NW Blogger Joins Sheehan, Others in Crawford

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As I posted last night, a growing string of local media outlets are running stories about Cindy Sheehan, often featuring someone from their town who held a support rally or even came out to Crawford themselves. One of the linked stories was from the Seattle PI, which NPI picked up and connected the dots as to who Lietta Ruger is: the co-author (with her husband) of the robustly named Dying to Preserve the Lies, URL-linked by the name dyingwarriors.com, and a partner blog to the alliances that grew from the Downing Street revelations.

Lietta's first full-day dispatch yesterday showed how busy it was, in terms of the media exposure they were putting themselves under. Those who have gone to make a statement, to be heard, they'd better have something to say. This is their stage for the moment; they have the proverbial floor and you don't get to keep it for very long if you can't justify your disruption, so I have to reject the criticism that they are whoring themselves out by being so media overexposed. That's what they wanted, to be shown as supporting the lives of the young men and women overseas, and to register as bitterly opposed to the war that threatens them. Let them speak to anyone who will listen now. Sheehan is doing some speaking; her testimonial and challenge to Bush is airing in a small buy in Crawford, designed to get free reairings by the media. It's surprisingly strident and frank. I liked it.

The road directly in front of the White House's is closed due to 9/11. You may walk across Lafayette Park  to cross its silenced street and move up to the gates of the backyard, and peer through the irons. I saw it recently, and while it's sad the road had to be closed, the White House never looked better. It gained a stateliness to have nothing else moving, no activity in front of it (well, it's the backside actually). There is some activity, actually: a continuous vigil has been underway on the opposite side just inside the park since 1981, seeking the cessation of nuclear weapons production and stockpiling.

Back then, the park was demonstration central. Now, only small gatherings are allowed, unless you keep a continuous presence to your protest, as a vigil. Ironically, 9/11 gave them what is akin to exclusivity in front of the White House, and also thanks to the Bush administration the calls for nuclear reduction and antiproliferation are once again relevant to current events.  (It was probably a lonely time during the heydays of detente).

So Cindy has a long way to go, but all she needs is the rest of the month to make her point. It's hard to say whether she'll really become a known national figure, but so far the way her story has drawn increasing attention I think it's increasingly likely. There are people who do think she's self-aggrandizing, being puppeteered by the likes of Michael Moore, or disgracing her son's service by protesting the Commander in Chief. But thanks to Firedoglake, we get a good look at them. Apparently just a bunch of stooges...!

--TJ

Comments

[PeakLimiter]

Some more Lies" for you to track. Remember these???? Most likely not as you on the left are selectivly, voluntarily ignorant

One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line.” - President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.” - President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998

Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.” - Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998

“He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten time since 1983.” - Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb 18,1998

“[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the US Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.” - Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry (D - MA), and others Oct. 9,1998

“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.” - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998

“Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.” - Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999

“There is no doubt that … Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies.” - Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001

“We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them.” - Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002

“We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.” - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

“Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.” - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.” - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

“The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons…” - Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002

“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force- if necessary- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.” - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002

“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years .. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

“He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do” - Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002

“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members.. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.” - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

“We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction.” - Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002

“Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime … He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation … And now he is miscalculating America’s response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction .. So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real” - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

[Torrid]

do you have a point to go with that well-travelled list of quotes recognizing Saddam as a threat, none of which suggest an invasion and deposition by force, followed by years of occupation and permanent basing rights?

[TJ]

Nice quotes, but the reality is that the weapons program had been dead in Iraq since the mid-1990's, and the UN investigators tried to tell us that. You don't start a war and ravage an entire country ,killing 1800+ of your own military and thousands of civilians, because "somebody might someday get a weapons program". Particularly since this administration, knowing Saddam so well, knew he would much rather spend the money on himself and his family than even the defense of his own country. You can spout all the Democrat quotes you want, but the Democrats didn't start a war and put our young people's lives at risk, and this president DID.

[Ronald Rutherford]

TJ:
I think you may be forgetting that the President does not have the power to declare war. It is congress that appropriates the money for the war effort. All congress or the Senate have to do is not pass the next bill. Since the Democrats like filibusters, this seems like an opportune time that they could use these powers if they so desired. Then again: I voted for the war before I voted against it.
PeakLimiter:
Thanks for the post. If you wouldn't mind I would like to keep this as a reference. Did you have a link to a site or did you compile it?