[Peace-discuss] Dissolute Dems

[C. G. Estabrook]

[Catching up after vacation I find the final dissolution of the Kucinich
movement within the Democratic party taking place in the (admittedly
largely irrelevant) platform discussions.  From the following it's clear
that the Kerry campaign got what it wanted, e.g.,

	--no renunciation of the policy of pre-emptive war
	--no rejection of the aggressive war against Iraq
	--no condemnation of the US prisons around the world
	--"support for Israel" more vigorous than the Bush administration
 	--no willingness to change the polices (Palestinian oppression,
suppression of democracy in the Gulf, the rape of Iraq) that produce
sympathy for "terrorism"
	--willingness to see terrorism (under the US definition) as
requiring a "war" and not as a international police matter
	--willingness to have the war on terrorism play the role of the
late, lamented crusade against communism.

"...what has always been John Kerry's position" -- viz., "we shouldn't be
in Iraq longer than we have to be, but we have to ensure that when we
leave Iraq, we do it in a way that doesn't leave chaos and catastrophe in
our wake" -- could have been said by the Nazis about Poland.  --CGE]


<http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4297365,00.html>

	Democrats Avoid Platform Fight Over Iraq
	Saturday July 10, 2004 11:31 PM
	By KEN THOMAS
	Associated Press Writer

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - John Kerry's presidential campaign avoided a
platform fight Saturday by persuading activists to drop virulent language
about the Iraq war that would have declared the conflict a mistake from
the beginning.

The Democratic platform committee worked through the day at a beachfront
resort to put final details on the party's statement of principles for the
November elections.

The platform will be shaped heavily by national security crises and
presumptive nominee Kerry's campaign.

First, however, the committee had to avoid demands by a group of activists
that the document describe the entry into Iraq as a mistake and lay down
an exit strategy to get American forces out of Iraq. Still, the document
includes tough language on terrorism and President Bush's handling of the
war in Iraq.

It will be presented to the Democratic National Convention in Boston for
its imprimatur at the end of this month.

``Democrats are stronger than ever on national security issues and are
going into the election confident of winning the debate on who can keep
America safe,'' Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe
said.

The committee adopted language brokered by the Kerry campaign saying that
as other nations add troops, ``The U.S. will be able to reduce its
military presence in Iraq, and we intend to do this when appropriate so
that the military support needed by a sovereign Iraqi government will no
longer be seen as the direct continuation of an American military
presence.''

Supporters of presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, still campaigning
despite Kerry's evident victory, said the language was not what they had
wanted but called it a victory. They agreed to withdraw amendments to the
platform on Iraq in exchange for the new language.

``What we got was a commitment to begin the process to talk about bringing
the troops home, and the Kerry campaign and the DNC from the outset didn't
want this language in there,'' Kucinich deputy campaign manager Tim
Carpenter said.

``We've moved. They've moved. It's truly unity in that sense,'' Carpenter
said.

Kerry advisers said the platform reflected the Massachusetts senator's
long-standing position on Iraq. Kerry has said he would repair America's
international alliances and build a genuine multinational coalition to
secure Iraq.

``We think we've come to an agreement with the Kucinich people on a way
ahead that we think represents what has always been John Kerry's
position,'' Kerry adviser Rand Beers said. That, Beers said, ``is we
shouldn't be in Iraq longer than we have to be, but we have to ensure that
when we leave Iraq, we do it in a way that doesn't leave chaos and
catastrophe in our wake.''

``I think that reflects a general view on the part of Democrats, no matter
who they supported early on, that it's important that John Kerry be
elected,'' said former President Clinton's national security adviser,
Sandy Berger.

Kucinich later thanked supporters by phone, declaring: ``We pushed them on
this issue. They needed to be pushed on this issue.''

Republican National Committee spokesman David James called the platform an
``extreme makeover'' of the Kerry ticket by the DNC.

``The makeover is designed to hide the fact their platform does not
mention opposition to funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq,
which is how both ... Kerry and Edwards voted as part of a tiny, liberal
minority in the United States Senate,'' James said.

The document contends Bush ``rushed to war'' in Iraq but does not call the
war a mistake. That, it says, is arguable. It also does not rule out
pre-emptive military action, if necessary.

``Platforms are about the future, and it is very clear that America must
succeed in Iraq. It's got to stay there until the job's done,'' said Iowa
Gov. Tom Vilsack, the platform committee's co-chairman.

About a dozen activists greeted committee members outside the ballroom
with signs reading: ``Support Our Troops. Bring Them Home. Peace is
Patriotic.''

National security clauses comprise half the platform. McAuliffe said about
20 percent of previous platforms dealt with security. DNC officials said
about 200 amendments were filed for consideration at the final drafting
conference, including those from the Kucinich activists.

The Democratic document offers few departures from party principles on
social and economic issues and bears a strong resemblance to Kerry's
campaign agenda.

It supports abortion rights, gay rights short of marriage and affirmative
action, and it echoes Kerry's support of expanded health care, a
modernized military, energy independence and middle-class tax cuts.

Committee members removed a reference to 1996 GOP presidential nominee Bob
Dole in the text but included a mention of former first lady Nancy
Reagan's support of embryonic stem cell research, which Democrats also
approve. The Bush administration has restricted the research.

The gathering was in Florida, where Bush narrowly defeated Al Gore in 2000
after a spate of legal challenges, a 36-day recount and a ruling by the
U.S. Supreme Court.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois said the meeting's location was ``in
the middle of a crime scene. If I had a big yellow ribbon, I would tie it
around this entire state.''

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