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A Movement to Make Obama Bring an End to War
Jun 16, 2009
In 2007, 82 Democratic members of Congress signed a pledge. They would never again vote to fund the war in Iraq without plans for troop withdrawal.
Republican critics accused them of demagoguing the war. Of using our soldiers as a political pawns, of not meaning what they said.
Those who signed that pledge need to cast their vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act on Tuesday and prove them wrong.
We may agree or disagree about what needs to be done in Iraq, but a promise is a promise. Anti-war activists have supported these members of Congress because of that 2007 pledge. They knocked on doors and distributed leaflets and donated to their campaigns. They and marched side by side with them as they sought to bring an end to the war that still lingers in Iraq and escalates in Afghanistan, as the new film Rethink Afghanistan documents.
When Barack Obama declared his presidential candidacy, he said "Start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future." But Obama's 2008 victory was only half the battle for those who want to bring an end the war.
Obama was once asked about how he planned to solve the Israeli/Palistinian conflict. He responded by telling a story about Franklin Roosevelt who, when asked if he could address the plight of African Americans, said:
You know, Mr. Randolph, I've heard everything you've said tonight, and I couldn't agree with you more. I agree with everything that you've said, including my capacity to be able to right many of these wrongs and to use my power and the bully pulpit....But I would ask one thing of you, Mr. Randolph, and that is go out and make me do it.
It's the president's job to make the best decisions he can and keep the country governable at the same time. When it comes to highly divisive issues like the war, he's got to consider many factors -- including the pressures that the military and the CIA bring to bear on the situation. It's the public's job to create the political space for him to move in. For those who supported his candidacy because we wanted to bring an end to the war, it means we have to answer his call to go out and "make him do it."
We're working with state blogs from across the country to sound the call to action:
| Square State (Colorado) Turn Maine Blue (Maine) Michigan Liberal (Michigan) Burnt Orange Report (Texas) Green Mountain Daily (Vermont) |
| Not Larry Sabato (Virginia) My Left Nutmeg (Connecticut) Blue Mass Group (Massachusetts) Calitics (California) The Albany Project (New York) Blog for Arizona (Arizona) |
There is a movement growing now to create the climate for change to occur. If progressives will stand together, we can have a real voice in working with President Obama to shape our nation's future.
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Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Jane Hamsher
Jane Hamsher is the founder of firedoglake.com. Her work has also appeared on The Daily Beat, Common Dreams, AlterNet, The Nation and The American Prospect.
Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald is a producer, director, political activist, and Brave New Films founder and president. His is currently focused on the ReThink Afghanistan (2009, RethinkAfghanistan.com) documentary and campaign which addresses the misguided U.S. policy in Afghanistan. He has also produced and distributed short viral videos and campaigns like Sick For Profit (SickForProfit.com), Fox Attacks videos (FoxAttacks.com) and The Real McCain (TheRealMcCain.com), which were seen by almost a million people in a matter of days.
In 2007, 82 Democratic members of Congress signed a pledge. They would never again vote to fund the war in Iraq without plans for troop withdrawal.
Republican critics accused them of demagoguing the war. Of using our soldiers as a political pawns, of not meaning what they said.
Those who signed that pledge need to cast their vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act on Tuesday and prove them wrong.
We may agree or disagree about what needs to be done in Iraq, but a promise is a promise. Anti-war activists have supported these members of Congress because of that 2007 pledge. They knocked on doors and distributed leaflets and donated to their campaigns. They and marched side by side with them as they sought to bring an end to the war that still lingers in Iraq and escalates in Afghanistan, as the new film Rethink Afghanistan documents.
When Barack Obama declared his presidential candidacy, he said "Start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future." But Obama's 2008 victory was only half the battle for those who want to bring an end the war.
Obama was once asked about how he planned to solve the Israeli/Palistinian conflict. He responded by telling a story about Franklin Roosevelt who, when asked if he could address the plight of African Americans, said:
You know, Mr. Randolph, I've heard everything you've said tonight, and I couldn't agree with you more. I agree with everything that you've said, including my capacity to be able to right many of these wrongs and to use my power and the bully pulpit....But I would ask one thing of you, Mr. Randolph, and that is go out and make me do it.
