(Dday here. I have just begun working as Ron Shepston's netroots coordinator. Ron has written this post to discuss his support for the Responsible Plan. He's in a contested primary and needs your help to continue the leadership he's shown in supporting this plan all the way to Congress. Please consider making a donation to his campaign today.)
I was working in Brisbane, Australia on 9/11. I’d long past gotten over jet lag but something woke me in the middle of the night. When I turned on the TV to CNN International and saw the graphic “America Under Attack” my first thought was that it was simply more media over-the-top hype. As I watched, I saw that was not the case and my anger grew at whoever it was who attacked us. I’d never felt so much anger in my life and I doubt that ever will again. I called friends and family to “be” with them, but I knew that I couldn’t, not only because of the distance, but because all air travel was suspended.
Because I travel the world in my job I have friends in many countries. I was receiving calls from many who offered support and love for me and America after such a vicious attack that killed so many innocent people. Literally, the world was with us, so I was hopeful that our President would use this as an opportunity to further unite the world.
As the days passed, I was behind Bush when he ordered Afghanistan attacked. When I came home for a few weeks, I watched and waited for the administration to begin to do something else right. Instead, I watched and listened as they went down the path of attacking Iraq. I couldn’t believe it. As I watched the international TV coverage after I returned to Australia, I could see that the administration simply wanted to attack Iraq as a show of strength and a projection of military might.
When the war ended and the occupation began, I watched the goodwill of the world evaporate like water on a hot skillet. One by one and country by country, the Bush administration squandered an historic opportunity to unite the world in the fight against terrorism and for global peace. It would be difficult to imagine how the situation could be any worse if they tried to fail. Their incompetence is staggering; the damage equally staggering, and long-term.
To try to salvage anything by staying this long, and having even a single additional soldier or a single additional Iraqi civilian die, would not be worth it. It’s too late to have any good that would offset the damage already done. It’s time to leave in a responsible way for both America and Iraq.
George Bush or the next President must give the order to prepare a plan to leave. Generals implement orders. From General Franks to General Petraeus, they have all attempted to plan to wage a war and occupation they didn’t want to wage. As a veteran, I know that generals have few choices – they could do their best to execute their orders, or leave the service.
Generals don’t get far by being negative so they will always look for a way to succeed. It’s no surprise that General Petraeus can sound positive in the face of such a daunting occupation. It’s part of his job.
It’s time to give him an order that he can carry out fully. That’s what The Responsible Plan to End the War does and that’s why I have signed on to it.
Our plan will
- End U.S. Military Action in Iraq
2. Use U.S. diplomatic power
3. Address humanitarian concerns
4. Restore our Constitution
5. Restore our military
6. Restore independence to the media
7. Create a new, U.S.-centered energy policy
Implementing the plan will accomplish the goal of leaving quickly with responsibility to America and Iraqis.
For a very comprehensive discussion of the plan and the consequences my friend Adam has a great post with a great discussion.
Any discussion of Iraq leads to many different theories. Historians will paint a picture of the war of Iraq as having a profound and pervasively negative influence on America and American society. Indeed, this will have impact far beyond our borders and far outside my lifetime. Here’s a great comment talking about exactly this so much better than I could.
The nature of the final impact rests with us – the individual citizen. If we are to take what this administration and those who enable it to show Americans that there is a better way to govern then this generation will become the next great generation.
When Darcy Burner first asked if I wanted to be part of the effort to create the plan I immediately said “yes”. I was grateful for the opportunity to be involved in something this important to the future of America, Iraq and in fact, the world.
I support the Responsible Plan To End The War. And with your help, I and the dozens of others who have signed on to this plan can go to Washington with a mandate to end this terrible war and change the conversation around our national security. Please visit our Act Blue page today and make a contribution if you can to my campaign before the end of the quarter on Monday. Together we really can change the country for the better. Thanks.