Sen. Byrd Wants to End the Occupation, Ask Him to Filibuster the Funding

[davidswanson]

Below is what Senator Robert Byrd (D., West Virginia) has to say about ending the occupation. Please call him at 202-224-3954 and ask him to show he is serious by announcing his intention to filibuster the funding.


From Huffington Post:


Last week marked the fifth anniversary of the start of our nation's invasion of Iraq. Again we are confronted with a sorrowful reminder of the consequences of that fateful decision by the death of four Americans killed in Baghdad, bringing the total number of American troops who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq to 4000. Each brave soul leaves behind devastated loved ones -- sons, daughters, wives, husbands, moms, and dads. Each tragic loss leaves a void -- a missing smile and loving embrace, an empty chair at the family dinner table -- that can never be filled.

As we mark this painful milestone, we must ask ourselves: what is the moral justification for allowing this war to continue? Can we honestly say that the disastrous mission in Iraq warrants the sacrifice of more of our troops and the heartache and loss that so many loved ones continue to suffer?

In March of 2003, just prior to the invasion of Iraq, I made a final plea to the administration and my colleagues in Congress to avert a war that I believed would reap sorrowful consequences for our nation. In a speech entitled "We Stand Passively Mute", I expressed my outrage at the fact that the United States Senate -- the world's greatest deliberative body -- stood "for the most part-silent-ominously, dreadfully silent" on this monumental question.

Sadly, my worst fears have been realized. The decision to invade Iraq may go down as one of the gravest foreign policy blunders in our nation's history.

Yet the war continues. American troop levels are higher than they were the day President Bush flamboyantly swooped onto the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln to declare "Mission Accomplished."

Four thousand Americans have now lost their lives, including twenty-three brave West Virginians. Almost thirty-thousand Americans have been wounded in action, many gravely, and countless thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed.

It is long past time to start bringing our troops home. Our men and women in uniform toppled the dictator. There were no weapons of mass destruction. There is scarce evidence that the Iraqi government is working to achieve the kind of political reconciliation that could end the continuing sacrifice of our brave men and women.

At this somber moment, let us resolve to take steps to finally bring this tragic war to an end. In 2008, the American people must not stand passively mute, as far too many of their leaders did five years ago. Let your voices be heard.

[DemocratInSoCal]

1. Democrats Don't Filibuster!!

It would make the republics mad.

[BrooklynBased]

2. BrooklynBased

The short view is the war should have ended years ago and now is not soon enough.

The mid-length view is the war should end with all due responsible haste.

The long-term view is that our losing will embolden generations of problems on our shores - if not by terrorists then by the erosion of the American Way.

The first two are easy, the long view is hard, but Sen Byrd can help. If Sen Byrd, or any other spine-laden Democratic Senator filibustered the war funding then the war would end on W's watch. If it ends on W's watch then Dems will be blamed less than if they ended it on their watch. If GWDC declares victory and sets up a donor/peace conference then we can legitimately claim the victory and come home.

As it stands now, BO will end the war, it will likely go very badly, or at least likely leave a dangerous situation that will dwarf the foul taste left in the mouths of "R" Loyalists. Nonetheless, stopping the war now will be best, in the long term, for a few reasons. First, GBDC know where the weak links lie and they can fix, yes fix them before they leave. BO will then be left to do what he seems well-suited to do, heal us at home and abroad while keeping the conference moving forward.

But what of the irresponsible haste of the mid-length view? Well, perhaps they are correct who say the Iraqis want us out and will clear the road for us to leave. Perhaps we will end the occupation with moderate speed and as we leave and during the years thereafter the centuries awaited civil war will erupt and scores will be settled until the dust settles. Perhaps a regional donor/peace conference will be put together in order to rev-up the new government by letting the oil flow. Or perhaps those who have consistently been wrong will be right and we will experience a mass American death toll, which is really the only reason we are not out already. If this last scenario is the one that will play out, I suggest it will play out whenever we leave. Our current escalated (surge) troop levels give us the best chance to minimize this scenario, so on all accounts, now is the time to go.

Soon is not soon enough for the troops, for the region, for our country, for our party, for our economy and for the healing measures necessary to ease the bad results that will surely stem from this ill-fated war. Get us out SEn. Byrd, get us out Dems and do it while the fixins are signed by POTUS and not Carlyle.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. Byrd just got out of hospital, is 90 years old and using a walker (with help)

And you want him to fillibuster?

Byrd out of hospital and back to work

Thursday March 13, 2008

- The Associated PressSen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. walks to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington today. Byrd, the longest-serving senator in history, returned to the chamber today for an all-day series of votes on the federal budget. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)1 / 1Buy This PhotoWASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving senator in history, returned to the chamber today for an all-day series of votes on the federal budget.

His appearance surprised many of his colleagues given his series of hospital stays after a fall at his Virginia home last month.

....more at the link

Sen. Robert Byrd, 90, Hospitalized After Reaction to Medication

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Sen. Robert C. Byrd, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, is back in a hospital for tests after a reaction to antibiotics.

Spokesman Jesse Jacobs says doctors want to run tests to determine which medicine is best to treat Byrd for his reaction to drugs taken for a urinary tract infection.

Byrd's office is not saying which hospital the 90-year-old Democrat is in. His stay is expected to be brief.

Byrd was hospitalized last week at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington after a fall at home. He was released Monday.

As president pro tempore, Byrd is third in line to the presidency. He also leads the Appropriations Committee.

link

U.S. Sen. Byrd in hospital after suffering a fall

Tue Feb 26, 2008

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Robert Byrd, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate and a fierce opponent of the Iraq war, was being treated in a hospital on Tuesday after falling in his home late on Monday, a spokesman for the senator said.

link

[davidswanson]

4. It requires fewer words

than he just used to say nothing.

It makes him an international hero in a way and at a time that I think suits him perfectly.

Do not go gently into that good Germanism, Senator!

[davidswanson]

5. In Case It's Not Clear

Filibustering no longer requires Jimmy Stewart antics. It requires what Dodd did on telecom immunity, announcing "I'm a gonna filibuster" and then trying to get 40 more senators to say the same. Get to 41 you win. Fall short and you just end your career a hero.