Posted on 10/07/2004 9:28:14 AM PDT by chambley1
A universal military draft could be in the works if a new approach to resolving the post-invasion turmoil in Iraq is not found, Rep. Jim Moran told a near-capacity audience at a town meeting here Monday. The event was held at the George Mason High School auditorium and featured sharp remarks critical of the Bush administration Iraq policy by former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson. Asked by a Mason High student about the prospect of a draft, Moran cited comments by GOP Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska that such a draft could be the only logical consequence of the administration's current unilateralist approach to Iraq, especially if the insurgency there continues to strengthen.
Moran indicated that some congressmen are already mulling legislation on the subject and that he's also been in discussions with colleagues about an alternative approach that would provide for "universal service." Under his plan, Moran explained, young Americans would have the option of mandatory service in a variety
The project will require a special exception and approval to a parking variance before it can move forward. of roles, and not simply military. "That's the tack I plan to take" if the subject of universal draft legislation arises, Moran said. Wilson was scathing in his criticism of Bush's Iraq policy, presented in opening remarks prior to a lengthy question-and-answer period at the event. He quoted former Reagan administration official Jim Webb, who said a year ago that Iraq "is a strategic failure of historic import."
Citing the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate released this summer, he said that Iraq is on the verge of descending into "chronic instability" and maybe into full-scale civil war.
Moran, in his remarks, called the Iraq invasion "one of the worst follies of any American administration ever." He called it "a war of choice not driven by any need to protect the U.S.," initiated by Bush over the objections of many in the military and intelligence communities who expressed their concerns in private, he said, about going in with no exit strategy. It was based on the allegation of operational ties between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda and on the existence of stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, both of which were, in fact, non-existent.
Wilson, after 28 years in the foreign service, was fired by the Bush administration for exposing Bush's lie, contained in his 2003 State of the Union message, that Saddam Hussein was attempted to acquire yellow cake uranium from Niger. Subsequently, someone in the Bush administration leaked to journalist Robert Novak, among others, the secret identity of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, who was operating in a clandestine CIA operation at the time. He is the author of a new book, "The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity." Wilson said Monday that the Bush administration "used my wife in a despicable way" to get even for his whistle-blowing. "George Bush Sr. called such behavior, the expose of a CIA operative, treason," Wilson noted. Not only that, Wilson pointed out, his wife's work was in the highly sensitive area of tracking potential weapons of mass destruction. By blowing her cover, the Bush administration jeopardized the security of the U.S. population by damaging an important intelligence operation.
Wilson said he pins the blame entirely on the Bush administration not only for this case, but for categorically ignoring the counsel of the U.S. best foreign service experts on Iraq and the Middle East in deciding to invade Iraq. This caused a deep "breach of trust" between the administration and the intelligence community, he said. In addition, he added, "Bush has been AWOL on the Middle East peace process," leading to a massive escalation of violence and killing between the Israelis and Palestinians since he came into office.
Wilson was also critical of the Democrats in Congress for not demanding more U.S. involvement in Middle East peace, and of the media. In particular, he chastised CBS News for its decision not to report a story on 60 Minutes about Bush's phony Niger yellow cake claim because it would come too close to the election. "This form of self-censorship is the antithesis of what a free press in a democracy is supposed to be. It is caving in to political intimidation. There is no more solemn decision than one to send U.S. citizens to kill or die in our name. The public has a right to know everything about what went into that decision," he said. In the case of Iraq in the eyes of the world, he said, "We've demonstrated our weakness, not our strength. The numbers of people who hate us in the world has grown exponentially by this, and that does not make us safer." He blamed the Bush Iraq policy on the "blueprint for its foreign policy" developed by the Project for a New American Century, which, he said, projects the next 75 years "based on empty ideological solutions pretending to be policy solutions."
Nicholas F. Benton
Owner/Editor-In-Chief
E-Mail: nfbenton@fcnp.com
I think the last name is misspelled.
Sen MORON is experiencing the creeping effects of severe senility. The sack of crap should have retired decades ago.
I guess in his alternate universe, the Charley Rangel bill was not defeated.
I think Ive come up with a great way to celebrate the Bush victory in November.
We could have an online contest to see who can create the best draft notice to distribute among democrats.
Looks like this guy is taking a break from beating his wife and little kids.
Apparently he didn't pay attention to the house bill that shot down RANGEL'S draft proposal!
What a putz!
Didn't the Gorelick commission here and the Butler commission in England prove the veracity of that claim?
Not that that would have mattered to See BS.
I didn't know there were so many socialists in Falls Church!
By the way, Jim Moran flip-flopped on his maiden speech in the US House. During a debate on congressional authorization for the first Gulf War, Moran came down on the side of Bush 41. When Moran got home, he was bombarded by phone calls from his liberal supporters in northern Virginia about how wrong an idea that was. Sure enough, the next day Moran recanted and voted against the resolution.
What a rock.
What an unusual person.
The irony of this is that if you deliberately herd society into a corner where it's a fragmented "diverse" society which exists as nothing more than an economic collective of unlike indviduals...
...you raise a self-centered generation that's as allergic to a military draft as a cat is to water.
Institute a draft and see what % of our nation's youth leave for Canada or Europe. I suspect the Pied Piper wouldn't be nearly as effective.
I didn't know there were so many socialists in Falls Church!
By the way, Jim Moran flip-flopped on his maiden speech in the US House. During a debate on congressional authorization for the first Gulf War, Moran came down on the side of Bush 41. When Moran got home, he was bombarded by phone calls from his liberal supporters in northern Virginia about how wrong an idea that was. Sure enough, the next day Moran recanted and voted against the resolution.
What a rock.
What an unusual person.
I thought this guy didn't run after it became public that he is a racist
Boy, him and Lugar are both a real pant-load.
And RNC money goes to them for their campaigns? Just damn!!
Some for obvious partisan reasons NEED to keep this fear alive.
He's full of poop poop....military doesn't need a draft...and they don't want one either....will NEVER happen.
Moran the MORON shooting his mouth off again?!? He is one of the many reasons why the 21st century Dems are going the way of the 19th century Whigs. GOOD RIDDANCE!!
We could have an online contest to see who can create the best draft notice to distribute among democrats.
LOL! I have an IBM Selectric at my disposal...
My 10th grader says she has Moran's son in one of her classes. As we live in Maryland, I figure he must be the child of a broken home.
Apparently, the son is a rabid lib, and he gets into "debates" with the Spanish teacher during Spanish class. The Spanish teacher is a native speaker of Spanish (hispanic, I guess), who apparently supports W.
My kids tell me all the gossip at school!
I guess the fact that the House voted down the bogus Dem draft bill by a 402-2 margin doesn't register on Moran's radar. Which makes him a FINE addition to the Kerry campaign team, which couldn't tell Bob Kerrey apart from John Kerry.
There's always some poor shmo who doesn't get the word...
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