Tricounty DFA Update: Meetup Report-- A Resolution To End The War
Hello Everyone!

First, an announcement: Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand will be at the Hyde Museum at 1:30pm Saturday March 10 for a Town Meeting forum on Healthcare. There usually is an open question and answer period after the initial topic. The venue will be the downstairs auditorium and everyone interested is urged to attend.

In This Update:

1. Meeting Report: Resolution On Iraq
2. March Against The War On The 18th
3. War Tapes At UU On March 24

1. Meeting Report: Resolution On Iraq

We had another successful meeting last Wednesday at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. At the end we showed The War Tapes video for those who hadn't seen it, so the somewhat shorter meeting was dominated by discussion of the Iraq War. The Circular Letter On Climate Change was tabled until April

The main course of business was a request early this week by other DFA groups in New York State to join them in endorsing House Resolution H.R. 455, the "Protect The Troops And Bring Them Home Act of 2007."

This legislation was written by Rep. Jerry Nadler of Manhattan. It's goal, exactly as the title states, is to bring all us forces home by the end of this year-- not 2008, or even 2009. I was on a lengthy leadership liaison group conference call this week with the other coordinators, and this position is essentially the consensus position of DFNY.

HR 455's strength is the fact it has the simplicity of an ice pick. Simplicity and extreme clarity is what is required in these extreme circumstances.

After discussion, a resolution asking Rep. Gillibrand to join with Reps. John Hall, Maurice Hinchey and others as co-sponsors, was adopted unanimously. The full resolution is at the bottom.

To follow up, we urge everyone to contact Rep. Gillibrand's office to urge her to join as a co-sponsor, or attend the meeting Saturday.

2. March Against The War On The 18th

In Glens Falls:
We also endorsed the peace vigil and march that will be be held marking four years of war with Iraq on Sunday afternoon, March 18th at 3:00 p.m. in City Park in downtown Glens Falls. Everyone is urged to attend (or one of the other events). This march is organized by the Glens Falls area interfaith council. The group will assemble in City Park and then march to the First Baptist Church on nearby Maple Street. A worship service at 4pm will be held for those who wish to attend.

In Albany:
There will be a march on Sunday, March 18 at 2 PM from the Capital Plaza Museum stairs to the Federal Building. People will carry the name of
one US GI who was killed in the Iraq war. Lisa Scerbo will make up a placard in memory of a fallen soldier for anyone who wishes to go but cannot make their own. (She brought one to Wednesday's meeting and they are very professionally done.) The organizers want one person for every fallen service member and they are still short. Contact her at LScerbo@gmail.com

In Ticonderoga:
There will be a peace march in Ticonderoga, NY on Friday, March 16, at 12 noon starting at the Glens Falls National Bank. The walk will be from the Bank to the Black Watch Library in Ticonderoga and back. For information phone Helenmarie, 499-1238 or Stan, 585-7015

3. War Tapes Video Showing At UU

The War Tapes video will be shown at the Unitarian Universalist Association Church on Weeks Road in Queensbury on Sunday, March 25th at 4pm. There will also be a potluck supper afterwards.

If you haven't seen it, you should. This is a powerful video and a must see to grasp the folly and insanity of the war in Iraq. The story of American soldiers of the New Hampshire National Guard cuts through the fog of obfuscation and rationalization that for some reason still seems to be surrounding the war in Iraq. Thanks to Linda Thompson for setting this up!

The resolution asking Rep. Gillibrand to co-sponsor HR 455 is below.

Thanks everyone!

Larry Dudley


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WHEREAS:

A very substantial majority of the American people voted in the last election to change course in Iraq. Ending the war is now the mainstream, middle of the road position, especially here in upstate New York.

Further, the war issue prevents the Democratic majority from making progress on other issues. The Democratic majority in Congress had a great run in the 1970s-- passing everything from energy conservation like the CAF-E standards, pollution control, energy indepenence, civil rights or the Church Act reining in the intelligence gencies. But that was only possible because the Vietnam War was taken off the table.

H.R. 455 has a number of attributes that make it a distinctive and politically viable option for bringing the Iraq conflict to a reasonable conclusion.

•H.R. 455 is tied to war funding. It would be attached to the appropriations bill so, if it is not removed in conference, the Senate would have to pass it and the President would have to sign it in order to continue funding for the war. Funding is "the only real way to force a change of direction in Iraq." H.R. 455 can actually work.

•Because it maintains funding for the troops (albeit for their removal) it cannot be tarred with the Republican talking point that it "cuts off funding for the troops."

•Because it maintains funding for Iraqi reconstruction, it avoids the argument that we are abandoning the Iraqi people in the same way Congress supposedly "abandoned" the people of South Vietnam.

•The bill establishes a firm and reasonable deadline for troop withdrawal (12/31/07) that will provide an incentive for the Iraqi government to take control of their own political and military destiny. The deadline is well after the six months that General Petreaus has specified as critical for establishing security.

•The bill’s simplicity prevents it from being subverted in practice. Complexity appears to be part of the reason other measures to end the war, for instance by Rep. Murtha or Rep. Woolsey, have faltered.

•The bill does not raise constitutional separation of powers issues by micromanaging the President: funding is an undisputed congressional power. This also appears to have been a major problem with the other bills cited above.

THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED:

Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area respectfully urges and requests Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to join with New York Representatives John Hall, Maurice Hinchey, Carolyn Maloney, Jose Serrano and Edolphus Towns and author Jerry Nadler in co-sponsoring HR 455.

*******

Thanks to the DFNY Leadership Liaison Committee, especially Tracey and Heather at Democracy For New York City, for their help and also Progressive Christian on dKos for some language.
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:31 PM