Kucinich: Developing Peacemaking Skills

[goodhue]

http://www.kucinich.us/floor_speeches/iq_peace_skills4may.php

Developing Peacemaking Skills

Dennis Kucinich speaking from the Floor of the House

Link to this entry in the Congressional Record
http://www.kucinich.us/floor_speeches/iq_peace_skills4may.php

May 4, 2005

"Mr. Speaker, has Congress gotten used to the idea of the U.S. being in a war, an occupation in Iraq?

"Congress endorsed the President's actions over and over again, even though those actions were based on misinformation and falsehoods. It has appropriated over $270 billion for the war. It has provided money to build new bases in Iraq. It has not held a single investigative hearing that has made one bit of difference in the administration's conduct of the war.

"But if the war cannot be justified, then neither can the occupation. Some are now content to say well, we are there, we have to stay there.

"Mr. Speaker, it was wrong to go in and it is wrong to stay in. We attacked a nation that did not attack us. We waged war against a people who did not want war with us. We have killed people who have more quarrel with us. We are occupying a nation that does not want us there.

"This Congress has the power to end the war. We should work together to set a day for withdrawal and a cutoff of funds. We acted decisively to get into war, we should act decisively to get out. In doing so, we must begin to develop peacemaking skills superior to our war-making skills, or our world will not survive."

[MuseRider]

1. Nice.

I really like this part...
"This Congress has the power to end the war. We should work together to set a day for withdrawal and a cutoff of funds. We acted decisively to get into war, we should act decisively to get out. In doing so, we must begin to develop peacemaking skills superior to our war-making skills, or our world will not survive."

Thanks for posting this.

[meganmonkey]

2. Good words

from a great man.

:patriot:

[JDPriestly]

3. I wonder if we would get support

from our allies if we agreed to leave Iraq altogether in exchange for the allies' taking charge and establishing order and peace. That might be the best way out for everyone. We can't leave the Iraqis to face their civil war by themselves, but, our presence set off the civil war and may also be perpetuating it. That may be not just the best solution but the only way to achieve peace in the country.

[goodhue]

4. good idea

We need a plan.

Here is a 4-point plan:

1. Publicly commit to leaving all of Iraq's resources in the possession of the Iraqi people, as required by the Geneva and Hague Conventions;

2. Convene a meeting of Iraq's leadership, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, and the Arab League to create an international peacekeeping force in Iraq and to replace United States Armed Forces in Iraq with Iraqi police and Iraqi National Guard forces to ensure Iraq's security;

3. Withdraw all U.S. Armed Forces from Iraq after the requirements of #2 are met;

4. Contribute financially to the international peacekeeping mission and reconstruction.

http://www.pdamerica.org/petition/iraq-exit-petition.php

[JDPriestly]

8. You've articulated it well!

[goodhue]

10. 4-point plan

is from PDA . . .
http://www.pdamerica.org/

[Sparkly]

12. #2 is the problem.

BushCo can't or won't work with Iraq's neighbors and the UN, and vice-versa. Meanwhile, the US is struggling to set up an Iraqi force. That door closed when the Chimp got four more years. It'd be a different situation with a President Kerry, but right now we can't get that level of support or involvement.

[Rainbowreflect]

5. Thank you Dennis!

[Desertrose]

6. I would love to know why such strong reactions to DK's statements....

when they make absolute sense.

How interesting all the "stuff" recently dredged up from the primaries.

I am just grateful that Kucinich speaks the truth ALL the time.

I thought the Dems were the opposition party...so why the big deal in opposing bushboy's agenda?

I mean...DUH?!

[GreenArrow]

13. Dennis

sees human problems and posits human solutions.

Others ("pragmatists")see political problems and posit political solutions.

[Desertrose]

16. sorry - disagree

I don't feel DK's solution are only human & not political....

I don't see anything particularly pragmatic about staying in Iraq....I see it as shortsighted.

