Kerry Offers A Democratic Ultimatum On Iraq

[ProSense]

Tuesday :: Apr 4, 2006

Kerry Offers A Democratic Ultimatum On Iraq

by Steve Soto

Kerry http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/opinion/05kerry.html">sticks his neck out on Iraq tonight:

So far, Iraqi leaders have responded only to deadlines — a deadline to transfer authority to a provisional government, and a deadline to hold three elections.
Now we must set another deadline to extricate our troops and get Iraq up on its own two feet.

Iraqi politicians should be told that they have until May 15 to put together an effective unity government or we will immediately withdraw our military. If Iraqis aren't willing to build a unity government in the five months since the election, they're probably not willing to build one at all. The civil war will only get worse, and we will have no choice anyway but to leave.

Snip...

This, coupled with Murtha’s redeployment proposal and Condi’s assurance today that there will not be permanent bases in Iraq beyond their ability to sustain their own security needs can be the basis for the Democrats’ policy on Iraq. Both Murtha and Kerry are approaching Iraq with an eye towards not repeating our Vietnam mistakes again. Setting a time-limited commitment reflects the views of more and more Americans, while telling the Iraqis that they have to demonstrate a commitment to self-governance quickly, which is exactly the message Rice gave to the Iraqis herself this weekend. The only difference is that the Bush Administration doesn't have the guts to publicly say what the consequences would be if the Iraqis keep stringing us along. At least Kerry says the obvious.

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/007286.php

[acmejack]

1. Better late than never, I guess

Let's see if he he puts some teeth in it. Ultimatum without consequences are merely empty threats, we're quite accomplished at those.

[ProSense]

6. It's not too late for the soldiers whose lives are still at risk.

Focusing on bringing them home will save lives.

[acmejack]

10. A little too late for 2340 of them though isn't it?

And about 20,000 that who will remember it every morning when they wake up with that mutilated body part. Oh and those 100 of thousands of Iraqis, but thank God, it not too late for somebody...

The life he is trying to save is that of his 2008 campaign!

[ProSense]

11. At least he's trying to save others from the same fate.

This is the best strategy out there, and it's certainly is a lot better than cynicism.

[acmejack]

12. oh...

I will maintain a count from now until it stops if you would like...

[ProSense]

14. Do it for the soldiers if you think it will help. n/t

[Ian David]

2. Why should the Iraqis get a unity government when we don't have one here?

[babylonsister]

3. I hope he gets some party support for this as well as

some media exposure; I don't expect much of either:( so will be happily surprised if anything is seriously considered.

[globalvillage]

5. We need to write, call

Our congress people and the media and urge them to support this plan.

May 15 or out.

[globalvillage]

4. Gov't. Spending Millions On Building Bases In Iraq

Gov't. Spending Millions On Building Bases In Iraq By Mark Matthews
Apr. 4 - KGO - As pressure increases to bring troops home from Iraq, the U.S. military is requesting hundreds of millions of dollars to build large military bases in Iraq and that's raising concerns.

<snip>

Former senator Gary Hart says his information comes in part from a first hand observation of Sen. John Kerry who was in Iraq late last year.

Gary Hart, former senator: "And his kind of informal report to me or statement to me was he knew of at least four bases that were being constructed."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=politics&id=4055153

Thanks for posting this,ProSense. I don't know how Condiliar can look at herself in the mirror.
This is a good plan by Sen Kerry. It should spark some discussion today.
May 15 or out.

[ProSense]

7. John Kerry Sets a Deadline to Withdraw

John Kerry Sets a Deadline to Withdraw

Submitted by MikeHersh on Wed, 2006-04-05 07:00. Congress | Iraq War
Democracy Cell Project April 4, 2006

In Wednesday's New York Times, Sen. John Kerry issues a call for ending the war in Iraq: if the Iraqis cannot form a government by May 15th, Kerry wants to withdraw U.S. troops immediately. And if they beat this May 15th deadline, Kerry wants the new government to accept the withdrawal of all U.S. combat troops by the end of 2006.

Kerry's proposal overlaps Rep. John Murtha's previous withdrawal proposal, but Kerry goes one better than Murtha by setting specific dates and conditions. Read more and comment at the Democracy Cell Project blog

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/9957

[Jacobin]

8. I'm sure Bush* will jump right on that

:eyes:

[WildEyedLiberal]

16. Guess no Dem should have any positions, then, since Bush won't agree

:eyes:

[globalvillage]

9. Kerry Calls For Iraq Pullout Deadline

Kerry Calls For Iraq Pullout Deadline
Posted on Apr. 5, 2006


Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) wrote of the American presence in Iraq: “We will defeat Al Qaeda faster when we stop serving as its best recruitment tool. Iraqis ultimately will not tolerate foreign jihadists on their soil.”

