Daily Kos has been highlighting a new coalition of Democratic challengers with the stated goal of ending the Iraq war in 2009 [0]:

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

(Washington DC) Democratic Congressional Candidate Steve Harrison joined a group of 9 other leading Democratic Congressional challengers with large grassroots followings in issuing a detailed strategic outline called “Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq”. The plan will be formally unveiled during the “Take Back America” Conference at 5:30 pm on March 17 at the Palladian room in the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington DC.

The strategic plan which was developed by consulting retired generals and other national security experts, calls for Congress to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq, restore government accountability and work toward energy independence, all goals Harrison is strongly committed to.

“We must commence the withdrawal of U.S. troops ASAP and achieve the complete removal of residual forces from Iraq as soon as it is consistent with their safety.”

Harrison continues, “This week is the 5th anniversary of the disastrous Iraq invasion. The Bush administration has not articulated a rationale for the continuation of this war. The current objective is not clear and the original reasons given by the Bush administration for the war were proven false. Why they were false -- lies or incompetence -- is beside the point. They were false nonetheless. There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Iraq was not responsible for 9/11. So there is no basis to continue.”

“America’s need for oil was the driving force behind the invasion of Iraq. This is why energy independence must be a key component of foreign policy as well as domestic policy. Initiatives such as the Apollo Energy Act of 2007 and other related legislation are important not only for our environment, but for our safety. Iraq must be our last “oil war”. America’s national and economic security depends on energy independence. For these reasons, I am proud to be part of the events of today and to add my name to the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.”

Harrison is challenging Vito Fossella, New York City’s only Republican House member. Against Fossella in 2006, Harrison received a higher percentage of the vote than any Democrat ever under the Congressional District’s current configuration.

The other candidates involved include Darcy Burner (WA-8), Sam Bennett (PA-15), Larry Byrnes (FL-14), Donna Edwards (MD4), George Fearing (WA-4), Eric Massa (NY 29), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Jared Polis (CO-2), and Tom Perriello (VA-5).

You can watch the live presentation of this plan to end the war at 5:30pm on March 17th [1].

For more information visit steveharrisonforcongress.com [2].

And you can donate to Steve Harrison or Eric Massa on my New York State Act Blue Page [3] (as an aside, some good State Senate candidates are also included for those who want to help Governor Paterson clean up Albany as well).

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