GOP critics of war cry foul
The Tipsheet for June 16th, 2006
15 June 2006 The Hill
House Republican critics of the Iraq war said their own party silenced them Thursday when they sought time to oppose the rule for debate on a resolution affirming the war effort. They were upset at party leaders for issuing a rule that prohibited amendments.
“They don’t want Republicans to voice dissent,” said Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who said he could not get one minute of the GOP’s debate time. Paul said he did not seek recognition from the Democrats.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), another co-sponsor of a resolution calling on the White House to develop a timetable for withdrawal, said he would not engage in the debate over the resolution the leadership sponsored.
“I will not knowingly participate in a fraud,” Jones said.
“It’s not a debate when they don’t let you have an amendment,” Paul said.
Paul voted against the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq, while Jones voted for it.
CodePink’s Medea Benjamin and other antiwar activists were censored, searched, and treated roughly at the Take Back America conference held in D.C. this week by organisers determined to make the experience a pleasant one for Hillary Clinton. Benjamin wrote:
Many of the attendees agreed with the position of the protesters, and as Hillary Clinton left the podium, they joined in chanting “Bring the troops home; Stop the war now.” The next speakers, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Senator John Kerry, got thunderous applause when they called for the troops to come home.
“We were amazed to discover that the organizers of Take Back America treat dissent the same way that the organizers at a Bush rally do,” said Ms. Murphy. “Most progressives do not support Hillary Clinton, and stifling our legitimate, heartfelt opposition to her pro-war position is an outrage. I guess we have to take back ‘Take Back America.’”
Peter Rothberg wrote:
I was at the speech. Though she did get static on Iraq, the general response to her talk was overwhelmingly positive. She garnered five enthusiastic ovations by my count, and by the end of her speech–mere minutes after she supposedly alienated the crowd–she left to a standing ovation much, much, much louder than the earlier booing.
Rothberg doesn’t investigate any of Benjamin’s complaints despite posting his review of the conference two days after her article was published. He isn’t aware of them, or nothing to see here, let’s move on?
According to Benjamin’s article:
Ann Wright, the army colonel and diplomat who resigned over the war, was appalled by the actions of the conference organizers. “They took away leaflets supporting Jonathan Tasini, the anti-war Democrat who is running against Clinton in New York. They searched people’s bags for banners; they even took away an ‘Impeach Bush’ banner from Veterans for Peace. Free speech needs to be upheld by progressives and trying to curtail dissent undercuts the whole purpose of this conference,” said Wright.
Pentagon Issues Rebuttals for Iraq Debate
By LIZ SIDOTI
15 June 2006 Forbes (via)
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the 74-page document. It was sent to both Republicans and Democrats and it laid out the administration’s positions in strong terms and offered page after page of counterpoints to criticisms that Democrats typically level against President Bush’s war policies.
What a waste of tax dollars. Where’s the dissent or the debate?
Updated: Take Back America speeches can be viewed here. Clinton’s booed on Iraq just after 27:00. Peter Rothberg’s “much, much, much louder than the earlier booing” description of the departing Clinton’s “standing ovation” is too generous for a brief round of applause mingled with protest.