PDHblog
This is a place for members of Progressive Democrats of Hawai‘i to express their thoughts
and exasperations about political happenings. The opinions and views are not necessarily
those of PDH's steering committee or membership as a whole.

I remember President Bush’s rush to war in Iraq: While proclaiming that war was the “last resort,” the President was clearly impatient. UN sanctions were actually working well. According to the Wikipedia,

The United Nations located and destroyed large quantities of Iraqi WMD throughout the 1990s in spite of persistent Iraqi obstruction. Washington withdrew weapons inspectors in 1998, resulting in Operation Desert Fox, which further degraded Iraq’s WMD capability. . . .While various leftover weapons components from the 1980s and 1990s have also been found, most weapons inspectors do not now believe that the WMD program proceeded after 2002,^[1] though various theories continue to be put forward. . . . In late 2002 Saddam Hussein, in a letter to Hans Blix, invited UN weapons inspectors back into the country. Subsequently the Security Council issued Resolution 1441 authorizing new inspections in Iraq. The carefully-worded U.N. resolution put the burden on Iraq, not U.N. inspectors, to prove that they no longer had weapons of mass destruction. . . .In January 2003, United Nations weapons inspectors reported that they had found no indication that Iraq possessed nuclear weapons or an active program. . . .On March 7, 2003, Hans Blix’s last report to the UN security Council prior to the US led invasion of Iraq, described Iraq as actively and proactively cooperating with UNMOVIC, though not necessarily in all areas of relevance and had been frequently uncooperative in the past, but that it was within months of resolving key remaining disarmament tasks.^[50]

But this was not good enough for Bush and Cheney, who clearly chose to believe the old intelligence reports, and other “worst case” assessments, and to disbelieve the UN reports. Or maybe they just lied. It was clear to me at the time that, shortly after the war on the Taliban in Afghanistan, and despite assurances that war was a “last resort,” Bush wanted to invade Iraq. His body language was clearer than his words. (more…)

Frosty’s lament today is hardly an isolated concern. There’s more here:

Primary Challenges Haunt Democrats, by BooMan (Thu Sep 20th, 2007 at 11:07:06 AM EST). This blog includes a quote from Rep. Neil Abercrombie about the disconnect between what the anti-war group wants, and what the Democratic representatives feel able to deliver. This is also revealed in a recent national poll by Andy Kohut that aired on PBS September 19, 2007.

ANDREW KOHUT: Yes, I mean, I think, with respect to the Democrats, that’s the case, because what we saw also is the percentage of Democrats saying that their leaders are not doing enough to push Bush on Iraq. In July, that percentage was 54 percent, and in September, it was 61 percent.

It is also reflected in my op-ed piece today in the Star Bulletin, “Follow the Constitution: Initiate impeachment.” I am totally frustrated by Speaker Pelosi’s declaration that impeachment is off the table. (more…)

A number of organizations, led by the Hawaii chapters of NION and WCW, joined together and raised their Voices on March 17th to End the War NOW, forestall an Attack on Iran!, Impeach Bush for War Crimes!, and Stop the Militarization of Hawai`i.

Because the Bush Regime has committed war crimes, and is about to commit more, we have the responsibility to stop them.

We must show that the outrages committed by the Bush regime, from Iraq to Hawai`i, are not being done in our name!

The goal was to be part of building a movement powerful enough to end the war, and impeach Bush and Cheney for War Crimes.

The March 17th protest in Honolulu began at 3 pm with an Anti-war rally at Ala Moana Park, in Picnic Area No. 1 near the corner of Atkinson and Ala Moana (across from Macy’s).There were poets, speakers and info tables. Many people got there early to meet friends, listen to the speakers, and get the sign they wanted to carry. The speakers included representatives of the cooperating organizations.

The march on Ala Moana Blvd (with a trolley for those unable to march) began at 4 pm, at the corner of Ala Moana and Atkinson. They marched ewa on Ala Moana (mauka) to Kamakee, then went up Kamakee to Auahi and back to Ala Moana Park on the makai side of Ala Moana Blvd.

When the march returned, at about 5:30, the marchers were greeted back into the park by an awesome group of drummers, and then a line-up of poets and musicians. I was there with the PDH banner, and some flyers, bumper stickers, and petitions. Thanks again to Carolyn Hadfield and NION for allowing us to use one of the tables.

Bob