D-Indiana)
William Clay, Jr. (D-Missouri)
Eva Clayton (D-North Carolina, retired from office)
James Clyburn (D-South Carolina)
Gary Condit (D-California, retired from office)
John Conyers, Jr. (D-Michigan)
Jerry Costello (D-Illinois)
William Coyne (D-Pennsylvania, retired from office)
Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland)
Susan Davis (D-California)
Danny Davis (D-Illinois)
Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon)
Diana DeGette (D-Colorado)
Bill Delahunt (D-Massachusetts)
Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut)
John Dingell (D-Michigan)
Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas)
Mike Doyle (D-Pennsylvania)
Anna Eshoo (D-California)
Lane Evans (D-Illinois)
Sam Farr (D-California)
Chaka Fattah (D-Pennsylvania)
Bob Filner (D-California)
Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts)
Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas)
Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois)
Alice Hastings (D-Florida)
Earl Hilliard (D-Alabama, retired from office)
Maurice Hinchey (D-New York)
Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas)
Rush Holt (D-New Jersey)
Mike Honda (D-California)
Darlene Hooley (D-Oregon)
Inslee
Jackson (Il.)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Johnson, E.B.
Jones (OH)
Kaptur
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kleczka
Kucinich
LaFalce
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Lofgren
Maloney (CT)
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McKinney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Millender-McDonald
Miller
Mollohan
Moran (Va)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
Payne
Pelosi
Price (NC)
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanchez
Sanders
Sawyer
Schakowsky
Scott
Serrano
Slaughter
Snyder
Solis
Stark
Strickland
Stupak
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Towns
Udall (NM)
Udall (CO)
Velazquez
Visclosky
Waters
Watson
Watt
Woolsey
Wu

(Apologies for the loss of formatting.
I've had this list for a long time,
and somewhere along the line of transferring this file
and upgrading to different versions of MSWord,
the states and districts of many were deleted.)

[Enthusiast]

18. Notice, they are mostly from the "reasonable" states.

Not the batshit states.

[progressoid]

4. Phil, Phil, Phil, responsibility and accountability is soooo twentieth century.

[Enthusiast]

19. Apparently that is true.

Since that false 2000 election the nation has moved into uncharted territory, crazy land.

[LuvNewcastle]

8. I wish someone would hire him so he can host a show again,

if he would do it. No talk show has ever equaled his old show. He's an eloquent voice, and I wish we could hear a lot more from him.

[adirondacker]

11. Same here. He's one of the very few I watched and miss. nt

[Enthusiast]

20. We should accept that the PTB do not want him to be heard.

That is pretty clear.

[colsohlibgal]

9. The Rush To This War

It was stunning, the cheerleading for this drummed up war, by all the networks. MSNBC has a lot to make up for, they went with the hysteria filled flow. Fired Phil for daring to question, replaced him with a vile foul mouthed fascist.

So many lives lost and ruined and for what? The whole Bush Crew should be dragged to the Hague.

[Catherina]

14. Yes. And every Congressperson, every corporation, every think tank, every journalist, every pundit

that enabled them should, at the very least, make a public apology to the world.

[Enthusiast]

21. +1 an entire shit load!

An entire shit load!

What they did was CLEARLY criminal. Criminal and treasonous in several different ways.

[a kennedy]

10. I want Phil to get a show on MSNBC....

I miss him terribly. Come on MSNBC give Phil his own show.

[llmart]

12. Love Phil.....

He speaks the truth.

[alp227]

15. 11-year anniversary of Iraq War K&R nt

[Enthusiast]

16. Phil Donahue should STFU!

If he ever wants to get a high profile job again, that is. Because what we say on network and cable TV is now even more strictly scrutinized and controlled.

We knew that every one of those Iraq War claims were lies. We knew it at the time.

If we knew, why didn't the war supporters know? I think they knew we were going to war on false pretenses.

I mean, The Bush Team® had just recently stolen a presidential election. That should have been a clue.

This is why "looking forward" by the Obama Administration was so egregious, and in my mind, amounted to dereliction of duty.

Several members of the Bush Administration engaged in treason and should have suffered the consequences. But President Obama allowed Bush to escape scrutiny and prosecution. Since then the giant financial institutions also escaped prosecution for financial crimes that destroyed the world economy. Oddly enough only people of moderate means suffered from this crisis. Find that odd? Me too.

There have been strange and unexplainable goings on since the false election of 2000, including the act known as 911. Something is afoot. Not on the up and up, as they say. The nation has never been the same since that 2000 election. It's as if we have moved into "anything goes" territory.

Come one, people. We might be some dumb but we ain't plumb dumb.

[xchrom]

22. du rec.