How to oppose the war without sounding like a wimp

[yurbud]

It's not hard for the GOP to make anti-war advocates, especially the ones in elected office, look like the are weak on national security, particularly in light of the tentative, half-assed way many in Congress go about it.

I admire my own senator Barbara Boxer, but she is guilty of the happy talk about demanding a "success strategy" rather than outlining the real motives for the war and the real effects of pulling out versus staying. This is the equivalent of telling Jeffrey Dahmer to spray floral Lysol so the smell of rotting flesh won't bother his neighbors.

Our sons and daughters are dying because the president lied so his friends could make money.

Make money on Iraq's oil,

Make money on rebuilding contracts,

Make money on weapons contracts,

and even make money on privatization of the mess halls that serve our soldiers food.

These same companies repay us by claiming their headquarters are overseas to avoid taxes and in the case of the oil companies, gouging us at the gas pump and demanding and getting a tax cut from the Bush administration and the Republican congress.

Those who give up some of their life and freedom to defend our country should be repaid by only being sent into harm's way when the United States is under attack or facing a clear threat, not to advance some right wing think tank fantasy of a global empire built on control of oil.

That's my version. For variations on this, read anything Cynthia McKinney has ever said about the Iraq War. She has been consistently right, passionate, and unapologetic.

She was targeted for defeat and briefly run out of Congress, but the voters missed her and she doggedly watched for voting machine rigging, and got back in.

That is what principles are. Telling the truth even when it's not popular and taking the consequences.

The irony is, the public is closer to McKinney's position now, but our elected Democrats are still talking as if the public supports Bush.

They don't.

But corporate America still does, and that's who they are worried about offending.

Make them take a stand or get out of the way.

Whenever I write my senator who voted in favor of the war I end with "Listen to the people who voted for you or we will replace you with someone who will."

[orwell]

1. National Defense...

...has nothing to do with world domination. We have troops in over 130 countries right now, something close to 75% of the countries in the world. Why is this tolerated by the American people? This is not defense, it is offense. It is expressly counter to the founder's clearly stated intentions.

One of the reasons I oppose this war, and most of the wars of the 20th century, is because they are counter to the long term strategic interests of the US. This has nothing to do with being a wimp. This has to do with National Security.

How many foreign troops are on our soil?

Case closed.

[yurbud]

2. yep--most Americans don't know all the places we have bases