Local democrats to submit resolution for withdrawal from Iraq

Democrats on the local level are saying enough is enough to the ongoing war in Iraq. Part of the discussion at the last Little Colorado River Democrats meeting was to instigate injecting calcium in the backbone of the larger body of their party.

Next to the burning fire in the La Posada ballroom, the group formulated a resolution in they will send to David Waid, who was elected Arizona Democratic Party Chairman last February.

This locally drafted resolution will state that Democrats are calling for their congressional representatives to direct the State Department to end any funding further combat in Iraq. The resolution calls for Congress to only allocate any more funding towards the quickest and safest reasonable withdrawal of troops, not to combat. They believe that two-thirds of the American public are tired of this war and want to see a withdrawal soon.

"If we as Americans believe in democracy for Iraq and the majority of Iraqis have expressed that they want America out then why aren't we doing that," said Mayor Allan Affeldt.

Polls indicate over 80 percent of Iraqis want the U.S. out of their country because they believe it to be provoking more violence. Domestic polls indicate that 63 percent of Americans support troop withdrawals.

So far, according to Congressional budget reports over $406 billion has been spent on the war in Iraq. Local doctor Ken Ogilvie said that if you factor in medical costs it could put the total cost of this war to one trillion dollars.

The Defense Department has reported that 2,590 U.S. troops have died in combat in Iraq to date, while foreign human rights organizations estimate the Iraqi civilian death toll to be between 57,800-63,500.

LCRD Chairman Kurt Obermayer said that having lived through the era of Vietnam protests, conservatives were quick to accuse the active progressive movement as "spitting on the troops," for not supporting the policy of war.

Marsha Garnett said Democrats should not let that affect them and that people who have a position on an issue should take a stand and stick with it.

Director of the Flagstaff office for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and former campaigner for Gov. Janet Napolitano, Matt Capalby was in La Posada for dinner when he heard about the Little Colorado Democrats forming the resolution calling for the end to funding the military operations in Iraq.

"On behalf of Gov. Napolitano and the Arizona Democratic Party, we thank all of you in this part of Arizona for your support," Capalby said. "We have made great progress."

Mayor Affeldt said that he was at a recent state Democrat meeting and was discouraged when the subject of the party taking a formal stand against the war had been pushed aside and buried by other topics.

The Little Colorado Democrats would like Navajo County voters to sign a petition to send to the Arizona Democratic Party to show them the grassroots community support for their resolution to end war spending.

Those interested in learning more can meet the Little Colorado Party Democrats at their next meeting at 6 p.m. on Tues., April 3, in the courtyard at P.T.'s Bar in Winslow.

Donate to nhonews.com Report a Typo Contact
Most Read