Tricounty DFA Update: "Yes We Can" Calling Invitation, Surge Exposed, more
Hello Everyone;

In this Update:


1. Obama Calling Invitation
2. Meeting Next Week
3. Online Action On Iraq
4. Dark Side Of The Surge
5. Friday Night Progressive FIlm Festival


1. Kate Austin would like to invite everyone to a special "Yes We Can" Party for Barack Obama, this Sunday, March 2nd, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe from 5-7pm. For info and to R.S.V.P. please go to: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43738

"On Sunday, March 2, we're participating in MoveOn.org's biggest phone bank in presidential primary history. Folks everywhere will come to parties armed with cell phones--ready to call thousands of Texas MoveOn members whose votes could put Obama over the top on March 4. Bring your cell phone!"

Lists of Texans to call along with suggested scripts and other materials will be available, including, I think, some Obama stickers. If you would like to help Obama win in Texas on the 4th, this is your chance to do it. Again, please R.S.V.P. at http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43738 so that Kate has enough materials for everyone. And remember to bring that cell phone! You have to bring your own cell!

And a special tip of the hat to Matt for making the Cafe available, even though he is, as we all know, very much a Nader man. If you haven't been there, the Cafe is one block west of the roundabout in Downtown Glens Falls.


2. Meeting Next Week

Next week, March 5th, we'll be meeting again at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe as usual at 7pm, and we'll be getting to that showing of Uncounted, the new video on election fraud, and discussing future action.

3. Online Action On Iraq

Senator Russ Feingold will be bringing up legislation tomorrow to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq. You can help by contacting our Senators and urging them to support Sen. Feingold's bills. http://act.truemajorityaction.org/t/50/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521

"The first bill, S. 2633, would provide for the safe redeployment of US troops from Iraq within 120 days. And the second bill, S. 2634, would require a report on the global strategy of the US to combat and defeat al Qaeda. We need 60 votes to end debate and bring these important pieces of legislation to the Senate floor."

http://act.truemajorityaction.org/t/50/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1521


4. Dark Side Of The Surge

The importance of getting U.S. forces out of Iraq before our Army is completely broken is highlighted by an extraordinary new article in the March 6th issue of Rolling Stone, the "must read" of the week. It rips the cover off the fraud that is called the "Surge" and the mainstream media's touting of it as some kind of success for the Bush Administration. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge/print

A few quotes:

"The U.S. has not only added 30,000 more troops in Iraq — it has essentially bribed the opposition, arming the very Sunni militants who only months ago were waging deadly assaults on American forces. "

"The American forces responsible for overseeing "volunteer" militias like Osama's have no illusions about their loyalty. "The only reason anything works or anybody deals with us is because we give them money," says a young Army intelligence officer. The 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, which patrols Osama's territory, is handing out $32 million to Iraqis in the district, including $6 million to build the towering walls that, in the words of one U.S. officer, serve only to "make Iraqis more divided than they already are." In districts like Dora, the strategy of the surge seems simple: to buy off every Iraqi in sight."

"We are essentially supporting a quasi-feudal devolution of authority to armed enclaves, which exist at the expense of central government authority," says Chas Freeman, who served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia under the first President Bush. "Those we are arming and training are arming and training themselves not to facilitate our objectives but to pursue their own objectives vis-a-vis other Iraqis. It means that the sectarian and ethnic conflicts that are now suppressed are likely to burst out with even greater ferocity in the future."

Of course, from a political perspective, the goal of the Bush administration is clear; by temporarily bribing and arming the opposition in Iraq, they have a chance of maintaining the pretense the Surge can succeed. The lull in violence may fool some people. But there eventually will be an even greater and more terrible explosion of violence, and the real surge-- in U.S. casualties-- but not until after the November General Election. That's the real objective, pushing the problem down the road without admitting total failure by the Bush Administration. That would greatly help Republican's electoral chances, especially getting John McCain into the White House.

Obviously, this underscores the fecklessness and spinelessness of the Democratic Congress in its failure to stick together and get our troops out promptly. If they had acted decisvely a year ago, virtually all our troops would be home by now.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge/print


5. Friday Night Progressive Film Fest

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Festival continues with:

Fri Feb 29 7:30 pm Adirondack Progressive Film Forum
9/11 PRESS FOR TRUTH (2006) The Disinformation Company 85 min. No RT Rating
Although independent investigations began within weeks of both pearl harbor and the Kennedy assassination, the same was not ture of the attacks of Spetember 11th. Most are unaware that formation of the 9/11 Commission was strognly opposed by many in Washington, including the Bush administration. It was only due to pressure fromt eh 9/11 families, led by a particlaur twelve calling themsevles the Family Steering Committee, that, fourteen months after the attacks, the fist hearings finally began. In "9/11 Press For Truth", five of the most prominet members fo the FSC tell their story for the first time on film, providing the most powerful argumnet yet for why 9/11 still needs investigation. Adapting Paul Thompson's definitive Complete 9/11 Timeline, the filmmakers stitch together rare, overlooked news clips, buried stories, and government press conferences, revealing a pattern of official lies, deception and spin.

Thanks Everyone! See you all soon,

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, Obama rally, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Uncounted Film

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:39 AM