DRANT #217: WE MUST DO IT OURSELVES

For any of us desperate enough or gullible enough or naive enough or irresponsible enough to persist in our expectation that CONGRESS, or anyone other than US will do anything -- here ya go..
The Democrats announced their decision this morning:
The Democrats are gonna give Bush the money.
ALL the money.
MORE than all the money.
They are NOT going to refuse to fund our despicable atrocities, they are not going to intercede in our genocide, they are going to PAY for it.
They are going to PROLONG it. They are going to make sure that more people die, and get DU poisoning, and become nameless "detainees" and homeless refugees in their own country.
Listen carefully- they are going to take OUR money -- OUR money -- OUR money--- 100 BILLION DOLLARS of OUR MONEY-- and they are going to give it to the same bastards who have made so insanely much blood profit on this War.
It is too late to call Congress, it is too late to beg them, it is too late to visit them.
They have decided.
They are GIVING BUSH THE MONEY.
The most anti war members of the House are sponsoring an amendment that GIVES BUSH THE MONEY, but, only if he is a good boy, and he promises to start withdrawing "Combat" troops from Iraq beginning in the FALL of 2008 ! Its very far from sure if even that will pass.
So, let's be clear-- CONGRESS IS GIVING BUSH THE MONEY. The Democrats are GIVING BUSH THE MONEY.
All this crap about calling Congress, talking to Congress, begging Congress, shaming Congress--
serves only to reinforce the fabrication that we live in a Democracy, where the elected are responsive to the people.
Read my lips-
Congress WANTS the war.
Congress always has supported EVERY war.
Congressmembers make good money and stay in office by supporting the war.
Congress has done nothing, and Congress will do nothing to stop this war.
Every single piece of evidence and experience screams this at us, and today's announcement by the Democrats confirms it beyond a reasonable doubt.
We know-
We can NOT depend on Congress to do anything.
We must turn now, today- to the only group that can do anything about it.
That is US.
US.
We must stop relying on anyone else.
We must stop waiting for anyone else.
NO ONE ELSE is going to do anything.
Every single one of us must act.
We must put our bodies and our freedom and our lives on the line.
We must take responsibility for our crimes, and stop them -- NOW.

We cannot stop the war from our cell phones.
Calling Congress and then being oh so very disappointed when they do nothing, serves only to further enable our disaffirmation of individual responsibility for the crimes being committed.
We KNOW they will do nothing.
They have TOLD US over and over again that they will do nothing. They told us again this morning.
We must do it ourselves.
In Washington DC on March 12- until it changes, or in LA or NY or SF or wherever you are.
Show up.

Impeaching Bush does NOTHING.
It is not HIS fault.
HE didn't do this.
WE did it.
And WE must act now to stop it.
Show up.
and STOP this -
now.
It is time to stop the machine.
It is time for you to join us in Washington DC, starting March 12, 2007.
Thousands of us will not just go to Washington, and march on the Pentagon on the 17th, but STAY there. Until it changes.
You must join us. Or do it wherever you live.
Or, you can keep whining, and then bemoan how Congress did nothing, and then next year, bitch about the lesser of two evils running for office.
Or, you can just do nothing, or some of the same stuff that hasn't changed anything-- and blame someone else.
They are counting on it.
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House Democrats to unveil Iraq war plan
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070308/ap_on_go_co/democrats_iraq;_ylt=AoM53ynvCB8KwYrNls0gIKis0NUE

