At the end of this year, the U.N. "mandate" under which W. has been occupying Iraq ends. Under what there is of international law, we need a "Status Of Forces Agreement" (SOFA) in order to remain in Iraq past December 31. The Bush administration has been trying for a long time to reach a three-year deal that would mean our troops are out by the end of 2011.

The problem is, many Iraqis, particularly Shiite leaders who take their cue from Iran, don't trust Bush or any Republican (McCain) to keep the promise of leaving in three years. So the SOFA has been held up.

Then, on November 4, Barack Obama won the election. And, lo and behold, suddenly the Shiites in Iraq are ready to finalize an agreement. 77 days before taking office, Obama has a major effect on foreign affairs. Perhaps he can truly bring us "peace in our time."

A great deal of virtual ink has been expended on a single quote from Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar about Democratic City Councilman Mike McMahon. The quote, as it has been discussed at length, is this:

"[McMahon] appeals to us on his opposition to gay marriage, and he told us he continues to support U.S. action in Iraq.”

No one who has discussed it here knows what was said to Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar to give him the impression that McMahon supports Bush's Iraq Quagmire. Focusing on the quote above also has allowed some to claim that McMahon's stand has evolved since the meeting with Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar and perhaps he no longer supports the Bush Quagmire. This view rests on the assumption that some time has passed since the meetig between McMahon and Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar and that the Conservative Party's view is out of date.

But let's look at the full quote from Politico:  read more »

Have you ever noticed how sometimes a crucial issue in the Iraq war will go utterly unreported in the US press? Well, the barely-breathing Bush Administration has been negotiating with its Iraqi sock-puppets. What do they want? To stay in Iraq for a very long time with “broad authority to conduct combat operations and guarantee civilian contractors specific legal protections from Iraqi law, according to administration and military official” according to a NYTimes report in January (the last time the issue was noticed by the newspaper of record).

Now, many Iraqis are preparing to protest what they see as a surrender of national sovereignty and what I see as a Bush-Cheney end run around electoral defeat in November and Congressional opposition. The “Status of Forces Agreement” opposed by all but US Government bought & paid for “officials” provides a framework for Mr. McCain’s plan to keep Iraq occupied until our great-grandchildren retire.  read more »

I met Diane Benson, Congressional Candidate in Alaska, about a month ago and was very impressed. But only got to hear her speak as a candidate tonight. Again I was impressed. Diane is a genuine American who has worked hard all her life to get an education and to better the life of her son. Often she and her son have worked hard for our country and for their community. She has the confidence of someone who worked their way through school driving trucks while raising her son. She has the confidence of a woman who worked in the male dominated workers camp on the Alaskan pipeline. She has the confidence of someone who has had to work for everything, being given nothing easily. The contrast with the spoiled brat who inhabits the White House is about as striking as you can get.  read more »

Daily Kos has been highlighting a new coalition of Democratic challengers with the stated goal of ending the Iraq war in 2009:

What interests us locally in New York State is that two members of this coalition are from New York: Steve Harrison (NY-13) and Eric Massa (NY-29). Here's the press release from the Harrison campaign:

Steve Harrison joins other top-tier Democratic challengers to issue “Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq”
Harrison (NY-13 Staten Island/Southwest Brooklyn), Darcy Burner (WA-8), Donna Edwards (MD4), Eric Massa (NY-29) and 6 other candidates will unveil detailed strategy to end the war  read more »