Give this Ohio Man your attention

Iraq: the never-ending war that could have been averted

Five years ago – October 3, 2002 – the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, by large and vocal majorities, were championing and stampeding to approve George W. Bush’s "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq." In speech after speech, familiar names – Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd – parroted and rallied around the Bush Administration’s warnings of imminent threat, weapons of mass destruction, terrorist collaboration, and national security risk.

That day five years ago, one Congressman, un-swayed by the "intelligence" and unmoved by the growing clamor and pressure from his colleagues, took to the floor of the U.S. House to say – emphatically and without hesitation – "No."
NO credible evidence of weapons of mass destruction. NO connection to 9/11. NO imminent threat to nations in the region or to the United States. NO reason to go to war.

On that day, it took courage for Dennis Kucinich to stand before the Congress, the nation, and the world against a tidal wave of political support for an impending war he knew to be wrong. It took keen insight to see through the flaws of a policy destined to failure and ruination. And it took leadership to rally more than 120 of his House colleagues to join him in voting NO five days later.

Dennis was right when it counted

On this 5th Anniversary of that historic speech, the terrible and tortured history of the war in Iraq has proven that Dennis was right. And those who helped Bush launch his illegal and immoral war – Clinton, Edwards, Biden, Dodd – and those who, year after year, continued to fund that awful war, including Barack Obama, were dreadfully, totally, and inexcusably wrong. However they explain and defend themselves, however they try to rewrite history, they were wrong on the most important decision in their political careers.

Thousands of American lives have been lost because of that decision. Tens of thousands of brave, young men and women and their families have suffered. And hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis have lost their lives, their loved ones, their homes and property, and any hope for a peaceful future.

Five years ago, when this nation needed leadership and courage, Dennis Kucinich stepped forward while others fell lock-step in line with George Bush. Those same Senators, now seeking the highest office in the land, promise no end to the war that they authorized and have funded for the past five years. Dennis, who has voted consistently against funding the war, has pledged to withdraw all U.S. troops within three months.

Dennis was right when it counted. He has a plan to end the war. He has the courage to stand against all odds. And he is beholden to no one but the people of the United States of America. If those are the qualities you want in your next President, support the ONLY candidate who meets YOUR qualifications to be President of the United States of America: Dennis Kucinich.

Strength through Peace,
Kucinich for President

If everyone would just take the time to go to his website I think you would really agree with the way he talks.

Liberalis Femina

October 3, 2007

I love Kucinich. I took a test and his views and mine are 98% alike. That he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in Miami is distressing. I cannot make myself cotton to Hillary one bit. In fact, I think her popularity is manipulated by the GOP because they want to run against her. That will mean it will be more slime and less real content in the coming election as usual. Hillary is politics as usual… Rudi too. Sighhhhhhhhhh Ollie, where the heck have you been and how are you?

Willy & Wilma

It ain’t possible for bush’s pro-war stuff to win with me being nearly the only supporter of it left in the country.

Freewind

October 4, 2007

That is what saddens me, Ollie, that people like this man who want to end this war and believe in this country will never get elected. It doesn’t grease the money machine. He does have some awesome polices and I truly wish people could be elected like that but what hope is there in a country where a man can manipulate the biggest election in our country in his own favor…sigh. What kind of placeare we leaving our grandchildren??? Lovely to see you write again, dear friend!!!

Oswego

October 10, 2007

Ollie, Kucinich is indeed a brave man who stood up for his beliefs and convictions in opposing war in Iraq against all odds and the groundswell and madness of support for war five years ago. I have the utmost admiration for him. Unfortunately, he cannot win the nomination. It is a terrible conundrum because we desperately need wholesale change in Washington. Remember that if people had notvoted for Nader in Flordia, Gore would be presdient now. History would have followed a different course. Kucinich’s voice needs to be heard and I think he will shake the consciences of all who hear him. Take goog care, my friend.

Edelweis

Well dear Ollie, I’m glad that you posted this. The past years many people lost trust in what used to be our big example to learn from, the USA. Before the war in Iraq started I wrote more than one entry about the very complicated land and its mixed cultures and that it needed much more investigation to find out how democracy could be restored. Many diarists noted me and told me I didn’t understand what 9/11 had done to the US and that this was what Iraq deserved. I got “sick” of such comments. The past years we get to see the real immages of Iraq and what’s happening there. (not censored TV) I got notes in which they tell me Europe is “invased” by muslims, and that we should start to immigrate to the US or to Australia. But…the US is supporting Turkey, and is forcing the European Union to make them accept Turkey as a full member of the EU. That means, open borders etc… and that also means that more then 75 million people, muslims, will become Europeans. Turkey will become the largest country of the EU!! A muslim country. Believe me, I don not understand this, and there is so much more I don’t understand. I hate hypocrisy. Love to you, dear friend :o)

gray tabby

October 18, 2007

take care,

Thanks, Ollie, your condolence for the loss of my beloved son, Steve is appreciated. At 93, I was as much dependent on him as he was of me. You Open Diary friends are a greatly valued help to me.

KeepSmiling

November 2, 2007

We can wring our hands that Dennis Kucinich doesn’t have a chance, & that Hillary & Rudi wd. be politics as usual, but action is what we need: An amendment to the Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 1585) re federalism in Iraq is on the agenda. It states that it shd. be US policy to support a political settlement in Iraq based upon the principles of federalism in which power is decentralized

between regional governments, w/a limited central govt. responsible for protecting Iraq’s borders & oil distribution. The amendment makes it clear that this settlement shd. occur w/in the context of Iraq’s Constitution which allows for the creation of a federal system, & shd. be implemented by the Iraqis themselves.

I have always believed this war is wrong. Whoever gets in as your president next has some monumental decisions to face. Sending you much love Ollie