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent 22 minutes ago

In a direct challenge to President Bush, House Democrats are advancing legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year.
Democratic officials who described the measure said the timetable would be accelerated — to the end of 2007 — if the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does not meet goals for providing Iraq's security.
The conditions, described as tentative until presented to the Democratic rank and file Thursday, would be added to legislation providing nearly $100 billion the Bush administration has requested for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The officials who described the measure did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to speak until after it was presented to the Democratic caucus. They also stressed the provisions were tentative until then.
Underscoring the debate among Democrats, several opponents of the war issued a statement late Wednesday saying they "have had a constructive dialogue with members of our party's leadership. ... However, at this time, we have not reached any final agreement."
The statement was issued in the name of Reps. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), Barbara Lee (news, bio, voting record) and Diane Watson (news, bio, voting record) of California; Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York; Rep. Lloyd Doggett (news, bio, voting record) of Texas and Rep. Keith Ellison (news, bio, voting record) of Minnesota.
Even so, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record)'s office announced plans for a Thursday news conference to unveil the measure, providing no details. The announcement said she would be joined by Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), D-Pa., and other key lawmakers. Murtha is chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Pentagon's budget and is among the House's most outspoken opponents of the war.
Meanwhile, Gen. David Petraeus said insurgents in Iraq have sought to intensify attacks during a Baghdad security crackdown, which he predicted should not be at full strength until June. Petraeus, the new commander of U.S. forces of Iraq, said Thursday that the backlash has come since U.S. and Iraqi forces began the security sweep three weeks ago. The Pentagon has pledged 17,500 combat troops to the capital.
Petraeus also said additional U.S. forces should head to the Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, but declined to give specifics. Military officials believe many insurgents have shifted from Baghdad to Diyala to escape the security operation.
Pelosi and the leadership have struggled in recent days to come up with an approach on the war that would satisfy liberals reluctant to vote for continued funding without driving away more moderate Democrats unwilling to be seen as tying the hands of military commanders.
The decision to impose conditions on the war risks a major confrontation with the Bush administration and its Republican allies in Congress.
But without a unified party, the Democratic leadership faced the possibility of a highly embarrassing defeat when the spending legislation reaches a vote, likely later this month.
To make the overall measure more attractive politically, Democrats also intend to add money to Bush's request for military operations in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is expected to mount a spring offensive.
The bill also will exceed Bush's request for veterans' health care and medical programs for active duty troops at facilities such as the scandal-scarred Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington.
Democrats also are including funds for a health care program for low-income children. The program is popular among governors of both political parties, but the Bush administration has not signaled its acquiescence to the additional money.
The Democrats worked on their legislation as Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced approval of an extra 2,200 military police to help deal with an anticipated increase in detainees during the new Baghdad security crackdown.
The New York Times reported on its Web site Wednesday night that the day-to-day commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, has recommended that the higher troop level be maintained until February 2008 to support a sustained effort to win over the Iraqi populace.
Democrats familiar with the emerging legislation in the House said the bill would require Bush to certify whether the Iraqi government was making progress toward providing for his country's security, allocating its oil revenues and creating a fair system for amending its constitution.
They said if Bush certified the Iraqis were meeting these so-called benchmarks, U.S. combat troops could remain until September of next year. Otherwise, the deadline would move up to the end of 2007.
The legislation also calls for the Pentagon to adhere to its existing standards for equipping and training U.S. troops sent overseas and for providing time at home between tours of combat.
Yet it also permits Bush to issue waivers of these standards. Democrats described the waiver provision as an attempt to embarrass the president into adhering to the standards. But they concede the overall effect will be to permit the administration to proceed with plans to deploy five additional combat brigades to the Baghdad area over the next few months.
The measure emerged from days of private talks among Democrats following the collapse of Murtha's original proposal, which would have required the Pentagon to meet readiness and training standards without the possibility of a waiver.
Murtha said its implementation would have starved the war effort of troops because the Pentagon would not be able to find enough fully rested, trained and equipped units to meet its needs.
Several moderate Democrats spoke out against it, though. And Republicans sharply attacked it as the abandonment of troops already in the war zone.
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Troops out now
http://encampmenttostopthewar.blogspot.com/



http://www.troopsoutnow.org/mar17.html

An International CALL From The TROOPS OUT NOW COALITION:
MARCH ON WASHINGTON...and STAY THERE
Beginning MARCH 12
Encampment to STOP the WAR!
March on Washington DC & worldwide on the 4th Anniversary of the U.S. Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
Troops Out Now!


MARCH 12 Encampment to STOP the WAR
New! - For daily updates on the Encampment to Stop the War, go to the Encampment blog at http://encampmenttostopthewar.blogspot.com

1. Endorse the call for unity for March 17 - http://www.troopsoutnow.org/mar17endorse.html
2. Volunteer - http://www.troopsoutnow.org/mar17volunteer.html
3. Become an Organizing Center - http://troopsoutnow.org/mar17orgcentsignup.html
4. Donate - http://www.troopsoutnow.org/donate.html

Encampment site is on 3rd St. between Independence and Constitution Ave., directly in front of the Capitol Building.


The Troops Out Now Coalition calls on everyone to join the antiwar march on March 17 ... and come ready to STAY in DC!



ON MARCH 17, MARCH ON THE PENTAGON --
AND STAY IN WASHINGTON UNTIL THEY CUT OFF WAR FUNDING
Troops Out Now Coalition
www.troopsoutnow.org
5C - Solidarity Center
55 W. 17th St.
NY NY 10011
212.633.6646
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DIE-IN IN SAN FRANCISCO
www.DieInMarch19.org

PASS IT ON
March 19 is less than two weeks away.

With everyone's help, we can make a dramatic statement on the fourth anniversary of the start of the invasion of Iraq -

Please go to www.DieInMarch19.org and sign up to participate in the Mass Die-In on Market Street at noon on March 19 assembling at one of the following locations:

Spear & Market

Montgomery & Market

Powell & Market

7th & Market

Remember, if you can't get to downtown SF, you can still participate -

-- wear black or wear a black armband

-- put a Stop the War Now sign in your home, car, bike or office (downloadable poster coming soon to our website)

-- hold a die-in wherever you are and take pictures; upload them to Indybay or send them to me

Please also SIGN UP at www.DieInMarch19.org to help get the word out this weekend and through the next week - leaflet at BART stations, farmers' markets, movie lines; clubs, events, post fliers at cafes, in your neighborhood, downtown, on MUNI - anywhere you go. Contact us for postcards or posters, or print out fliers from our website.