Democracy In Albany

Brooks:

"This war has gone on long enough," said Brooks. "We  need to bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq and give them all the resources they need to rejoin our workforce, rejoin our communities and, most importantly, rejoin their families."

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"We need to readjust our priorities. The right priority is to take the billions of dollars being spent on Iraq and put that money towards solving our own problems right here at home," said Brooks. "President Bush has failed to provide a troop
withdrawal timetable and Sen. McCain is talking about a hundred more years of war.  That's not what people in the Capital Region are saying."

Brooks concluded: "The people of the 21st Congressional District want us to end the war in Iraq, and then start focusing on stimulating our local economy and passing meaningful legislation that will bring more jobs, broader health care coverage and a better quality of life for everyone."

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"I'm committed to successfully ending the war in Iraq, taking care of our returning soldiers, and restoring America's position as the world's economic, diplomatic and military leader," said
Brooks. "And when elected to Congress, I will fight in Washington to do just that."

Freeman has no policy positions on his Web site.

Mittleman:

We now find ourselves in the awkward position of needing to withdraw our troops as quickly as feasible and finding an exit strategy that relies on politics and money if need be, not American lives. We currently spend an estimated $100 to $150 billion annually just on the Iraq war alone. Putting this in perspective, over a five year period this is equal to giving every single household in Iraq $100,000! I believe that with this much money at hand, there is a political answer to a swift withdrawal of our troops.

Our ability to undertake and fund overseas military operations must be examined. There will be times when real and direct threats to our national security warrant such actions, but we should never be haphazard about it. The spending that is taking place in Iraq is driving larger deficits and the use of our soldiers in foreign lands means that they are not available to help our own citizens when we face a crisis such as the fires in California or hurricanes in the south east.

Shahinfar:

"I'm running for Congress to Renew America's Promise. This plan takes concrete steps to do just that," said Shahinfar.  "'The Responsible Plan to End the War' in Iraq" cuts through the false narratives and will bring about real change.  This proposal addresses both immediate and long-term concerns in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as here at home. The emphasis on a shift from military to economic, humanitarian and diplomatic efforts is exactly what we need to end our military involvement in Iraq...rapidly, responsibly and reasonably."

Endorsed by numerous military, foreign and domestic policy experts, this proposal is a comprehensive plan calling for the passage of seventeen Democratic-sponsored bills.  The core objectives are to end U.S. military action in Iraq, repair the diplomatic and humanitarian damage done by the war and subsequent occupation, and prevent a repeat of similar foreign policy
blunders in the future.

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"It's time to bring our troops home. And when our men and women in uniform come back to American soil, we must support them and their families in every way possible as they re-adjust to civilian life," said Shahinfar. "I will fight to bring about real change and to Renew America's Promise to our soldiers, our citizens and the rest of the world."

(Previous post about "The Responsible Plan" is here.)

Steck:

"At a time when our country is sinking deeper and deeper into recession, America cannot afford to spend $2 trillion in Iraq and other places," said Steck. "Congress and the White House should refocus their priority to the challenges we face here at home - escalating unemployment, home foreclosures, and the 47 million Americans who lack health insurance and those who are underinsured."

Steck said that Congress could take the money to be spent in Iraq and finally provide a universal health care system. "DC lawmakers are ready to spend another trillion dollars on a war we should never have started. Their practice of borrowing every cent now will saddle future generations with unacceptable debt," added Steck.

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Now, as the nation spirals deeper into recession, the Bush Administration is asking Congress for at least another $102 billion. I believe Congress should fund withdrawal from Iraq not continuation of this fruitless war without evidence that there is any light at the end of the tunnel. We must have the courage to end this unjustified war and let the Iraqi people be free to govern themselves and decide their own future.

We need a Congress that will stand up for what's right: ending this war and bringing the international criminal Osama bin Laden, and his organization, to justice."

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Albany County Legislator Phil Steck, who announced his candidacy for Congress in New York's 21st CD, announced today that he is pushing hard for support of the Resolution he co-sponsored with Legislator Doug Bullock that calls states that the Albany County Legislature is officially opposed to the Iraq War.

Welser:

I've always wanted to take a different approach in Iraqi withdrawal and STICK IT TO THE UN! Before our removal post haste, I'd like the Iraqi government to ask for help in stabilizing their government, if they feel that necessary.

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Telling the Iraqi government that we, because of the Racial and Religious differences, feel that flying under the US flag, "We may be building long term hatred among some of their countryman, responsible for a portion of the insurgency by our very presence and unless the United Nations votes to deploy troops, we'll be leaving." We came; for fear that Sadam was building weapons of terror and to free Iraq of a dictatorial government. Now we may have reached a point to which we are doing more harm then good.

Democracy has its price. We've stepped up to the plate, overthrown their Dictator. It should be far easier for them to build and sustain a government then it would have been without US involvement.