CONGRESS CAN ONLY STOP THE IRAQ OCCUPATION BY CUTTING OFF THE FUNDS

In the 1968 presidential campaign Richard Nixon promised
to end the war in Vietnam, but would not tell anyone exactly he would do
it. In as many words this came to be known as his "secret plan."
Yet, after his election the war still dragged on for another five years
with 20,000 more American deaths and 100,000 wounded.

Now along comes the Iraq Study Group supposedly with
a plan for extricating ourselves from the strategic disaster in Iraq, if
not the moral one. And let us be not deceived, their proposals will make
no meaningful difference whatsoever in really bringing the troops home.
John Murtha, who so far has only spoken out for redeployment (something
short of immediate withdrawal), has said he believes they represent no
actual change of policy. They are just kicking the can of casualties down
the road and trying to fool us into thinking they might in fact leave.

The policy is, always was, and in the minds of the Bush
cabal will always will be, to occupy Iraq indefinitely while we install
14 permanent military bases, where they have absolutely no business of
the Iraqi people to be there. And until they are absolutely forced to
do otherwise that is where they will stay, which is what is precisely meant
by Bush’s recent rejection of any kind of "graceful exit."

Dennis Kucinich is calling for an end to funding for
the war and occupation now. Ultimately, that’s the only reason the war
in Vietnam ended at all. Congress stopped paying for it. That’s what
must happen now.

The Iraqi people want us out now and their patience is
at an end. It matters not that demagogues in other countries are calling
for the same thing. It is our misfortune that we have made it so easy
for them to exploit our strategic idiocy. But it is NOT an excuse to prolong
the inevitable. This may be our last chance to use withdrawal of our unwelcome
troops as some kind of bargaining chip. In perhaps another six months
we WILL be forced to leave, and not by naysayers of some kind at home as
the right wingers have accused, but by the Iraqi people themselves.

In the meantime, Bush, pathologically obstinate to the
ignorant last, will continue to say we will win if we just keep fighting.
Fighting who? They still haven’t got a clue as to whom they are really
fighting. That’s the plan whether they will admit it or not. And no report
the Iraq study group is likely to produce will have any impact worth writing
home about. It’s up to us to demand an immediate withdrawal of all American
forces from Iraq, INCLUDING their support staffs, lest that be the excuse
to keep any combat troops in place. Only cutting off the money will force
their hand.

Not next year. Not in six months. Now. NOW now. We
demand it.

http://www.rense.com/general74/plan.htm