Young Voters Reject Escalation
In his address to the nation, President Bush again attempted to explain a plan to win the war in Iraq. Instead of following the responsible course of action the Iraq Study Group suggested, he argued for a third escalation in Iraq – a move which the Young Democrats of America oppose. Young voters in the last election were loud and clear. We want a new direction in Iraq that will lead to an end of the war. Clearly the President and those who support this troop increase missed the message we sent them.
The majority of young people believe we must begin to bring our troops home in the next 4-6 months, we must begin to shift the current military on the ground from street combat to training the Iraqi military to protect their country and we must begin to work on the political solution that is needed in the Middle East through diplomatic discussions and by focusing on a comprehensive solution to the violence in the Middle East. All Democrats want success in Iraq. Following these steps will bring us to success, not more of the same that President Bush outlined last night.
As young people, we are the Americans fighting the war in Iraq, and we can only hope that the President’s plan will work to bring peace in Iraq and to move the responsibility of protection over to the Iraqi government. However, if we look at what the past two escalations of troops have done in Iraq, than we can only conclude the increase in troops will only escalate the violence in Iraq and put more of our troops and Iraqi civilians’ lives on the line.
We have lost the lives of over 3,000 members of our generation in addition to the over 20,000 who have been wounded and disabled. Thousands are struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and there is an increase in suicide for our serving men and women. The human and financial cost of this war is out of control and must be stopped.
Over three and a half years ago President Bush stood in a flight suit on a military ship and said “Mission Accomplished.” The President began to lose our trust and faith then and his speech tonight and his current plan have done noting to restore that trust in his ability to lead in Iraq and get our troops home safely.
