Betrayal of the People by UFPJ

I'd agree with Gabriele Zamparini's (The Cat's Blog) comments that UFPJ's recognition of the puppet government of Iraq is a shameless act. It's an act of grandstanding by an organization that seems more intent on maintaining the American status quo than really effectively working to end the cycle of violence and imperialism.
Were Al-Maliki a Saddam Hussein or the Shah of Iran I wonder if UFPJ would be so welcoming and appeasing. Whether they realize it or not, Maliki is the same cookie cutter, propped up American puppet to carry out American policy as the Shah or Saddam.
We need to look at the long history of the U.S. in the Middle East to see we've consistently backed tyrants and puppets against the will of the people in nations we've interfered with in our "diplomacy".
And we can look outside the Middle East to Central America and South America to see our meddling in fledgling democracies that saw through our friendly "Yankee" aid to the real agenda of maintaining control.
We can look to Vietnam and the many opportunities to prevent the slaughter and to work with the popular political movement. Instead we enthroned a Catholic hierarchy in a country predominately Buddhist or other Eastern orthodoxy.
We could have avoided including Cambodia and Laos in the war but instead not only involved them but also created an atmosphere that bred the Khymer Rouge.
Sure Americans will point to the genocide that occurred in Cambodia as proof positive we needed to stay in Southeast Asia. They fail to recognize our actions created the ruthless regimes left behind when we effectively destroyed the will of the people with fruitless wars of aggression.
We bombed, defoliated and displaced millions of Southeast Asians leaving behind opportunity for ruthless thugs to prey upon the battered victims of our superior "firepower".
We also left behind our legacy of unexploded bombs and other ordnance that has claimed thousands of lives and thousands of limbs. Most victims were kids unwittingly picking up or disturbing the dangerous explosive devices.
The recognition of the illegitimate leader of the illegitimate government in Iraq is propagating continued wars in the area rather than solving the many issues of self government.
The recognition of the puppet is racist because it is the Christian white man's government dictating to an Islamic nation as if they weren't capable of making their own decisions. And it fails to remind the American people it was "we, the people" by means of our government that installed the dictator Saddam in the first place.
The recognition of illegitimate governments by the American peace movement is an act of bad faith toward the hopeful peoples of oppressed countries. They desperately need a voice to speak for them against death squads trained by Americans like Negroponte, Steele and Caseel....all of whom took part in training death squads in Central America. They now train or have trained Iraq police accused of actually being death squads.
The endorsement of puppet governments by UFPJ or any peace and justice movement is a betrayal.
The leader of the largest trade union in Iraq has called for the immediate withdrawal of the American occupation forces.
Iraqis outside the "green zone" Mr. Al-Maliki resides in know it is the festering sore of American occupation that increases the violence and the number of "insurgents" NOT "radical fundamentalism".
The perpetrators of five hundred pound bombs dropped on kids and old people are the only force that has an air force capable of such a deed.
The destruction of infrastructure in Iraq is done by the only force capable of such a wide scale of destruction.
The use of white phosphorous, napalm and depleted uranium is carried out by the only force capable of such use.
The continued imprisonment of military age males guilty of only looking dark-skinned in most cases is done by the only force in authority to do such a deed.
The list is far too long to even remember let alone write down on a page. The only force I'm referring to is, of course, the Americans and their agents...the illegally imposed Iraqi government.
In the last week this is the second example of UFPJ's true agenda. Earlier this week they deplored the Israeli killing and destruction in Lebanon but not before alleging the victims were partly responsible because they identified with Hezbollah forces who UFPJ explicitly said initiated the hostilities.
Clearly UFPJ doesn't want to alienate AIPAC and the Zionist movement. There are mid-terms coming up real soon that need that support.
Clearly UFPJ has selective recall of history and aggressors. They call the Hezbollah out for two abducted Israeli soldiers but didn't mention the thousands imprisoned in Israeli jails facing indefinite incarceration and lack of trials.
There are two buzz words UFPJ refuses to hear or see; Zionist and Palestinian. They're sure the use of the word Zionist is anti-Semitic and the mention of Palestine is anti-Semitic.
Not only is it time to use both words it is an absolute necessity if any peace or justice is to be found in the Middle East. UFPJ has peace and justice in the name but apparently not in the heart.
I'll be radical here and state Zionism and Israel aren't the Jewish religion anymore than America and Evangelicals are the religion of Christ.
Wm. Terry Leichner, RN
USMC combat vet
VVAW Denver member