[R-G] Pentagon offcials at town meeting can't find anyone in the audience in fa...

[DavidMcR at aol.com]

I know we are all flooded with posts - it is just that this is a sign of 
opposition all across the country that may help to cheer us up - and cheer us 
on.

David

In a message dated 2/11/03 8:45:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
vlerner at interpac.net writes:

<< 

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  http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=50247&group=webcast
 At the Town Hall Meeting with Pentagon Spokesdrones
 by DC IMC 1:36am Tue Feb 11 '03 (Modified on 3:10pm Tue Feb 11 '03)
 
 
 Breaking News on Town Hall Meeting with Congressman Moran and 2 Pentagon
 spokespeople.
 
 7:40pm Minnie Howard School, Alexandria, VA: Town Hall Meeting, "Terrorism
 and the Possible Conflict in Iraq" called by Congressman Jim Moran, with
 Pentagon spokespersons Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
 Victoria Clarke and Major General Kevin Kuklok, Marine Corps Assistant
 Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations. At the door, people
 with anti war signs were told they can't bring the signs in, but one person
 held up piece of paper with, "No War for Oil", Security pointed out
 individuals to "watch".
 
 An incredibly well informed audience respectfully stood in line with
 notepads, to ask the Pentagon questions. The first person to ask a question
 of the Pentagon set the tone for the night. A Kurdish-American woman
 declares her people got chemically killed by Saddam and she is against the
 war. A big cheer arose from the audience. "Our children suffer. I am a
 mother and I am against the war." Another woman, an Iranian-American,
 rhetorically asked where the weapons of mass destruction came from - "You
 supplied it." "Saddam is a war criminal - Why not take him to Hague? Why
 should Iraqui people suffer? Does UN have mandate for 2/3 of Iraq allowed
 for no-fly zone, attacked every day? Has Israel ever followed UN
 resolutions?" The audience gave a bigger cheer to woman a who asked why we
 don't join other countries in eliminating all weapons of mass destruction,
 (including ours.) .
 
 Congressman Jim Moran said 69% of people calling his office are against the
 war and there is an even higher percentage in the room. During the town
 hall, Moran give 2 briefs: on WWI borders colonialists drew in the Gulf, and
 US aid to Israel and why some of the settlements should be shut down.
 
 Pentagon spokesperson Virginia Clarke answered several different questions
 in the exact same way; with a statement that "18 different European
 countries agree with the US re Saddam", with a shake of her head once and a
 drink of water.
 
 9:15 PM - After the scheduled 9 PM close of the meeting- but confronted by
 an onslaught of unanswered audience questions- Rep. Moran insinuates that
 pointed questions are the reason that more town meetings are not held.
 
 During the entire event, no one from the audience asked a question or made a
 statement in favor of the war, although there was some clapping for
 supporting the troops. Those who challenged the Pentagon views included a
 Gulf War vet who also served as a reservist against al-Qaeda, asking, "If
 Clausewitz's premise is true, ('War is nothing more than the continuation of
 politics by other means,') then what are the smart politics that are going
 to work in the area after we bring the tanks in, when we are throwing a
 brick in a hornet's nest? What is our politics towards the countries where
 supporters of 911 came from, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt?" A Vietnam vet
 stated, "I know what 'clear and present danger' means and I don't see the
 'clear and present danger' of Iraq." He then named the generals who have
 served in the area, in the military who are hesitant to go to war in Iraq,
 and ended by naming those driving US foreign policy who have not served,
 with a big cheer from the audience. One of the last questions was from a 16
 year old who wanted to know how much this war was going to cost and how it
 was going to be paid, and was education for young going to be sacrificed in
 the process. Most of the people who asked questions were from Virginia.
 Overall it was not the greatest PR event for the Pentagon. Check for rerun
 on C-Span TV, channel 17 in DC. >>