PRESIDENT OBAMA'S DELAYED AND LIMITED TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ PROTESTED AS "UNACCEPTABLE"


TAMPA, FLORIDA, Sunday, March 1, 2009: Socialist activist Brian Moore joined other antiwar protestors on radio Friday to criticize President Obama's delayed (19 months) and limited troop withdrawal from Iraq (50,000 to remain) as "totally unacceptable." Moore stated on Tampa Community Radio WMNF 88.5 FM Friday evening, February 27th, http://www.wmnf.org/program_strips/show/357 that American soldiers remaining in Iraq will still be actively involved in "combat, intelligence and continuing military search missions."

Moore sees the same American military actions as "continuing indefinitely" in Iraq along with seeing "new dangers ahead" with President Obama's recent troop increases and military involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Moore responded to WMNF Managing News Editor and Anchor, Mitch Perry's questions on President Obama's troop withdrawal announcement Friday, that "America's unequal treatment and favortism toward Israel is the root cause" of America's unnecessary military involvements and bellicose actions throughout the Middle East.

The former Socialist presidential candidate in 2008 followed up his WMNF telephone interview Friday night with an e-mail to WMNF's News department. Moore stated that it was also necessary to conduct an immediate pullout from Iraq not only of ALL American troops, but also "all American corporations involved in reconstruction efforts," along with the "immediate removal of all private American security personnel such as Blackwater, and the likes of such mercenaries."

The following morning, Saturday, February 28th, the civic activist also joined in with a small contingent of antiwar protesters from the NatureCoast Coalition for Peace and Justice in his hometown of Spring Hill, to protest America's continuing involvement in Iraq and the Middle East. The demonstrators carried signs stating "End the Iraq War," "Out of Iraq Now," "50,000 Troops too Many," and even an 81-year old World War II veteran in the group, Brooksville snowbird and resident, Joe Murphy, held a sign saying "Jail Bush."

Another unnamed member of the peace group, a retired school teacher, carried a sign stating "Remember Rachel Corrie," a young American girl killed several years ago by an Israeli bulldozer while she protested the Gaza turmoil. The peace coalition has also held demonstrations in late January specifically against the recent Gaza invasion by Israeli military forces.

As the group was concluding its two-hour protest, 88-year old Al Emory, who said he was a world War II veteran of the battles in the Pacific Islands against the Japanese, approached the demonstrators on his cane, congratulating and applauding the group's antiwar efforts with regard to Iraq. Mr. Emory, who said he was a Spring Hill resident of many years, left his wife standing in the nearby CVS parking lot, while he climbed the grassy hill on the corner of U.S. Highway 19 and State Road 50. Emory just wanted to say "thank you" to the Iraq War protestors, and to shake their hands, for "your persistent and valuable efforts in protesting such an unjust and illegal war [in Iraq]." Mr. Emory agreed that "all of the troops should be removed from Iraq right away."

Link to WMNF Radio report: http://www.wmnf.org/program_strips/show/357

(Moore is taped starting at minute 6 of the 8-minute report)


Following is a Friday afternoon national report from FREE SPEECH RADIO on the Obama Troop Withdrawal:


Obama: We’ll Be (Sort Of) Out of Iraq in 19 Months
Democrats Raise Concerns, While Republicans Support it!

http://www.fsrn.org/audio/obama-we%E2%80%99ll-be-sort-out-iraq-19-months/4276
• News Segments
Fri, 02/27/2009 - 13:30
•
• Length: 3:09 minutes (2.89 MB)
• Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 128Kbps (CBR)
A big day for President Barack Obama, as he announced his plan for Iraq:
“As a candidate for President, I made clear my support for a timeline of 16 months to carry out this drawdown, while pledging to consult closely with our military commanders upon taking office to insure that we preserve the gains we’ve made and to protect our troops. These consultations are now complete, and I’ve chosen a timeline that will remove our combat brigades over the next 18 months.”
But is it really a withdrawal? Obama also said that, at the end of those 19 months, the US would still have up to 50,000 troops on the ground in Iraq.
“We will retain a transitional force to carry out three distinct functions: training, equipping, and advising Iraqi security forces as long as they remain non-sectarian; conducting targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq. Initially, this force will be made up of 35,000-50,000 troops."
The new plan has drawn opposition from anti-war groups seeking an immediate withdrawal, and even drawn public concerns from high-profile democrats. Here’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking shortly before a congressional briefing on the plan:
“I don’t know what the justification is for the presence of 50,000 troops in Iraq. I do think that there’s the need for some, but I don’t think that they all have to be in-country. I think some could be platformed outside…..I’ll just be interested to hear what the president has to say.”
But the plan does have significant support in congress – from republicans. Even Obama’s one-time presidential rival, John McCain, has announced his support.
Click here for the full [Free Speech Radio] newscast for Friday, February 27, 2009