U.S. Anti-War Protests and Calls for Presidential Impeachment Mark 4th Anniversary of U.S. Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
Buoyed by public opinion polls showing that a majority of Americans favor U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, anti-war protestors rallied in cities across the country to voice opposition to the Bush administration's Iraq policies and their consequences. Recent United Nations reports show that more than 30,000 Iraqis were killed in 2006 alone, and more than 34,000 were wounded. Other estimates put the total Iraqi death toll since the war began at more than 1,000,000.
At least 3,000 U.S. troops have been reported killed since the invasion began and 23,000 have been reported injured. Deaths and injuries among the more than 100,000 mercenary soldiers and contractors deployed in the country under private unaudited contracts with the Bush administration, in addition to the 130,000 U.S. troops, are unknown.
Despite the recent pronouncement of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the U.S. will maintain its military presence in Iraq for decades, and presidential candidate Hillary Rodhman Clinton's statement that she would maintain U.S. forces in Iraq if elected, several hopeful signs that the conflagration may be brought to an end have emerged in recent weeks.
One is that the various Iraqi factions are negotiating among themselves an agreement to forge a national front that would replace the Maliki regime that the Bush administration played a major role in establishing to protect U.S. interests and sign the long-awaited oil agreement favoring Western oil interests. Once in power, this new government, according to informed sources, would be in the position to implement the preferences of the overwhelming majority of Iraqi citizens that U.S. forces leave the country immediately.
Another hopeful sign can be discerned in recent negotiations among key players in Middle East countries surrounding Iraq which indicate a growing willingness on their part to step in to help indigenous Iraqi forces restore law and order, rebuild the country and remove external troublemakers who have entered the country in order to oppose the U.S. presence using terrorist tactics.
A further hopeful sign of growing opposition to Bush policies are the increasing calls to impeach the president. Most of these efforts are led by Democrats but they are being joined a small but increasing number of Republicans. Given the apparent gridlock in the U.S. Congress on the war issue, due to the slim majorities held by Democrats and the tendency of certain Southern "Blue Dog" Democrats to side with Republicans, the focus of anti-war opposition is now shifting to the States.
Twenty 20 state legislatures so far have introduced resolutions opposing the President's proposed escalation in Iraq. Of equal importance are the public statements of prominent lawmakers, including Republicans, raising the prospect of impeachment, and the actions of state and municipal legislatures that are passing resolutions calling for impeachment
At least 3,000 U.S. troops have been reported killed since the invasion began and 23,000 have been reported injured. Deaths and injuries among the more than 100,000 mercenary soldiers and contractors deployed in the country under private unaudited contracts with the Bush administration, in addition to the 130,000 U.S. troops, are unknown.
Despite the recent pronouncement of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the U.S. will maintain its military presence in Iraq for decades, and presidential candidate Hillary Rodhman Clinton's statement that she would maintain U.S. forces in Iraq if elected, several hopeful signs that the conflagration may be brought to an end have emerged in recent weeks.
One is that the various Iraqi factions are negotiating among themselves an agreement to forge a national front that would replace the Maliki regime that the Bush administration played a major role in establishing to protect U.S. interests and sign the long-awaited oil agreement favoring Western oil interests. Once in power, this new government, according to informed sources, would be in the position to implement the preferences of the overwhelming majority of Iraqi citizens that U.S. forces leave the country immediately.
Another hopeful sign can be discerned in recent negotiations among key players in Middle East countries surrounding Iraq which indicate a growing willingness on their part to step in to help indigenous Iraqi forces restore law and order, rebuild the country and remove external troublemakers who have entered the country in order to oppose the U.S. presence using terrorist tactics.
A further hopeful sign of growing opposition to Bush policies are the increasing calls to impeach the president. Most of these efforts are led by Democrats but they are being joined a small but increasing number of Republicans. Given the apparent gridlock in the U.S. Congress on the war issue, due to the slim majorities held by Democrats and the tendency of certain Southern "Blue Dog" Democrats to side with Republicans, the focus of anti-war opposition is now shifting to the States.
Twenty 20 state legislatures so far have introduced resolutions opposing the President's proposed escalation in Iraq. Of equal importance are the public statements of prominent lawmakers, including Republicans, raising the prospect of impeachment, and the actions of state and municipal legislatures that are passing resolutions calling for impeachment
posted by the Third Force Network at 11:54 AM
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