[Peace-discuss] Pro-war Dem vs. anti-war Rep in 15th IL CD

[C. G. Estabrook]

David Gill has announced that he will run for Congress again as a Democrat in 
the 15th district, against the Republican incumbent, Tim Johnson.

 From the News-Gazette, September 22, 2009:

   "U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, told a town hall meeting Monday night that 
he plans to sponsor legislation calling for the immediate withdrawal of American 
troops from Afghanistan ... Johnson said he is working with a bipartisan group, 
including Reps. Ron Paul, R-Texas, Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and Jerry Costello, 
D-Belleville, on the Afghanistan withdrawal legislation..."

The war in AfPak is part of the general US policy in the Middle East (what the 
US calls "Central Command").  That policy has been to insist for almost two 
generations now that the US control Mideast energy resources as a geopolitical 
advantage over our economic rivals, notably Europe and northeast Asia. (The US 
doesn't use much Mideast oil for domestic consumption.)

Gill, unfortunately, has embraced the mendacious Democratic party account that 
we're killing people in AfPak to "stop terrorism" -- when of course the real US 
policy in the region promotes terrorism, insofar as it's the resistance against 
US invasion and occupation of the Middle East.

 From the News-Gazette, September 22, 2009:

    "Gill said he would not support a total withdrawal of U.S. forces from 
Afghanistan but would favor keeping 10,000 to 20,000 special operations forces 
in the country 'with a very narrow mission to prevent any further expansion of 
al-Qaida.'"

--CGE