babbling blue

This Saturday, I went to a fundraiser for (and featuring) Hillary Rodham Clinton at Crobar in Chicago. When we arrived, there were a couple dozen protesters across the street. They had banners and were chanting various things, such as “Out of Iraq NOW!” and something about Hillary being anti-women (huh?) and it was clear they were liberals. So the following is a response to them and their kind.

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Dear Liberals Protesting Liberals:

My fellow liberal Americans, I recently witnessed some of us taking part in an important part of the democratic process, a protest. I have no problem with protesting. It’s the American way, and a powerful way to speak out against those things we disagree with. I don’t even find fault with protesting those who are supposedly on the same side of the aisle as us. Just because someone brands themself a Democrat doesn’t mean they always do what they should to represent liberal interests; if our own people screw up they should be called on it.

However, I must confess to being a bit baffled on some of the points you guys were trying to make this past Saturday when protesting Hillary Clinton in Chicago. There were signs complaining about healthcare and you were chanting that Hillary is anti-women (which then changed to anti-human). I don’t know where those criticisms came from. Mrs. Clinton crusaded for healthcare reform when her husband was president. It’s not an easy issue to tackle. She’s made some small accomplishments in the Senate, but broad and meaningful reform is elusive. She’s only one Senator out of 100. I also don’t know what anti-women (or human) stances Hillary has taken. Perhaps someone can enlighten me?

What I really have a problem with are the demands that we (the U.S.) withdraw from Iraq immediately, and the criticism of anyone that refuses to join in those demands. That kind of thinking is short-sighted and irresponsible. A complete and immediate withdrawal from Iraq at this point isn’t in anyone’s best interest. While we should probably have never invaded Iraq in the first place, we can’t unring a bell. Right or wrong, good or bad, it’s been done. And we have to see it through. To do otherwise creates a massive risk of destabilizing the region much more than it is now.

We went in to a country and toppled its government. That isn’t something that can be fixed over night. Removing our presence prematurely could lead to a civil war, with many more people dying than there are now. It could allow Iran (a country which is probably more a threat to us after being included on the foolish “Axis of Evil” than it was before) to exert great influence on Iraq. Certainly the area could become more of a staging ground and safe haven for terrorists than it ever was under Saddam.

America owes it to the Iraqi people to ensure the government we leave behind can protect them. We owe it to our soldiers, over 2000 of whom gave their lives for this already, to finish what we started. What we need, and what Senator Clinton and others are calling for, is a plan to transition military control of the country to the Iraqi people and gradually shrink our own presence there.

Going to Iraq in the first place was probably the wrong thing to do. But the cliche “Two wrongs don’t make a right” that you probably heard from your parents as a child rings true in this case. We can’t right our initial wrong by doing another one.

So to all of you liberals who like to protest against and attack liberals: if you’re going to continue to do so, you should really have a legitimate point or two. I know I neither heard nor read any at your protest this past Saturday.

Sincerely,
Josh V