Today’s Reason to drive out the Bush regime:
Bush gave his latest speech on a military base (seemingly the
only place he can find a friendly audience nowadays) which argued that the US
must continue until victory in Iraq.
This as more and more people in the US want immediate withdrawal from Iraq, and
the torture, use of white phosphorous against Iraqis, and brutal occupation
proves that, as our Call puts it, this is ‘a murderous and utterly illegitimate
war’. Not to mention the fact that in a recent poll, 80% of the people in Iraq
want an end to the US
occupation.
This arrogant speech made in the midst of Bush’s lowest
approval ratings and debate breaking out in Congress (over ‘how best to achieve
victory’) makes it clear that this regime is not going to give up on its
intentions easily ( it will take millions of people taking independent
political action to stop them. And the response of the Democrats to Bush’s
speech only further proves this.
While there has been much debate in Congress and clearly
there are differences in the halls of power about the war, but these
differences are over ‘how to achieve victory’ in Iraq.
Where are the Democrats calling out the war for what it is, ‘murderous and
utterly illegitimate’? Just listen to the Democrats own words:
Senator John Kerry: “No one is talking about running in
the face of a challenge. We’re talking about how to win, how to succeed, how do
you best achieve our goals? That’s the choice here. And what the president did
not do today again is acknowledge the fundamental reality of the insurgency.”
Senator Ken Salazar: “a step in the right
direction” that “begins to address the Senate’s call for a successful
exit strategy with measurable benchmarks.” He said, “I look forward
to hearing more, including information about the specific benchmarks we expect
to achieve, and when we expect to achieve them.”
And Bush even quoted Senator Joe Lieberman in his speech,
that setting an artificial timetable would “discourage our troops because
it seems to be heading for the door. It will encourage the terrorists, it will
confuse the Iraqi people.”
Yes Bush is having some trouble. Yes, there are clearly
divisions in Congress over how to
continue the war in Iraq.
But what is needed right now is not holding our breath for saviors, or
wishfully reinterpreting what the Democrats are saying. What is needed a
movement of millions of people taking independent political action to drive out
the Bush regime.
(also check out our recent post: ‘Will the Democrats stop
the war?’ [click here] )