Iraq Coaliton Casualties U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 2531 Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 5 Total: 2536 DoD Confirmation List Latest Coalition Fatality: July 01, 2006
Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan Total: 399
Three years of war and occupation have failed to bring stability,
freedom or sovereignty to Iraq. Instead, they have brought violence,
poverty and despair. U.S. policy needs to support Iraqi civil society
to rebuild Iraq and support civil society and political, not military,
solutions to the conflict.
While Congress has not reflected the
views of the U.S. pro-peace majority, the public debate on television,
radio, newspapers, and the internet shows that many see our views as
common sense. In the past few months, more and more people have been
talking publicly about how political, not military, solutions will get
Iraq out of crisis. Even military personel such as George Casey, the
U.S. Army general in command of coalition troops in Iraq, are
acknowledging the need to withdraw from Iraq.
It's clear that we're winning over public opinion and, with continued pressure, we will end this war.
HELP, This Country Is Headed In The Wrong Direction
If
you're looking for a "simple, cheap and effective" way to alert people
to the possible infringement of personal liberties this Fourth of July,
just fly the Stars and Stripes upside down, a gun rights organization
says.
Though some veterans' organizations are far from
embracing the idea, Aaron Zelman, president of Jews for the
Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO), said flying Old Glory
upside-down, a traditional signal of distress, is not "disrespectful,"
but a way of showing "love for your country."
"If you really
want to save freedom," he said, "then you embrace the concept of flying
the flag upside-down to get other people's attention so they, too, will
understand the threat we're faced with and embrace freedom."
Zelman
said if people are going to complain about a possible police state
coming or the government invading their privacy, "then they have got to
get with the program." "It's
almost like termites affect the foundation of our house," Zelman said.
"You don't see it going on until there's a collapse."
If you don't think our Goverance doesn't deserve a "Distress Call" then consider this - the U.S. Congress and cynical pundits and political
operatives in Washington are polluting our country's political
discourse with a debate over flag burning at the very same time that:
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 110 workers die each week in workplace fatalities
- many of which could be prevented by better enforcement of basic
workplace laws by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(which is being gutted by budget cuts).
These are tiny snippets in a blood-stained river of similar facts -
facts that are similarly ignored by America's political Establishment.
But quiet dismissal of life and death is one thing - openly
substituting a discussion of life and death with a made-for-television
spectacle about a fabricated "controversy" is altogether different.
Our founding fathers would be ashamed. Our country's historical icons
who fought to make this country great would be appalled. My own
ancestors - who risked their lives to free themselves from tyranny, get
to this country and help build it through public service - they would
be disgusted. And the next generation will rightly look upon this day -
and this era - as a humiliating cautionary tale in the history of a
country that allowed the worst forms of greed and self-indulgence from
the most vile political opportunists in both parties to imperil the
very foundation this nation was built upon. They will wonder how we,
the people, didn't all scream at Congress from the top of our lungs:
"How dare you?"
Glenda in the Land of Oz from has come up with a wonderful idea for this year's Independance Day celebration. Visit the other blogs that are also posting on peace and an end to this war.
