In Iowa, Seeking Clarity On Iraq

The Nation: Despite Rhetoric, Leonard Boswell and Ed Fallon Came Down Differently On The War

(The Nation)  This column was written by John Nichols.

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When it comes to the war in Iraq, Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell has been and remains a disappointing Democrat.

The six-term incumbent voted to authorize President Bush to invade Iraq, defended the occupation through three election cycles and voted to fund it even after principled Republicans had begun to object.

On Tuesday, Boswell faces a tough primary challenge from former Iowa State Representative Ed Fallon, who opposed the war from the start and who has been consistently right on other issues that Boswell has gotten wrong (such as trade policy).

Even now, if you visit the congressman's campaign website (www.boswellforcongress.com), you won't find mention of the war or foreign policy on the list of issues Boswell is focusing on. (Rather, he's highlighting warm endorsements from popular and far more steadily anti-war Democrats such as former Vice President Al Gore.)

In targeted mailings to Democratic voters in Iowa's 3rd District, however, the incumbent is claiming that he's standing up to George Bush to end the war.

Noting the claim, Fallon asks of his opponent: "But where was he most of the past five years?"

There is no question about where Fallon was, and is, on the war.

Back in 2003, as a state legislator, he sponsored a resolution urging the Bush administration not to launch a preemptive attack on Iraq.

In stark contrast, while serving as a State Representative in 2003, Ed Fallon authored HR 17 to encourage the President not to initiate a preemptive, unilateral military strike against Iraq.

Fallon argued in that 2003 resolution that the war President Bush proposed and Congressman Boswell supported would:

1.) Undermine our efforts to bring Osama bin Laden to justice. Bin Laden remains at large.

2.) Destabilize the region. Iran has only grown in influence as a result of the war.

3.) Turn into a humanitarian disaster. Iraqi civilians have suffered greatly throughout the war.

4.) Lead to a long-term military presence in Iraq. U.S. troops have now been in Iraq longer than they were engaged in WWII.

5.) Cause America to bear most of the financial cost of the war, which we have.

6.) Cost between $100 billion and $1 trillion, and we are now almost at a trillion dollars.

7.) Cost us $15-$20 billion per year. That was a conservative estimate: the actual cost is about $12 billion a month, or $144 billion a year.

8.) Cause deeper federal budget deficits, further weakening the economy and undermining of the long-term prospects for solvency the Social Security and Medicare systems.

In hindsight, Fallon comes off as a visionary -- although the truth is that he was just one of the millions of Americans who, unlike too many members of Congress, saw through the administration's now-discredited spin.

As in the presidential race, where Barack Obama's deepest distinction from Hillary Clinton has always been that he got Iraq right when it mattered, Ed Fallon is distinguishing himself from Leonard Boswell by noting that he, too, got Iraq right when it mattered.

"Those who voted for this war had it wrong on so many levels," argues Fallon, who has attracted strong support from anti-war activist groups such as Progressive Democrats of America, as well as the influential endorsement of the Des Moines Register newspaper. "They were duped by President Bush's propaganda machine and failed to understand how the war would cripple our economy, leave thousands dead or injured, and polarize our nation. Congress needs leaders who are able to think critically before similar mistakes are made in the future."

[rshedges-2009]

Boswell is an ex-Marine so it is not surprising that
he would support the war. He has done a lot of good work for central Iowa, but it is time for him to go. He has some health issues and may not be able to complete his next term.
Fallon can be "flaky" in the tradition of former Gov. Jerry Brown of California. However, Fallon can find unique answers to difficult problems and he should win easily in this primary. Even the "Des Moines Register" endorsed Fallon and everyone I know wants a change from the current crop of Congressional representatives who barely know the issues that are important to Americans.

[noloyalisti]

Now they are getting the idea. Dems in the Midwest are actually Republicans. The center has gone far to the right. The only mainstream centrists are the Congressional Black Caucus and the other progressives and liberals.

[bluestardad]

AMERICA REACH YOUR POTENTIAL NOW!

A NEW LOOK AT THE MIDDLE EAST POLICY IS COMING WHEN THE DEMOCRATS SWEEP THE ELECTION AND THOSE OF YOU MIDDLE EAST BEGGARS AND THIEVES WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING OFF AMERICAN MONEY FOR THE PAST 65 YEARS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT WITHOUT AMERICAN FUNDING OR INVOLVEMENT OF OUR MILITARY!

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST!

THEY HAVE NOTHING WE NEED!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[turkeyshoot5]

The New York times is starting to give us a taste of how they''re going to try and get Obama elected. The candidates were asked to submit their health records to the New York times so as to "give the people the right to know". Here is an example of how they manipulate the news we read and an example of what we''re going to see for the next year.

The Wall Street Journal''s James Taranto points out a Times'' editorial early last month called for the contenders to fully disclose their medical records. Three weeks later John McCain released a 1,000 page file to reporters. He also made his personal doctors available for questions during a scheduled 90 minute conference call that was cut to 45 minutes after questions stopped.

The Times'' headline read, "Tight Control on McCain Files and Shortened Question Period."

But when Barack Obama released a one page written statement from his doctor last Friday, the banner was a bit different.

"Obama''s Doctor, Praising His Health, Sees No Obstacles to Service."