Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: US Senator Robert Byrd, Senate Floor Speech - Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Former President Bill Clinton had no morals but at least he had some
brains.
George Bush has neither. If you oppose his unnecessary, illegal and
unjustified war, you owe it to your country and your conscience to speak
out
and take a stand now. Contrary to what the conservative,
military-industrial
complex "my country love it or leave it" neo-Nazis would have you
believe,
this does not make you "anti-military" or "un-American".  Ulysses S.
Grant,
Douglas MacArthur, "Ike" Eisenhower and George Marshall are examples of
great American soldiers who believed in universal justice but did not
indulge in spreading mindless hatred, fear, hysteria  and revenge as is
done
now by the current Administration and the media's "talking heads". Grant
stood up to the vengeful Northern politicians and his generous surrender
terms to his former Confederate foes helped to reconcile North & South
after
our bitter Civil War. Gen. MacArthur was loved for his fairness by the
people of post-war Japan, a ruined nation he helped defeat. George
Marshall,
chief of staff during WWII and Secretary of State in  the raw, cold,
hungry
postwar world that followed, time and again put his career on the line
by
single-handely facing down arrogant statesman and politicians that meant
the
difference not just between victory or defeat, but between peace or war.
Colin Powell and former secy Madeline "Halfbright" couldn't shine George
Marshall's shoes. President Dwight Eisenhower courageously did not
hesitate
to force an end  to English, French and Israeli aggression during the
1956
Suez crisis. He also warned of the great danger posed to our freedom not
by
foreign enemies but by the military-industrial complex. The gutless
American
Congress - which Pat Buchanan characterized as "the Israeli Amen Corner"
-
is a national disgrace, having surrendered all it's legislative powers
to
the Executive branch of good-ole-boy idiot Bush, psycho Rumsfeld, toady
Powell.... Thinking they had the people fooled and a free hand to do as
they
wished, the war-mongers were in for a rude awaking this weekend as
people in
this country and millions of others all over the globe protested against
their insane policies. As the saying goes Georgie boy  "you can fool
some of
the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of
the
time".  The courageous speech below by US Senator Robert Byrd is "must
reading" for every American. Say "NO" to hatred & fear and hope to see
you
on the picket line for Peace, Truth, Sanity  & Justice!
by US Senator Robert Byrd
Senate Floor Speech - Wednesday, February 12, 2003
To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human
experiences.
On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle,
every
American on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.
Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully
silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the
nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.
We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our
own
uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only on
the
editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion
of
the
prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.
And this is no small conflagration we contemplate. This is no simple
attempt
to defang a villain. No. This coming battle, if it materializes,
represents
a
turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning point in the
recent history of the world.
This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary
doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time. The
doctrine
of preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other nation can
legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may
be
threatening in the future -- is a radical new twist on the traditional
idea
of self defense. It appears to be in contravention of international law
and
the UN Charter. And it is being tested at a time of world-wide
terrorism,
making many countries around the globe wonder if they will soon be on
our --
or some other nation's -- hit list. High level Administration figures
recently refused to take nuclear weapons off of the table when
discussing a
possible attack against Iraq. What could be more destabilizing and
unwise
than this type of uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism
has
tied the vital economic and security interests of many nations so
closely
together? There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances,
and
U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide speculation.
Anti-Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation, suspicion, and
alarming
rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid alliance against
global terrorism which existed after September 11.
Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with
little
guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur. Family members
are
being called to active military duty, with no idea of the duration of
their
stay or what horrors they may face. Communities are being left with less
than
adequate police and fire protection. Other essential services are also
short-staffed. The mood of the nation is grim. The economy is stumbling.
Fuel
prices are rising and may soon spike higher.
This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be
judged
on its record. I believe that that record is dismal.
In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large
projected
surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken us to
projected
deficits as far as the eye can see. This Administration's domestic
policy
has
put many of our states in dire financial condition, under funding scores
of
essential programs for our people. This Administration has fostered
policies
which have slowed economic growth. This Administration has ignored
urgent
matters such as the crisis in health care for our elderly. This
Administration has been slow to provide adequate funding for homeland
security. This Administration has been reluctant to better protect our
long
and porous borders.
In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin
Laden.
In
fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces and
urging
them to kill. This Administration has split traditional alliances,
possibly
crippling, for all time, International order-keeping entities like the
United
Nations and NATO. This Administration has called into question the
traditional worldwide perception of the United States as
well-intentioned,
peacekeeper. This Administration has turned the patient art of diplomacy
into
threats, labeling, and name calling of the sort that reflects quite
poorly
on
the intelligence and sensitivity of our leaders, and which will have
consequences for years to come.
Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil,
denigrating
powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of crude
insensitivities can do our great nation no good. We may have massive
military
might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone. We need the
cooperation and friendship of our time-honored allies as well as the
newer
found friends whom we can attract with our wealth. Our awesome military
machine will do us little good if we suffer another devastating attack
on
our
homeland which severely damages our economy. Our military manpower is
already
stretched thin and we will need the augmenting support of those nations
who
can supply troop strength, not just sign letters cheering us on.
The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is
evidence
that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in that
region. We
have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in Afghanistan,
the
dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that remote and
devastated
land.
Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces. This Administration
has
not finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to
embark
on
another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan. Is
our
attention span that short? Have we not learned that after winning the
war
one
must always secure the peace?
And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq. In the
absence of
plans, speculation abroad is rife. Will we seize Iraq's oil fields,
becoming
an occupying power which controls the price and supply of that nation's
oil
for the foreseeable future? To whom do we propose to hand the reigns of
power
after Saddam Hussein?
Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks
on
Israel? Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal? Will the
Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals,
bolstered by
Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?
Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide
recession?
Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous disregard of the
interests and opinions of other nations increased the global race to
join
the
nuclear club and made proliferation an even more lucrative practice for
nations which need the income?
In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant
Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous
consequences
for years.
One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the savage
attacks of September 11. One can appreciate the frustration of having
only a
shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which it is nearly
impossible to exact retribution.
But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely
destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is
currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged with
the
awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of the greatest
superpower on the planet. Frankly many of the pronouncements made by
this
Administration are outrageous. There is no other word.
Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent. On what is possibly the eve of
horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the
nation
of Iraq -- a population, I might add, of which over 50% is under age 15
--
this chamber is silent. On what is possibly only days before we send
thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical and
biological warfare -- this chamber is silent. On the eve of what could
possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation for our attack on
Iraq,
it is business as usual in the United States Senate.
We are truly "sleepwalking through history." In my heart of hearts I
pray
that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not in for
a r
udest of awakenings.
To engage in war is always to pick a wild card. And war must always be a
last
resort, not a first choice. I truly must question the judgment of any
President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack on a
nation
which is over 50% children is "in the highest moral traditions of our
country". This war is not necessary at this time. Pressure appears to be
having a good result in Iraq. Our mistake was to put ourselves in a
corner
so
quickly. Our challenge is to now find a graceful way out of a box of our
own
making. Perhaps there is still a way if we allow more time.
-- 
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A dimostrazione che gli idioti non sono solo nel Parlamento italiano :)
*LOL*
-Stefano