Watch the TV Ad – Stop Escalation

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For too many years, those of us who advocate a responsible use of our military, and thus have spoken against the President’s failed Iraq policy, have been falsely tagged as against the troops by the Bush Administration, neo-conservatives, and their cronies. Today, that all changes.

VoteVets.org, the leading political group of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, is launching a television advertisement that makes it crystal clear – opposing the President’s escalation of the war in Iraq means you are supporting the troops. VoteVets.org is joining organizations such as MoveOn.org, SEIU (Service Employees International Union), and Center for America Progress as founding members of Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. I am proud to say that I am an active Board of Advisors Member to VoteVets.org, and even prouder of how they are taking up the fight and leading the way in opposing the President’s folly.

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The President’s new so-called plan for Iraq amounts to nothing more than “Stay the Course,” a futile exercise akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The new Iraq plan that George Bush unveiled this month can be boiled down to three words: "Stay the Course."

The President's proposed escalation of troops does nothing to change his failed strategy. Without the "carrots and sticks" that could be used in an all-out political and diplomatic effort throughout the region, the 21,500 American troops that President Bush wants to send into this cauldron of violence are unlikely to prove decisive, while risking the lives of U.S. forces as well as further alienation of the Iraqi population.

Sending more American troops now would not do anything to fix the core political problems in Iraq, as it is not so much insecurity that is driving the violence but rather the struggle for political dominance. But it is American soldiers and Marines who will suffer the consequences. That is why I am joining with the Democratic Congress, and over 70,000 other grassroots activists who have signed a petition expressing our vehement opposition to George Bush's escalation in Iraq.

Before the State of the Union address tomorrow, we want to deliver over 100,000 names to the White House. The one and only way to ever get through to George Bush is to create such a massive groundswell of resistance to this plan, that he is forced to pay attention. Please join us now before it is too late.

Click here to sign a petition saying loud and clear that you are against George Bush's escalation in Iraq.

Tell President Bush: Stop the Surge and change the strategy!

We must stop George Bush's Iraq surge. Without changing the strategy, this is simply a continuation of "stay the course."

We cannot support the increase in troops unless George Bush disavows the NeoCon strategy and presents a new strategy. George Bush has been using the troops for the past four years trying to divide the country between those who support the war and those who do not.

President Bush is trying to divide us again with his expected call this week for a "surge" of up to 20,000 additional U.S. troops into Iraq. Will this deliver a "win?" Probably not. But this military stop-gap will certainly distract us from facing the deep-seated regional issues that must be resolved politically and diplomatically.

What President Bush's Iraq surge would do is put more American troops in harm's way, further undercut the morale of U.S. forces, and risk further alienating elements of the Iraqi populace -- all while reducing the urgency of reaching the ultimate political solution we need.

Don't let George Bush divide us. Please join me in urging President Bush to stop the "surge," and instead change the strategy -- forward an email to the White House now!

http://securingamerica.com/stopthesurge

Below are excerpts from the op-ed I wrote that was published in the Washington Post today, January 8, 2007, summarizing my thoughts about Bush's Iraq "surge" plan:

Congratulations!

Thanks to the generosity of our WesPAC community, we reached our goal of raising $20,000 for Christine Jenning’s recount fund a full week ahead of schedule.

The ongoing recount in FL-13 is fast becoming an important test case for electronic voting, and the results of this battle will certainly have a major impact on voting throughout our country. It is a testament to our community that we would so quickly seize the opportunity to make sure that Christine has the resources needed to ensure that every intended vote is counted.

Thank you again for your generous help and support. It will certainly make a big difference as Christine fights for electoral justice!

If you haven't had an opportunity to contribute to Christine Jennings recount fund, there is still time, just click here.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

Help Christine fight for electoral justice -- contribute to her recount fund today!

While four weeks have passed since the American people overwhelmingly cast a vote for change by putting Democrats in charge of both Houses of Congress, there is still a race that has yet to be conclusively decided that deserves our attention.

Democrat Christine Jennings, who rose from a bank teller at age 17 to become the founding President and CEO of Sarasota Bank, is locked in a tough recount battle to determine the next representative of Florida's 13th Congressional district.

Ironically, this is Katherine Harris' old seat.

Recently, the state of Florida certified a 369 vote victory for Christine's opponent despite the fact that there were serious problems with the voting machines used in the election. These problems have raised major questions about the integrity of the election, and Christine is fighting to make sure every intended vote is counted.

Please join me in supporting Christine Jennings' fight to ensure the will of the voters is heard. Help us raise $20,000 for her "Count Every Vote" fund today!

In Christine's home of Sarasota County, election officials have maintained that an astounding 18,000 voters simply did not vote in her Congressional race -- a 14% "undervote" that is six times higher than the undervote rate in the rest of the district. This statistical aberration, combined with numerous reports of voters who said they voted for Jennings but didn't see this choice registered on their voting summary, makes it clear that a new election or re-vote is the only solution.

Christine has filed suit to contest the election results, and she will continue to fight back. But she needs help -- click here to contribute to her campaign's recount fund today!

After what we saw in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, I've worked to make election integrity a top priority. Given the statistical discrepancies between undervotes in Sarasota County and the rest of the 13th District, coupled with reports of voting machine error, this race may represent a worst case scenario for those of us who feared something like this was bound to happen eventually.

Next move in Iraq?

Americans want a new approach.

Withdrawal? A bad idea. Partitioning? Won't work. The right approach is one that addresses U.S. interests in the entire region.

