Ditch Mitch KY

“Iraq Summer” Demonstration in Lexington

Joe Sonka July 7th, 2007

This afternoon, a group of Lexington patriots came out to Triangle Park to voice their disapproval of Bush’s escalation of the Iraq War, and those who enable them (that’s you Mitch). There were even a few Iraq veterans there to show their support for the protest.

The group that organized the protest was the Kentucky wing of Iraq Summer. Iraq Summer is an organization stemming from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, and its mission is to put pressure on those in Congress who continue to enable George W. Bush and his failed Iraq policy. With September being the big month that Petraeus’s report comes out and Congress will debate Iraq funding, Iraq Summer knows that this summer is immensely important in terms of grabbing a hold of these Congressmen and showing them the light: that our Iraq policy has to change. The American public is already there, but we need to grab more Senators and Representatives if we’re going to force Bush’s hand. Some local Kentucky veterans of the Iraq War are lending their time to the effort.

I grabbed a copy of one of their press releases and even a letter that they hand delivered to Mitch McConnell’s office (which is quite zesty). Below is the full text of both.

The Honorable Senator McConnell
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

June 5th, 2007

Dear Senator McConnell,

As you know, Pentagon reports show that President Bush’s Iraq escalation policy has failed to achieve the goal of quelling violence, despite deploying tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops into the middle of what a majority of Americans view as a religious civil war. The President’s Iraq policy of seemingly endless war has cost our nation nearly 3,600 American lives, more than $400 billion and strained our military to the breaking point.

As your constituents, we strongly oppose President bush’s reckless Iraq war policy. We join with millions of other Americans to oppose the continuation of this war and urge Congress to keep America safe by responsibly redeploying our troops. Now that the President’s escalation is complete, it is time for you and other elected leaders in Congress to take a stand for or against the President’s Iraq policy.

As such, we invite you to attend a town hall meeting which we will organize during the August Congressional Recess that will give you the opportunity to tell us and all your constituents your position on President Bush’s Iraq policy.

We are prepared to work with you and your office to hold this meeting on August 28th. We would be happy to arrange the exact time and location so that it is convenient to your schedule. We are prepared to work with you on the format for the town hall. In the end, however, our request is simple, please attend this town hall meeting and take a stand for or against the President’s Iraq policy.

I will be in touch with your office within the next several days to work out arrangements.

We look forward to a frank and productive meeting that allows you to take a clear stand on the President’s Iraq policy.

Sincerely,

Aniello Alioto
Iraq Summer
Kentucky Field Director

Here’s their press release:

For Immediate Release

July 3, 2007

New Statewide Campaign to Turn Up the Heat on Kentucky Lawmakers to Bring Troops Safely Home from Iraq

"Iraq Summer" Campaign Part of Widespread and Mounting Opposition to War in Iraq

Louisville, KY - Kentucky residents are launching a statewide campaign today working with local veterans and advocacy groups to pressure lawmakers to bring an end to the war in Iraq. The Kentucky campaign, part of the larger nationwide "Iraq Summer" campaign, plans to turn up the heat on Senator Mitch McConnell, who has opposed setting a timeline to bring a responsible end to the war in Iraq. Over the next ten weeks, a barrage of events, letter writing campaigns, volunteer activities, internet organizing and resolution efforts directed at Senator McConnell will call on the lawmaker to reject President Bush’s failed policy of endless war and vote for the safe, responsible redeployment of American troops out of Iraq.

"Iraq Summer" is a nationwide campaign organized by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, which is dispatching nearly 100 organizers to the home states and districts of Republican Senators and Representatives who have opposed setting a timeline to end the war in Iraq. The program is modeled on the "Freedom Summer" civil rights project. Organizers will be in fifteen states from Nevada to Maine, a total of 40 congressional districts.

"Opposition to the war in Iraq is reaching a boiling point in Kentucky and this summer Republican members of Congress will be feeling the heat from their constituents, " said Aniello Alioto; a native Kentuckian and statewide Field Director. "As more and more rural and suburban voters turn against President Bush’s Iraq war policies, the President’s supporters in Congress will be facing their own political vulnerability. We will force Members of Congress to make a choice: continue to support President Bush’s wildly unpopular policy of endless war in Iraq and face the political consequences or side with the majority of Americans and vote to responsibly end the war."

With reports that President Bush’s policy has failed to quell violence in Iraq, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq aims to turn the growing nation-wide opposition to the war into intense political pressure to end the war responsibly. By mobilizing thousands of outraged citizens, AAEI will demonstrate that continued support for the war in Iraq is both bad policy and bad politics. A Pentagon report has shown that the President’s escalation in Iraq has failed, and a recently released New York Times/CBS poll indicates that 63% of the public wants a timetable for withdrawal in 2008.

"The time for patience is over. We can no longer sit around and hope our lawmakers do the right thing. They will see us all summer long, pounding away, demanding an end to the war in Iraq," said Aniello Alioto. "We’ve had over four years to succeed in Iraq, but the President’s reckless unending war policy has failed. It’s time for Kentucky’s lawmakers to gather the courage to stand up to the President and it’s time to start bringing our troops home from Iraq."

Damn straight. Should be a fun summer. Hope it’s a productive one too.

(crossposted at BlueGrassRoots)