Political Extinction for War Supporters

Fifteen American soldiers died in Iraq in just the first three days of June which should remind all of us that our job with respect to Iraq and getting us the hell out of there pronto is no done. We had a major blow to our morale with the supplemental vote but it was only a skirmish in the bigger fight. The Republicans are hoping that since September is the new artificial milestone that we on the anti war side will give them some slack over the next three months. It ain't happening boys... (via the LATimes):

Both efforts seek to ensure that anxious Republican lawmakers — many of whom have said they want to wait until September to assess President Bush's Iraq strategy — get no break from the war over the summer.

"The debate on Iraq will continue," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said last week. Pelosi, who in March helped push Democrats to embrace a withdrawal of American combat forces, has pledged that the House will vote on numerous measures aimed at ending the war.

Tom Matzzie, campaign manager for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, the leading coalition against the war, promised an equally unpleasant summer for Republicans whenever they return home.

"Our job is to go into the congressional districts of members and create a political environment that is toxic," he said. "The public is there already. It is really about focusing their anger."…

"But it is incredibly important that the debate continue in June and July. It keeps the pressure on the White House, and it keeps the pressure on Republicans to break with the president," he said. "At a minimum, we need to be building … for a showdown in September."

While antiwar lawmakers push ahead, so too will the antiwar groups that have played an influential role in the national debate over Iraq.

Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of organizations including MoveOn.org, VoteVets.org and the Service Employees International Union, plans to hire 80 people this summer to organize rallies and other protest activities aimed primarily at Republican lawmakers, Matzzie said.

The coalition also plans an aggressive television advertising campaign, particularly against Republicans who are up for reelection next year and seen as vulnerable, such as Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, John E. Sununu of New Hampshire and Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

"Our goal," Matzzie said, "is political extinction for war supporters."

"Our goal is political extinction for war supporters." now there is a slogan and concept I can get behind. The next three months are going to tell the tale with respect to Iraq. The trend of violence against Americans is going very rapidly in the wrong direction. Over the next three months it will help if you call your elected representatives and express your disfavor with Bush's "not excellent adventure". Let's not give them any respite over the summer...we sure as hell know our men and women in Iraq aren't going to get any.