By Wesley Clark

The mission in Iraq is spiraling into failure. American voters have sent a clear message: Bring our troops home, but don't lose. That's a tall order both for resurgent Democrats, some of whom are calling for a quick withdrawal, and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which is presumably crafting new options.

Instead of cutting and running or staying the course, it is time for us to begin to redeploy. But how can we do this and improve our prospects for success?

First, we have to think past Iraq and above partisan politics, folding actions in Iraq into a strategy to protect broader U.S. interests throughout the region.

Neither the Bush administration's latest pronouncements nor the current political dialogue has adequately engaged these vital interests. The calamity in Iraq has hogtied the Bush administration, inviting disarray, if not instability, in neighboring countries that also require our attention.

U.S. interests include dissuading Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons and its hegemonic aspirations, providing security assurances for the rapidly developing Arab Gulf states and working with our friends in the Middle East to ensure access to oil resources and regional stability.

Yesterday, we Americans took a stand against the politics of personal destruction -- rebuffing the onslaught of negative advertising and dirty tricks.

Voters let themselves be heard and ordered a change in government, giving Democrats the opportunity to serve the nation and to provide the leadership that's been missing these past six years in Washington. With this opportunity comes great responsibility, and we must take the challenges ahead seriously, soberly and with clarity of purpose -- on issues like health care, the economy, education, and most of all, Iraq and national security.

It is a mistake for Democrats to celebrate rather than understand the meaning of yesterday's election.

America is looking for leadership right away, and Democrats should push forward a 3-point plan to address the crisis in Iraq and refocus our national security efforts:

1. Change the course in Iraq. Democrats must pressure George W. Bush to listen to the generals on the ground and the whole range of experts -- not just the GOP -- on how to change the course in Iraq. We must work with regional powers, promote gradual transformation and stability, and regain the 'strategic consent' for the long-term U.S. influence in the region. We must use the situation in Iraq to propel us toward this larger goal, and in doing so, we will also find the right way to wind down our deployment there.
2. Rebuilding alliances to address the real national security threats. We must bring our allies into the reconstruction of Iraq to ensure shared responsibility for the ongoing stability of Iraq itself and the region as a whole. We must provide real oversight on government contracts in Iraq; we cannot continue to allow no-bid contracts to Halliburton. And by bringing our allies together, we can finish the job in Afghanistan, and more effectively hunt down Osama Bin Laden and contain Iran and North Korea.
3. Address energy independence and global warming as national security issues. We must put a policy in place to lead us to energy independence and away from the volatile and conflict-ridden regions where, today, the "geostrategic risk premium" is adding billions of dollars to the costs imposed on the American people. Our reliance on oil also impacts global climate change. As I have stated before, global warming has serious national security risks: stretching our military resources to deal with catastrophes (like Katrina) and increasing the potential for conflicts due to the displacement of people, competition for scarce resources, and adverse effects on agriculture.

Thanks to your help, we have a real opportunity to change the course in Iraq and fix our national security policy. And it's only possible because Democrats now have the power in Congress to stand up to President Bush and make change happen. You helped us make history last night, and I can't thank you enough for what you've done.

In this election cycle, WesPAC helped 42 candidates win their races across America, including 25 candidates who flipped their seats from Republican to Democratic seats. Our WesPAC community raised over $1 million for candidates, not to mention the millions of hours of volunteer time members of the Clark community provided to campaigns in every corner of our nation. And I am most proud of the fact that at least 6 veterans were newly elected to House and Senate yesterday. What a tremendous victory for America -- and it wouldn't have been possible without the hard work that you and I and hundreds of thousands of Democrats put in over these last 24 months.

Last night the American people spoke, loud and clear. Now we have our marching orders. It's time to change course.

It's time to lead.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

Because of Iraq

A blunt new ad says the world is more dangerous… because of Iraq.

VoteVets Action Fund made up of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, is today unveiling an ad that directly takes on the now-infamous “These Are the Stakes” ad that began airing earlier this month.

Featuring four Iraq veterans and VoteVets.org Advisory Board Member, retired General Wesley Clark, the ad reminds Americans that the next time they see ads declaring the world is a more dangerous place, they should remember it is that way, because of Iraq.

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Give the building Democratic wave a push -- support Mike, Diane, Paul and Tessa today!

It's hard to believe, but this mid-term election season is finally heading down the homestretch towards the finish line. With just over a week to go until November 7th, this is the last chance to contribute to the Democratic challengers who I believe will sweep a new era of change into our nation's capital.

As we enter this last week, we're nearing the point where it will be too late to secure advertising time, send out mailers, and hire field staff for the final get out the vote effort. That's why, if you can contribute again to Democratic candidates, it's critically important to do it today while it will still make a huge difference!

I've personally chosen four final candidates who I'd ask you join me in supporting: Mike Weaver (KY-2), Diane Farrell (CT-4), Paul Hodes (NH-2), and Tessa Hafen (NV-3). All four would represent strong forces for change in the next Congress, and all four -- in very tight races -- need your support to finish strong.

Please support Mike, Diane, Paul, and Tessa -- contribute to their campaigns today!

http://www.actblue.com/page/democraticwave

General Wes Clark in Campaign Ad for Ned Lamont

"Mistake"

I'm retired General Wes Clark.

Joe Lieberman introduced the resolution authorizing the War in Iraq. That was a mistake.

Joe Lieberman voted for that resolution without asking the tough questions. That was also a mistake.

And now, 3 and a half years into a failing mission in Iraq, Joe Lieberman can't seem to say we should change the course. And that's a REAL mistake.

Re-elect Joe Lieberman? Well, there's a word for it.

"Mistake."

I'm Ned Lamont and I approve this message.

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