Not One More Death! Not One More Dollar!
America has ignored a primary lesson of Vietnam by sending US troops to war in Iraq without clear and realistic objectives, without understanding or respecting the culture of the region, and without the commitment of the American people. President Bush threatened Congress by announcing that he already had the authority to act against the threat he perceived from Iraq, with or without Congressional approval. He also appealed for unity and told Congress that authorizing him to use force would give him a better chance at success with diplomacy. The Republican-controlled Congress obediently rubberstamped the president's position.
The constitution grants the power to declare war exclusively to Congress. With little debate, with little regard for the constitution, and with some bipartisan support, Congress abdicated its constitutional duty and delegated this awesome authority to the president. In the face of inevitable approval by the Republican Congress, Democrats split. Knowing what the outcome would be, some Democrats embraced the president's pleas for unity. Some Democrats voted "no" because they did not support the war, and some Democrats voted "no" to uphold the constitution. Each Congressperson voting "yes" did so without thoroughly debating the policy implications and without demanding a thorough investigation of the facts necessary for minimal due-diligence before authorizing this extraordinary undertaking.
The Republican-controlled Congress gave President Bush a blank check, literally and figuratively, to wage war in Iraq. With the support of a compliant Congress, our Commander-in-Chief swept aside human rights standards and unleashed the unrestrained power of our military in order to "win" this war and seed democracy in the Middle East. After years of presidential rhetoric, the voters finally tired of his distortions and his claims that we are always on the verge of victory.
Demonstrating his dangerous disconnect from reality, President Bush is now claiming the problem has been that the military was actually too restricted, and he is authorizing US troops to use even greater force in house-to-house fighting, an escalation of ruthless tactics certain to further inflame hatred of America and factional violence. In defiance of American voters and Congress, the president is actually escalating our involvement in Iraq with a troop surge, and is widening the conflict to Iraq's neighbors. The president's motive for suddenly supporting increased troops appears to be more in response to the changes in Congress than military objectives in Iraq. The president's latest delusional hope is that temporary military control of Baghdad is the key to transforming Iraq, and it would be comical if not for the death and suffering it is causing both Americans and Iraqis.
Democrats support real security and fiscal responsibility. US military spending exceeds the combined military spending of the rest of the world. We maintain troops in 135 of the world's 193 countries. The US could cut defense spending in half, and we would still spend more than three times the military budget of any other country. Accelerated borrowing from foreign governments to fund our expanding military-industrial complex is undermining national security. Who could believe that foreign funding of our military strengthens America?
The American public initially embraced the President's "shoot first, ask questions later" approach, but is now ready for a more realistic and effective national security strategy. America's faith in George Bush's arrogant leadership and irrational determination has ended. Democrats have an opportunity to demand responsible policy as an alternative to the blind ideology still being promoted by Republican leaders.
The American people are tired of reckless and inept government, and have entrusted Congress to Democratic control. Democrats are probably correct that their plans for domestic legislation and their timid reforms are an improvement over the governance we have endured for the last six years. But this is a very low standard, and falls short of our country's desperate need for leadership. Democrats must use this opportunity to defend constitutional government, restore fiscal responsibility, and end the war in Iraq.
Ron Kossik is a member of the Manitowoc County Democratic Party and Lakeshore Peacemakers.
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