It's the president's job to make the best decisions he can and keep the country governable at the same time. When it comes to highly divisive issues like the war, he's got to consider many factors -- including the pressures that the military and the CIA bring to bear on the situation. It's the public's job to create the political space for him to move in. For those who supported his candidacy because we wanted to bring an end to the war, it means we have to answer his call to go out and "make him do it."
We're working with state blogs from across the country to sound the call to action:
| Square State (Colorado) Turn Maine Blue (Maine) Michigan Liberal (Michigan) Burnt Orange Report (Texas) Green Mountain Daily (Vermont) |
| Not Larry Sabato (Virginia) My Left Nutmeg (Connecticut) Blue Mass Group (Massachusetts) Calitics (California) The Albany Project (New York) Blog for Arizona (Arizona) |
There is a movement growing now to create the climate for change to occur. If progressives will stand together, we can have a real voice in working with President Obama to shape our nation's future.
Jane Hamsher
Jane Hamsher is the founder of firedoglake.com. Her work has also appeared on The Daily Beat, Common Dreams, AlterNet, The Nation and The American Prospect.
Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald is a producer, director, political activist, and Brave New Films founder and president. His is currently focused on the ReThink Afghanistan (2009, RethinkAfghanistan.com) documentary and campaign which addresses the misguided U.S. policy in Afghanistan. He has also produced and distributed short viral videos and campaigns like Sick For Profit (SickForProfit.com), Fox Attacks videos (FoxAttacks.com) and The Real McCain (TheRealMcCain.com), which were seen by almost a million people in a matter of days.
In 2007, 82 Democratic members of Congress signed a pledge. They would never again vote to fund the war in Iraq without plans for troop withdrawal.
Republican critics accused them of demagoguing the war. Of using our soldiers as a political pawns, of not meaning what they said.
Those who signed that pledge need to cast their vote against the Supplemental Appropriations Act on Tuesday and prove them wrong.
We may agree or disagree about what needs to be done in Iraq, but a promise is a promise. Anti-war activists have supported these members of Congress because of that 2007 pledge. They knocked on doors and distributed leaflets and donated to their campaigns. They and marched side by side with them as they sought to bring an end to the war that still lingers in Iraq and escalates in Afghanistan, as the new film Rethink Afghanistan documents.
When Barack Obama declared his presidential candidacy, he said "Start leaving we must. It's time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future." But Obama's 2008 victory was only half the battle for those who want to bring an end the war.
Obama was once asked about how he planned to solve the Israeli/Palistinian conflict. He responded by telling a story about Franklin Roosevelt who, when asked if he could address the plight of African Americans, said:
You know, Mr. Randolph, I've heard everything you've said tonight, and I couldn't agree with you more. I agree with everything that you've said, including my capacity to be able to right many of these wrongs and to use my power and the bully pulpit....But I would ask one thing of you, Mr. Randolph, and that is go out and make me do it.
It's the president's job to make the best decisions he can and keep the country governable at the same time. When it comes to highly divisive issues like the war, he's got to consider many factors -- including the pressures that the military and the CIA bring to bear on the situation. It's the public's job to create the political space for him to move in. For those who supported his candidacy because we wanted to bring an end to the war, it means we have to answer his call to go out and "make him do it."
We're working with state blogs from across the country to sound the call to action:
| Square State (Colorado) Turn Maine Blue (Maine) Michigan Liberal (Michigan) Burnt Orange Report (Texas) Green Mountain Daily (Vermont) |
| Not Larry Sabato (Virginia) My Left Nutmeg (Connecticut) Blue Mass Group (Massachusetts) Calitics (California) The Albany Project (New York) Blog for Arizona (Arizona) |
There is a movement growing now to create the climate for change to occur. If progressives will stand together, we can have a real voice in working with President Obama to shape our nation's future.
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