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Tag(s): 2008 Presidential Debates; Change; Democratic; Impeachment; Media; Policy; Power; Reform; Security; Speeches; (more...) Truth (less...)
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January 6, 2008 at 09:28:18

Change by the Ounces or Change by the Gallons?

by Kevin Gosztola Page 2 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Obama – Any number of those questions for Hillary would do for him as well. But let’s ask him specifically about what a smart war would look like. He opposed dumb wars in 2002 calling Iraq a dumb one but said he was not anti-war. How can our American foreign policy benefit from a military solution? What would you do if Iraq solved its problems politically? Would we pull out? Do we leave residual forces as security to reward them for achieving political advancements? Why? Is Pakistan next? Do we move troops to Pakistan and pre-empt them? Will we form a coalition for attacking Pakistan? Is attacking Pakistan plausible as we create this perception that Iran is a threat to America?

Edwards – What was your position on Iraq in 2004? How has it changed since then? What has made you shift your plan? Why would your plan involve leaving residual forces? How long? Do you foresee needing to move those forces to any other country to pre-empt them? Pakistan?

Richardson should be asked everything Obama, Edwards, and Clinton have been asked just so that his answers can contrast Obama, Edwards, and Clinton.

When the man who created the October 2002 analysis on Iraq prior to the Iraq war authorization says troops can be out in three months, I trust that man. That man is Kucinich. So the four should be asked why they oppose H.R. 1234.

As for health care, education, taxes, and other domestic issues, we have bigger problems on our hands. Ask any of these candidates about the superstructures and systems negatively affecting us instead of going after domestic policy issues. Ask specific questions instead of broad ranging questions that could allow for vague answers.

While it would seem the media and Democratic Leadership within the party has already decided we cannot have radical change or change by the gallon, the candidates need us to get elected and if we demand change by the gallon, we can get it.

We want to know the truth now before the truth haunts us as they take office in the White House.

We want to know if change will be coming by the ounce or by the gallon. Not tomorrow but now.

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Kevin Gosztola goes to Columbia College in Chicago where he is studying film. He hopes to become a documentary filmmaker. He is currently working as a production assistant on a documentary called "Seriously Green" which traces the development of the Green Party throughout the 2008 election. He has a passion for journalism and writes articles or press releases in his spare time. Kevin Gosztola is also a student activist who believes in questioning the way America's systems work(its electoral system, its military-industrial complex, its foreign policy of American exceptionalism, its media which has become the Fourth Branch of government,etc.)
His ambitions have him currently organizing and raising money for a Chicago Conference for Media Reform in April or May of 2009. It will be organized by college students to promote youth involvement in media reform and justice. Those interested in attending or helping with the organization of the program should contact him.

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2 comments

Sherwin Steffin is a retired educator, and research analyst. His working career ranged from classroom teacher, university administrator, founder and CEO of two software companies, independent consultant, ending as a research statistician for a large Internet Service Provider. Although he has some mobility problems, his life continues to be productive and enjoyable. He spends his time doing online tutoring, reading writing entries in his blog, operating an online store, and dabbling a bit in ...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Sherwin SteffinSherwin Steffin is a retired educator, and research analyst. His working career ranged from classroom teacher, university administrator, founder and CEO of two software companies, independent consultant, ending as a research statistician for a large Internet Service Provider. Although he has some mobility problems, his life continues to be productive and enjoyable. He spends his time doing online tutoring, reading writing entries in his blog, operating an online store, and dabbling a bit in ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Kucinich, Pied Piper of Fantasy?

Before you so glibly wave away the threat of a nuclear attack on the nation, asserting that candidates can simply prevent it from happening by saying, “I will never allow a nuclear weapon to go off,” you might want to give some thought to the implications of this statement.

Those who would engage in the effort to initiate a nuclear attack, are members of a specific demographic category – those who are filled with psychotic rage, having as a singular objective the killing and injury of as many human beings as possible. Whether implemented by means of a nuclear device, chemical weapons like the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, biological weapons (anthrax, smallpox, or release of Ebola virus), explosives (the Federal Building in Okalahoma city). Their objectives are the same, the only thing that differs is the resources they have available.

This country’s law enforcement systems are built, not for the prevention of crime, but rather for apprehension of the perpetrator after an event occurs. That goes not only for mass attacks, but for individual small scale rampages – Virginia tech, Columbine, or the depravity of serial killers like BTK, or the assassinations of JFK, RFK, or King. For any candidate to make such a certain statement would mark him/her a fool, or living in a world of egotistic fantasy.

While far more can be done to reduce the likelihood of such attacks, maximum prevention, takes us into a world of Orwellian intrusion on the privacy and basic rights of the citizenry. To date, we have rejected national ID cards, the intrusiveness of full-body inspections at airports, and a host of other technologies which might marginally increase our safety, in exchange for surrendering our freedoms.

Kucinich shows the same lack of understanding of consequences when he calls for: Not later than the end of the 3-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, all United States Armed Forces serving in Iraq shall be completely withdrawn from Iraq and returned to the United States or redeployed outside of the Middle East.

How, to begin with, do we protect the hundreds or thousands of diplomatic workers, civilian reconstruction contractors, and the world’s most expensive embassy, when the Green Zone? Do we abandon them, or take them out of country as the combat troops leave? Then there are the many humanitarian organizations and workers who must leave immediately. Who is going to remain to continue to repair the broken infrastructure?

Leaving aside the impact on Iraq, how does withdrawal impact upon the remainder of our military activity with respect to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan? This is the same ill considered, sloppy thinking which characterized the Bush failure to plan and execute the post “Mission Accomplished” toppling of Hussein.

by Sherwin Steffin (15 articles, 24 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 90 comments) on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 2:06:06 PM