Peace

By Todd "Todd Chretien" Chretien

Bring the Troops Home Now: California deserves a senator who will represent the anti-war majority

More than 2,350 young American troops and over 100,000 Iraqis have died with no end in sight. If we want to stop the dying and respect the Iraqi people's right to run their own country, then we must immediately withdrawal of all American military forces from Iraq and the surrounding countries.

We have spent over $370 billion to invade and occupy Iraq. Our military budget has escalated to over $650 billion per year. For the money we've spent on the war in Iraq, we could have eliminated unemployment or paid for health care for all uninsured people in our country. One day of the occupation could have paid for the levees needed to save the people of New Orleans.

President Bush lied to invade Iraq. The truth is Iraq has the world's second greatest proven oil reserves. The majority of Californians saw through his lies and never supported this war.

If we want lasting peace in the Middle East, the U.S. must completely reverse its policies. We must stop threatening Syria and Iran with military action, propping up right-wing dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and funding Israel to the tune of $7 billion per year while it denies justice for the Palestinian people. Here at home, we must redirect resources from the military-industrial complex towards developing renewable and clean energy.