Senator Kerry must be feeling a sense of deja vu this week, as the Senate once again debates whether to say "Enough!" to the Bush Administration's open-ended escalation of US military involvement in Iraq. In a powerful speech on the Senate floor yesterday, Senator Kerry reminded us of the consequences of current US policy and once again made his case for a profound change of course.
In this first of five clips, Senator Kerry points out that the Administration's fixation on Iraq has given Al Qaeda the opportunity to regroup, find safe harbor in Pakistan, and establish itself as stronger than ever -- and that our presence in Iraq is Al Qaeda's best fundraising and recruitment tool. He asks do we want to continue playing into Al Qaeda's hands with our broken Iraq policy, or do we want a strategy that will improve security for Iraq and for the US?
Many Republicans have complained this week that there's no need to debate Iraq policy now; they prefer to wait for the Bush Administration's report in September. Senator Kerry points out the irresponsibility of continuing to let people die when the writing is already on the wall.
In 1971, John Kerry asked his famous question "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" He never thought he would have to ask the same question again, or that the US government would seem to have learned so little in the meantime. The time has come to change our policy on a war "that is being prosecuted not for a winning strategy, but for a refusal to accept reality."
Senators who don't understand the urgency of changing US policy in Iraq would be well advised to visit Arlington cemetery, where they might learn something about what the current policy is doing. One year ago, when the Kerry-Feingold Amendment came to a vote, too many senators said, "I'm not ready." Since then, over 1,000 US soldiers have died. Senator Kerry asks, "What about now? Are you ready now? Or will it take another thousand?"
For those senators who don't believe it's necessary to set deadlines in order to get action from the Iraqi government -- or who refuse to grasp the difference between pressuring the Iraqi politicians and calling for precipitous withdrawal -- Senator Kerry spells out the effects of the Levin-Reed-Kerry Amendment and gives a recap of the many ways that Iraqi politicians have chosen to stall rather than work together.
There must be times when John Kerry would've preferred to be wrong. Let's review what he's done to "get the policy right" for over three years:
Back in 2004, he issued clear warnings about what the US "strategy" in Iraq would lead to without a change in course. In speeches and op-eds, he ticked off a list of specific steps that President Bush needed to take to keep the situation from spiraling into utter chaos. Of course the Administration didn't step up to the challenge, and things went from bad to worse, as predicted.
All through 2005, Senator Kerry called for benchmarks of political progress in Iraq and a plan to start withdrawing American troops. Again and again he said that stability in Iraq could not be created by the US military alone but must come from the formation of a functioning Iraqi government.
In April 2006, Senator Kerry declared that it was time for the US to say "Enough!" He introduced binding legislation to set deadlines for US troop withdrawal -- working from the concept that taking away the security blanket of American military presence would pressure the Iraqi leaders to make the tough decisions and work together. That would occur simultaneously with a serious, sustained diplomatic effort led by the US, engaging the rival Iraqi factions and the interested powers in the Middle East -- finally doing the "diplomatic heavy lifting" that the Bush Administration should have been doing all along.
The Kerry Amendment was defeated 13-86, but it was a step forward in the debate over US policy in Iraq. Almost a year later, in April 2007, legislation echoing Kerry's original proposal passed the Senate with 51 votes -- only to be vetoed by President Bush.
This heartfelt speech of the deepest possible support for the troops is directed at the Congress and at the President, but most of all, Senator Kerry is making this speech to all of us. If you get his message, please call your senators, get the word out, urge others to come and watch these clips -- get the grassroots out there. Together, we can help JK and the Congress save these young lives. We can do this right and do it *now*.
[Editor's note: this post will be updated with a link to the complete speech when it becomes available.]
UPDATE 1: Transcript
Comments (5)
Posted by wisteria | July 13, 2007 12:59 PM
Thank you the video and post. It is even better the second time around.
Posted by Diane | July 13, 2007 1:25 PM
Thank you so much, and I look forward to watching the whole speech.
I just have one question: were any of those republicans listening?
Posted by ProSense | July 13, 2007 1:32 PM
This was one of Senator Kerry's best speech on the subject. I hope those who are still stalling for time heard every word.
Posted by Kerryvisionary | July 13, 2007 3:53 PM
Gorgeous post, wonderful highlights. Although I'll be happy when the whole speech is available, I really appreciate the careful selection and smooth editing that went into these clips.
And your timeline is one of the clearest I've seen.
The emotion in this speech moved me so much. It's so obvious that he is absolutely genuine in his concern for these young lives in harm's way.
Posted by fedup | July 13, 2007 10:26 PM
When will those (both Republicans and and some Democrats) quit pandering and make real choices. When I think of everything JK has said and offered as REAL solutions since 2003, I am amazed how many of those in office have stood stubbornly and let this horrendous mistake grow even worse.
1,000 soldiers dead since the K/F legislation was brought forth last summer, those ( including those running for president)that joined the other side in voting NO, should hang their heads in shame.
This is an excelleent post in showing how a real leader never wavers and always has our backs and more importantly the backs of our troops.