[Peace] [Peace-discuss] PDA Press Release on HJ Res 30

[C. G. Estabrook]

Debra:

Saying it's "the *least military-oriented* of resolutions being proposed in answer to the AUMF" reminds of the Monty Python skit, "Well, it doesn't have *much* spam in it..." (For younger readers, <www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE>.)

Why not demand that US military and "special forces" (killing and kidnapping around the world) be brought home? Even Ron Paul managed to say that in the last election. Instead, you lend "critical support" to Obama, who's killed thousands with drones - including hundreds of children - and continues to do so.  Whatever your intention, the effect is the co-option of opposition to Obama's killing. He's good at both. 

I’m sure you’ve noticed that the resolution you’re promoting provides for 
(a) “...military equipment [to be] provided by the United States to partner elements in Syria...”;
(b) “...United States-led air strikes against ISIL...”; and 
(c) “...[the continuation of] Operation Inherent Resolve [the military intervention against ISIL, including both the campaign in Iraq and the campaign in Syria].”

Furthermore, “Nothing in this joint resolution ... shall be construed as limiting or prohibiting any authority of the President to respond to, or to prevent imminent attacks, on the United States’ ... embassies, its consulates, or its Armed Forces abroad...” - and the US has a substantial number of embassies, consulates, and Armed Forces in the region. Could any US military action in the region be seen as NOT responding to such attacks?

The resolution is at best a bit of political legerdemain that may have the effect of misleading and shunting off opposition to our vicious generation-long war in the Mideast. PDA, if it’s true to its principles, should not be associated with it. 

Regards, Carl


On Feb 12, 2015, at 12:35 PM, Debra Schrishuhn via Peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

