Cindy Sheehan

The peace movement needed a miracle and they got one in the form of Cindy Sheehan, the now famous mother of a fallen soldier. She wants answers to important questions about the reasons behind the war in Iraq, and an end to the senseless slaughter. Her message may seem radical to some, but compared to the atrocities she is trying to stop, she is right in the mainstream. A grass-roots movement is building, and as we head more and more into a Vietnam type situation, vast majorities may come to protest this war. President Bush says we can't have a timetable, but already high-ranking military officers have been quoted as saying we will begin withdrawing troops within the year. (Just enough to convince the public that all is well before the mid-term elections.)

Part of the problem is that the Bush administration has never planned on leaving Iraq completely. We have fourteen permanent bases set up for our military. This more than sends the wrong message; it creates conditions for endless conflict. A shift in direction is needed that this administration is incapable of, both philosophically and literally. Since Bush has announced that we will not leave Iraq under his watch, our only recourse is to introduce the Articles of Impeachment as set forth in the United States Constitution. A president has never been impeached in time of war, but it nearly happened during Vietnam, and an illegal invasion that threatens to destroy everything America has ever stood for is an unprecedented circumstance.

Until recently I went along with the gradual withdrawal many have proposed. But we're hearing now that the military is planning on being there at least four more years at a 100,000 troop level as a worst-case scenario. Even this seems wishful thinking. It's a simple fact that the longer we occupy Iraq, the more blood will be shed. This eliminates any humanitarian rationale that might be claimed. Since we are the (so-called) insurgents main target, we must evacuate before we can even know what we have in the way of an insurgency. Any "terrorism" is only increased by our continued presence. Has it occurred to anyone that supports the war that we are actually the invaders here? The Iraqis might be so happy to see us leave that they could settle their differences relatively amicably. Maybe that's too optimistic on my part, but it is their country, remember?

Cindy Sheehan is seeking the truth about this unfortunate war, and a way to end it as soon as possible. Those that accuse her of having a left-wing agenda have a right-wing agenda themselves. It's also very hard to admit or accept that our soldiers are dying for worse than a mistake, but a deliberate deception. This has been proven over and over again. The Downing Street memos, Joseph Wilson, Richard Clarke, Paul O'Neill, et al. It's clear that Iraq was on George Bush's agenda from the start, even before he ran for president. It's time to end the ruse. Vietnam required a complete pullout and it's just as necessary now. We might have to leave without "democracy" or "victory," but neither was ever a realistic goal in Iraq, nor ours to impose.

Some say the message should be toned down in order to reach people on the fence; Cindy responds that no one should still be sitting on the fence. That sounds a little too much like "You're either with us or against us," though I generally agree that people should be informed enough to take a stand on an issue of such importance. Unfortunately, since the mainstream press is playing along with Bush in failing to report the truth about what's going on, there really are people on the fence, through no fault of their own. She could try to be a little more diplomatic for their sake. It's refreshing, though, to finally hear someone saying what needs to be said.

Now she is taking her vigil to Washington, D.C., as Bush returns from his month-long vacation. It's going to be an eventful Fall, with a big demonstration in Washington that she will be part of. There are many other important issues besides the war before Congress and the Supreme Court that also need addressing, but we need to keep the focus on bringing the troops home. Excitement is in the air that a people's movement, combined with emerging scandals involving the Bush administration, could finally expose to the nation the full extent of the damage perpetuated in our name. Considering how long we've waited, I don't think anyone is holding their collective breaths until a true reckoning occurs.

Sources:

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0820-30.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0821-20.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0821-02.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0818-23.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0813-26.htm

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0829-22.htm

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/9f81fef2-14de-11da-9df1-00000e2511c8.html

http://homepage.mac.com/godofkarma/swimmerfilms/iMovieTheater75.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9022420/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9032036/