In case you harbor illusions Kerry is even slightly anti-war
From his campaign website
First, he says, install the UN in Iraq because this “will remove the stigma of foreign occupation from our presence there.” Wow, how noble of you, John, letting the UN to do our dirty work so we don’t appear tainted.
Under Kerry, we damn well will control Iraq.
The United States has ample power and influence to establish a working relationship which guarantees— indeed guides us to—an outcome which meets our goals and security needs.
Like Wesley Clark, he wants more troops and occupations, not less.
As we internationalize the work in Iraq, we need to add 40,000 troops – the equivalent of two divisions – to the American military in order to meet our responsibilities elsewhere – especially in the urgent global war on terror. In my first 100 days as President, I will move to increase the size of our Armed Forces. Some may not like that.
Whew, we’re dealing with a razor keen intellect here, eh? You betcha some won’t like more US troops occupying yet more areas of the globe. ANSWER will no doubt have 100,000 in the streets of DC to greet his inauguration, should it occur. Invading more countries will not stop terrorism, because, among other reasons, the terrorism is not state-sponsored. However it will most certainly encourage insurgents to attack us – which guarantees soldiers coming home in body bags and more hatred against us due to our arrogant We Are The King, Bow Down style of “diplomacy.”
As for the Iraqi people, he offers this condescending statement
Genuinely engaging the Iraqi people in shaping new institutions is fundamental to the long term cause of a stable, peaceful, and independent Iraq that contributes to the world instead of threatening it.
Oh those silly Iraqis, let’s pat them on the head, and encourage them to be good little boys and girls – while we keep a watchful eye on their oil, of course.
His conclusion
We must change a course of unilateralism and pre-emptive war that is radically wrong for America.
Yet by his own words, he wants more troops, more occupation, and an Iraq government that meets his terms not one chosen democratically by them. This a plan for more war, not for peace, and it differs little from what Bush is doing.
Reading Kerry’s apologia for war which pretends to be an “alternative”, I’m reminded of Peter Camejo’s recent Avocado Declaration.
History shows that the Democrats and Republicans are not two counterpoised forces, but rather complementary halves of a single two-party system: “one animal with two heads that feed from the same trough,”
Since the Civil War the two parties show differences in their image, role, social base and some policies but in the last analysis, they both support essentially similar economic platforms.
When social justice, peace or civil rights movements become massive in scale, and threaten to become uncontrollable and begin to win over large numbers of people, the Democratic Party begins to shift and presents itself as a supposed ally. Its goal is always to co-opt the movement, demobilize its forces and block its development into an alternative, independent political force.
And that’s precisely what’s happening now. With Dean now effectively out of the race, even his weak anti-war voice will be gone. In its place are Democrats who pretend to be different, but really aren’t.
The Democratic Party preaches defeatism to the most oppressed and exploited. Nothing can be expected, nothing is possible but what exists. To the people they justify continuous betrayal of the possibility for real change with the argument of lesser evil. It’s the Republicans or us. Nothing else is possible.
The Democrats have no candidate who will do anything different in Iraq than what Bush is doing now, nor are their economic policies much different.
A Kerry candidacy might aid a strong Green Party run, as the disaffected look for alternatives to the Dems. As I’ve said before, the Green nomination is probably Camejo’s, if he wants it. You can sign a petition urging him to run.
Update:
Jake of Lying Media Bastards sums it up well in comments to this post.
Well, my top priority is getting George W. Sociopath out of the White House. And as soon as one of these new Democratic bastards takes over, I’m going to oppose their idiocy too.