> Carl:
> 
> No one is trying to co-opt anything here. HJ Res 30 proposes diplomacy
> and political solutions over military forays in the Mideast. It is not
> perfect by a long shot, but it is the least military-oriented of
> resolutions being proposed in answer to the AUMF. I understand that it
> is not up to your standards of pacifism. Nevertheless, it may help
> provoke a real discussion of the range of options available. Not to
> worry--it does not have a chance to pass this hawkish Congress.
> 
> Debra
> 
> On 2/12/15, C. G. Estabrook <carl at newsfromneptune.com> wrote:
>> ANOTHER CO-OPTION OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT?
>> 
>> Ms. Schrishuhn:
>> 
>> The Obama administration continues to murder people throughout the Mideast
>> in pursuit of their economic goals, the profits of the 1%.
>> 
>> What does PDA propose as an alternative?  A “comprehensive solution” as set
>> out in H.J.RES. 30?
>> 
>> "... a robust regionally-led, political, economic and diplomatic strategy”?
>> 
>> 
>> What does that mean? Let local armies do the killing and dying on the ground
>> while the US continues to kill from the air with planes and drones?
>> 
>> It's true fewer Americans die that way, and we kill Middle-easterners who we
>> think might one day want to do us harm (along with their families and
>> children), instead of holding them in our wretched prisons until they become
>> an international embarrassment.
>> 
>> But H.J.RES. 30 is little more than an authorization for the mass murder the
>> Obama administration is currently carrying out in the Mideast.
>> 
>> Why not instead bring US troops (and mercenaries) home, close American bases
>> in the region, and follow international law by submitting problems like ISIL
>> to the Security Council, as the UN Charter demands?
>> 
>> President Putin said in Cairo this week, "Regrettably, we must note that the
>> actions being undertaken today by the members of the anti-terror coalition,
>> their strategy and tactics are disproportionate to the scale and nature of
>> the existing threat. Airstrikes alone are not enough to deal with it. What
>> is more, such actions lack legitimacy since they were not directly
>> sanctioned by the UN Security Council and in certain cases are taken without
>> the consent of states whose territories are being targeted.”
>> 
>> The problem, of course, is that the policy of obeying international law
>> would no longer allow the US military to control the flow of energy
>> resources from the Mideast - which gives the US government an unparalleled
>> advantage over its economic rivals in Europe and Asia.
>> 
>> Under these circumstances, the only comprehensive strategy worth supporting
>> is a US withdrawal and a submission of the matter to the UNSC.
>> 
>> Regards, C. G. Estabrook
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 11, 2015, at 5:36 PM, Debra Schrishuhn via Peace
>> <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Local PDA members will be delivering letters next week to the
>>> Springfield offices of Sens Durbin and Kirk; to the Champaign and
>>> Decatur offices of Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13); to the Danville office
>>> of Rep. John Shimkus (IL-15). I will post the full text of our letters
>>> tomorrow. Anyone wishing to sign on to them should contact me at
>>> deb.pdamerica at gmail.com
>>> 
>>> Deb
>>> 
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: Conor Boylan <conor at pdamerica.org>
>>> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2015 13:23:28 -0600
>>> Subject: PDA Press Release on HJ Res 30
>>> To:
>>> 
>>> Progressive Democrats of America
>>> 
>>> Progressive Democrats Support New Legislation For Comprehensive Strategy
>>> Against ISIL
>>> *Progressive Democrats of America announces support for Congresswoman
>>> Lee's
>>> and congressman Honda's new legislation to establish a comprehensive
>>> strategy against ISIL and to stop a new American ground war in the Middle
>>> East*
>>> 
>>> *Feb. 11, 2015 - WASHINGTON -- *Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is
>>> endorsing the “Comprehensive Solution to ISIL Resolution” (H.J.RES. 30),
>>> introduced on February 10th of 2015 by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13).
>>> PDA supporters will deliver 100s of letters to Congressional offices,
>>> urging Representatives to vote for this resolution, and other progressive
>>> priorities next week.
>>> 
>>> Progressive Democrats of America National Director Conor Boylan said,
>>> "The
>>> United States has had large-scale military involvement in Iraq and
>>> Afghanistan for over a decade. What is the result of all of this effort?
>>> The spreading of terrorism, the death of thousands of Americans, the
>>> death
>>> of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Afghanis, and others throughout the
>>> region; while leaving the Middle East unstable with millions of people in
>>> refugee camps, loss of trillions of dollars to the U.S. economy, no
>>> significant lasting contribution to civil society in this region and the
>>> potential for an endless cycle of war that could spread to other
>>> nations."
>>> 
>>> Boylan added, "The time has come for a comprehensive strategy to stop the
>>> endless war in the Middle East. PDA strongly opposes sacrificing more
>>> blood
>>> of men and women of the United States Armed Forces through a new war in
>>> the
>>> Middle East. We cannot continue to request life sacrifices of military
>>> personnel, aid workers, journalists, and others over battles that
>>> American
>>> ground troops should not have to fight, over resources that are not ours
>>> to
>>> control, and over disagreements that could be handled using diplomacy,
>>> economics, and politics, rather than bullets and bombs."
>>> 
>>> PDA Advisory Board Member Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) said, “I am
>>> troubled by the Administration’s request, which I believe is far too
>>> open-ended and does little to constrain this or the next Administration
>>> from engaging in sustained combat.  We should be doing much more to
>>> promote
>>> a legitimate and lasting political solution in the region.”
>>> 
>>> PDA Advisory Board Member Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) said, “[W]e
>>> must be comprehensive in our strategy. National security experts have
>>> clearly stated that there is no military solution to ISIL. In order to
>>> ultimately degrade and dismantle ISIL, we must craft a robust
>>> regionally-led, political, economic and diplomatic strategy.”
>>> 
>>> PDA invites all Americans to join the PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS OF AMERICA in
>>> calling for real and lasting solutions to this conflict and to OPPOSE A
>>> NEW
>>> AMERICAN GROUND WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST. PDA asks all Americans to contact
>>> their member of Congress and ask them to cosponsor and vote for H.J. RES.
>>> 30.
>>> 
>>> For more information please see: www.pdamerica.org and visit the Educate
>>> Congress page, or contact PDA directly at info at pdamerica.org
>>> 
>>> *Media Contact*
>>> Conor Boylan, Progressive Democrats of America
>>> 206-965-0802
>>> conor at pdamerica.org <http://www.prlog.org/email-contact.html#12424459>
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Conor Boylan
>>> 
>>> National Co-Director
>>> *•* Progressive Democrats of America *•*PDAmerica.org *•
>>> *PDAcommunity.org
>>> Hey you! Yes, YOU! Have you signed? -->http://bit.ly/RunBernieRun
>>>