In today’s NY Times, the former presidential candidate calls for two deadlines: May 15 for the Iraqis to form a unity government; and a date later in the year for the U.S. to pull out.

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20060405_kerry_calls_for_iraq_pull_deadline/

[novalib]

13. BRAVO!

Bravo, John Kerry!

I love that guy.

[bigtree]

15. still fighting for us

[gordianot]

17. If I recall correctly Nixon won the 1968 election on a similar platform.

They set up a much looser time line but it worked politically for Nixon who wanted to be viewed as ending the Vietnam War. Life is strange now that Bush has reversed fate.

[WildEyedLiberal]

18. Except Kerry's plan has real dates

I can't believe people fell for Nixon's "secret plan to end the war" bullshit.

[gordianot]

19. As I remember it people were desperate.

Only being 17 at the time and facing the draft I still despised Nixon and the slugs who swarmed him. 1968 is a year I wish had never happened. Three huge tragedies the death of Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, and the election of Nixon.

[WildEyedLiberal]

20. Yeah... it was horrible

My parents were in their 20s during that time, Dad was in the Air Force stationed in the Philippines and Mom was so excited about RFK's candidacy. A horrid year.

[sandnsea]

21. I heard he was on Randi talking about it

Did I miss the thread?? :shrug:

The diplomatic part of his plan is as important as the deadlines. It is their country and this plan makes that clear, which has been a big part of the problem in Iraq. Covers everything, and brings our troops home if Iraq can't bring their country together.

[ProSense]

22. Debate in Congress over Iraq war grows louder

Posted on Wed, Apr. 05, 2006

Debate in Congress over Iraq war grows louder

By Steven Thomma, Tim Funk and James Kuhnhenn
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Kerry calls for decisions in Iraq
WASHINGTON - If Congress ever turns against the war in Iraq, analysts may look back at this week as a turning point.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., on Wednesday urged setting a May 15 deadline to withdraw U.S. troops unless Iraq forms a unity government, and even if Iraq does form a government, Kerry urged complete American withdrawal by year's end. His twin-deadline proposal makes the 2004 presidential nominee the most prominent Democrat pushing for early full withdrawal.

At the same time, three Republicans in the House of Representatives endorsed a resolution calling for a robust and lengthy congressional debate on Iraq. While they're far short of the votes needed to force such a debate, a coalition of 40 anti-war activist groups is mounting a national campaign to drum up public pressure behind the resolution. That campaign targets lawmakers as they head home for a two-week Easter recess to listen to constituents in this election year, when Republicans are already anxious that they might lose control of Congress in November.

Grassroots America is sour on Iraq, polls show, and residents of 24 Wisconsin towns gave more proof of that this week by voting for resolutions urging immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops, while voters in eight towns rejected such a call.

more...

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/14271819.htm

[ProSense]

23. Kerry calls for decisions in Iraq

Posted on Wed, Apr. 05, 2006

Kerry calls for decisions in Iraq

By JAMES KUHNHENN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry called Wednesday for the Bush administration to tell Iraqi leaders to form a unity government by May 15 or face immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops.

Even if Iraq forms a government, Kerry calls for all U.S. combat troops out by year's end, with the remainder housed in garrisons where they would help train Iraqi soldiers, offer backup security and respond to emergencies.

Democratic leaders in Washington have long worried that taking a stand against the war or calling for early withdrawal would label them weak on national security. But Kerry, in an interview with Knight Ridder, said that the stand he's calling for is "tough" and necessary. The 2004 Democratic presidential nominee laid out his plan first in an opinion piece published Wednesday in The New York Times. He is scheduled to speak further about his proposal in a speech Thursday from the Senate floor.

“No young American should be sacrificed because Iraqi politicians are screwing around unwilling to compromise,” Kerry said in the interview. “So you have to get tough. You have to give them a date. They have only responded to dates.”

“The only way now to get this thing on track, in my judgment, is to be tough and say, ‘Look our young soldiers are not going to lose their lives and our taxpayers aren’t going to pour billions of dollars so you guys can sit around every day and fight with each other.”

more...

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/14271690.htm