Below is the speech given by Kevin Zeese at the peace demonstration in Washington, DC on September 15th. The speech can be seen on C-SPAN.
Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice to Deceive
This war started on a pack of lies and continues with more lies piled on. To end this war we must break the tangled web of deceit with the truth.The lies of Petraeus are so obvious as we see the failure in Iraq every day. They are so obvious I’m not going to use my limited time to dissect them here but I will express amazement at the regard the Congress, especially the Democrats, showed to someone practicing such obvious deception.
President Bush is perhaps the boldest deceiver – calling a country we are occupying our “ally,” and claiming the draw down of troops is due to success, rather than admitting it is to relieve an exhausted military that is fighting a failed occupation.
Bush’s lies have gotten bolder and bolder as Congress fails to exercise their constitutional duty to impeach this president who defines ‘high crimes and misdemeanors.’
But let’s talk about some more difficult truths – about the situation we face as a country, as a peace movement and as citizens.
What is it in our culture and politics that makes Bush possible?
What is it that makes Hillary Clinton the front runner – despite being wrong on the war and deeply indebted to the corporate powers and the right wing pro-Israel lobby that wanted this war and wants a war with Iran?
What is it that makes Barak Obama a peace candidate to some – even though he voted to fund this war, would consider a military attack on Iran, would use the military in Pakistan without that government’s approval, and is advocating an expanded military by 100,000 more troops? Sen. Obama is not peace candidate.
My fellow Americans, we are living in a manipulated democracy where corporate-militarists rule. We must remember the role Halliburton and the oil industry play in making occupation pay for war profiteers.
But, we are not powerless. Those in power know they lack the support of the American people and are forced to manipulate elections and the media to keep control. They are forced to use the power of police and the courts to try and suppress demonstrations like these. Is everyone aware that a SWAT team was used to arrest those posting flyers for this rally? And $35,000 in fines have been levied for legally placed posters? The establishment shows they fear the power of the people. Their actions demonstrate that we do have the power to end this war.
How can we use the power we have, to stand and face our situation – one of life and death – for our country and our world?
Let’s make the truth viral. Stay fully informed. Visit DemocracyRising.US and get our weekly newsletter to stay aware of the latest news from our nation’s capital and from Iraq which you can share with friends, neighbors, family and colleagues. Become a virus of truth by being fully informed and spreading the word.
Let’s use our economic power – to support peace groups that stand strong on war and peace.
Let’s use our economic power to create a new economy one that is not oil-based, but green and sustainable; when we do we will weaken the military industrial complex and no longer fight wars for oil. 
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