[GreenArrow]

18. I think you miss my point

Human needs have primacy over political ones. Politics is largely bullshit, IMO; often fascinating to observe, but bullshit nevertheless. Human solutions are of a much higher level than mere political ones. Dennis, while by no means perfect (he can play politics too, -- his nauseating tete a tete with John Edwards in the primaries, for example) is w-a-y ahead of the game on Iraq and many other issues.

There is nothing "pragmatic" about staying in Iraq; it is a human tragedy of the first order. It is and was a criminal endeavour. If our "leaders" felt that it was politically expedient to get out of Iraq now, they would find a way to do it. They haven't gotten to that point yet. Few have been willing to take resposibility. There is much cowardice and venality in the political ranks. Too many see not the human costs of the invasion/occupation, but only political ones.

[Desertrose]

20. when you put it that way, I concur

Dennis is way ahead as far as realizing that human needs SHOULD have primacy over political ones....

Guess it was too late & I was expecting trouble as it often happens here these days. LOL

Thanks for clarifying Green Arrow...shoulda figured by your handle, huh??

[GreenArrow]

21. that handle has caused me a lot of headaches on here!

}(

[Desertrose]

22. I think its rather intriguing....

:evilgrin:

especially if one has a good imagination......

[Radical Activist]

7. That is what an anti-war position sounds like.

For those who don't seem to know the difference anymore. Great statement.

[gratuitous]

9. Hear, hear!

And well said.

[GreenArrow]

11. peacemaking skills are useful

only so far as peace is valued. I don't think we're there yet.

[eridani]

14. Kick for the Democratic wing of the Democratic party n/t

[sarahlee]

15. Thanks

For posting that!

[CWebster]

17. He is absolutely correct

but if you study the threads, the sad irony is, in one thread everyone will be expressing their outrage about the ongoing war-occupation and the continuing circumstances around it, yet in the next thread, they will be listing excuses and apologizing for the party leaders' incompetence--if not downright complicity. The inability to think critically and connect the dots, results in compartmentalization which renders any effective argument useless.

[goodhue]

19. kick

[Larkspur]

23. Didn't Bush neuter the Executive Peace committee?

I don't think the Republicans care what Dennis says and while I support promoting "peacemaking" skills and oppose preventive and pre-emptive wars for imperial gain, we still need the military for our defense.

Peacemaking skills need to be taught at an early age to every single human being in the world. Congress doesn't have authority beyond our borders, so peacemaking skills will be limited in scope. I agree that our soldiers should learn peacemaking skills in conjuction with their military training, but because we still live in a dangerous world, peacemaking skills alone will not work everywhere.

[redqueen]

24. Did he say to do away with the military?

Did he say to train them only in peacemaking skills?

[goodhue]

25. afternoon kick

[redqueen]

26. It would be nice if someone would listen to reason.

I suppose, as with Vietnam, it will take a lot more before people decide to start waking up.

[goodhue]

27. Monday kick

[goodhue]

28. again

[goodhue]

29. Tuesday kick

[goodhue]

30. Wed kick

[redqueen]

31. Iraqi police vent anger at US after car bombings

Last Update: Tuesday, May 10, 2005. 10:27pm (AEST)

Iraqi police vent anger at US after car bombings

Iraqi police hurled insults at US soldiers after two suicide car bomb blasts in Baghdad killed at least seven people and left 19 wounded, including policemen.

"It's all because you're here," a policeman shouted in Arabic at a group of US soldiers after the latest in a bloody wave of attacks that have rocked Baghdad this month.

"Get out of our country and there will be no more explosions," he told the uncomprehending Americans staring at the smouldering wreck of a car bomb.

[bobthedrummer]

32. "Mr. Speaker, it was wrong to go in and it is wrong to stay in."

Dennis also called George W. Bush a liar during the debates last year.
We need a Department of Peace, he's right about that.

[goodhue]

33. kick