Iraq war resolution on Senate's plate today
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist declared Tuesday that "surrendering is not a solution" in Iraq as Democrats embraced a proposal to start troop withdrawals this year, setting up an election-year showdown in the GOP-controlled Senate.
"We cannot retreat. We cannot surrender. We cannot go wobbly. The price is far too high," said Frist, R-Tenn., suggesting that Democrats want to do just that.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, disputed the GOP characterization of the Democrats' position and said: "We have to serve notice on the Iraqis that their future has to be in their own hands."
Surrendering? I read this and say aloud 'surrendering to whom?' - what is he talking about. Retreat? Retreat to where, I wonder and the disgust billows up from some deep place inside me. A damn word game, our politicians are engaged in a damn word game while real time paints a much different reality. Politicians using the emotional buzz words designed to elicit a knee-jerk and gut reaction from people who value themselves as the American ideal of what it is to be an American.
More disgusting is politicians who use military terminology buzz words while having no reality whatsoever in military life or combat. Surrender! Pulling our troops out of a civil conflict equates to our troops surrendering! To whom, to whom are they surrendering? Retreat! Pulling our troops out of an established country termed a new democracy equates to our troops in retreat? Cut and run equates to an act of cowardice to pull our troops out of a country that has it's own government in place and has asked for the removal of our troops?
These are just words, artfully and carefully designed to resonate with the lowest common denominator among those Americans who are either overly busy trying to live with the demands of our sagging economy or overly-lazy in that 'war time' is not immediately impacting their daily life. It seems anyone and everyone has an 'opinion' and are eager to weigh in with their opinion adopting the false choice arguments as promulgated by our representative politicians. It is not as easy as stay or leave as the only choices one can have and it is no longer as easy as a majority party in Congress be it one or the other party trying to hold onto their power base.
So how about some other words, equally emotionally charged with military meanings like Resist and Advance. Resist the notion of surrender as applicable in this debate. Advance the truth that our troops have accomplished their ill defined mission in that a new birth of a new, democratic Iraq is in place and exists as a result of military action. Offer a debate issue that puts the responsibility and accountability back on the politicians and this administration to resolve Iraq authentically and politically. Resist buying into the propaganda of political word-speak that has the maturity of juvenile playground bullying tactics. Lock and load and aim squarely at the target - truth - amonst the illusive smokebombs of deception.
It's time for politics and politicians to grow up and serve the public with the same kind of honor, dignity and ideals we absolutely and unequivocably expect from our military - from our young 19 and 20 something year old service men and women. On the one side the opinionators are outraged at the atrocities being committed by our men and women in military service as news stories come to light. Emotionally charged words like murderers, dishonor, is tossed about freely. And on the other side, opinionators are equally outraged when our men and women in military service resist as those news stories come to light. Emotionally charged words like cowards, dishonor is tossed about freely.
It appears that while IEDs and roadside bombs can break their bones, words can hurt them too. Isn't it past time to end using our military's ideals, not fully understood or appreciated in the civilian population, as political footballs in word games at the cost of the lives of our troops; at the cost of lives of a people who seemed to be born in the wrong place at the wrong time when the U.S. decided to invade and occupy 'their' country. Isn't it past time to expect adult, mature, responsible behavior from our politicians if we expect it from our younsters who do the on-ground fighting for the sake of political 'words'?
Well, locally speaking then, I'll be watching our U.S. Senators Cantwell and Murray performance and votes in this important 'debate' and resolution. After watching all 10 hours of the House 'debate' and votes on the resolution last week, I'm sure I'll be treated to more of the same with the Senate debate this week. Wouldn't it be refreshing if, in fact, it was not more of the same ...
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