Kerry-Murphy editorial on Iraq - THE TRUTH ABOUT IRAQ

[Mass]

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/opinion/15561098.htm

THE TRUTH ABOUT IRAQ
By JOHN KERRY & PATRICK MURPHY

...

Forty years ago, returning soldiers talked firsthand about how elected officials frightened of their own political shadows had failed them. In exchange for speaking truth to power, they had their loyalty questioned and their patriotism called into doubt.

The political posturing on Iraq of George Bush and Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick proves that history repeats itself.

Reasonable people can disagree on what to do about the situation in Iraq, but most can agree on two things. It is immoral for old men to send young Americans to fight and die in a conflict without a strategy. And it is egregious that a candidate for federal office would run for re-election without a real plan for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as Mike Fitzpatrick is doing.

Months ago, we both came to a conclusion that prompted us to articulate similar plans for dealing with Iraq: that the only appropriate course of action is to create a timeline to bring our troops home and force the Iraqis to fight for their own democracy.

...

Only after we refocus our military efforts from the mission in Iraq can we begin doing what we should have been doing all along: tracking down and killing members of al Qaeda. This is why we must redeploy the vast majority of troops from Iraq within 12 months so we can free up resources to fight the global war on terror.

Americans don't need to be reminded by politicians that we must win the war on terror. What they need is for their government to offer a real plan to get our troops out of Iraq, protect our homeland, and refocus our efforts on capturing and killing Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda.
...
There are hundreds of thousands of American troops serving in Iraq. We should honor them by bringing them home within 12 months and giving them a real plan to win the war on terror, not a strategy where the only endgame is more street-corner memorial parks.
Sen. John Kerry is a Democrat from Massachusetts. Patrick Murphy is the Democratic candidate running against Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick in the 8th District in Bucks County.

[karynnj]

1. Strong editorial

It's interesting seeing how lines of the Kerry speeches reappear in these editorials. There is a very interesting dynamic in Murphy, named for someone who died in VN and an Iraqi war vet, allied with John Kerry to end the Iraq war.

[ProSense]

2. Excellent!

Yesterday, there were horrific reports of children launching attacks. I hope this editorial will appear in other papers.

[wisteria]

3. i was happy to see this in a PA paper. Good editorial. n/t

[ray of light]

4. thank you for sharing this.