This is the best thing the American Legions' done since inventing baseball. Your email pal, Tom L. Peter Dorman wrote: > This is exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of when I sent my > earlier post about the risk of left-right coalitions. The national > interest discourse is poison for the left and will drive away the kinds > of people we ought to be trying to win over -- people with an inkling of > solidarity beyond their own narrow circle. Most of us would agree, I > think, that if the NATO action really had the capacity to save thousands > of lives and safeguard human rights, and if it were part of a larger > life-saving effort that included the victims of "free world" atrocities > as well, we would support it enthusiastically. National interest, for > us, has nothing to do with it. > > The political cost of ganging up with the nationalist antiwar right is > too great. > > Peter > > Michael Hoover wrote: > > > > anyone know if below has a precedent? Michael Hoover > > > > > Vets Want US Troops Out of Balkans > > > > > > Thursday, May 6, 1999; 5:00 a.m. EDT > > > > > > INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The nation's largest veterans > > > organization has urged President > > > Clinton to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from > > > the Balkans. > > > > > > ``We believe the best thing we can do to support > > > our troops, to protect our troops, is to bring them home,'' said Harold L. > > > ``Butch'' Miller, national commander of The American Legion. > > > ``We believe we are getting into a bad situation in > > > Kosovo.'' > > > > > > The Legion's national executive committee > > > unanimously adopted a resolution Wednesday calling for all U.S. soldiers, > > > pilots and support staff to be removed from the region. > > > > > > The resolution says the U.S.-led NATO attacks > > > against Serbia ``could only lead to troops > > > being killed, wounded or captured without advancing > > > any clear purpose, mission or objective.'' > > > > > > The Legion would permit U.S. involvement if > > > Congress passes a resolution supporting the NATO action; U.S. troops are > > > led only by U.S. commanders; the president explains why the > > > action is ``in our vital national interests;'' and > > > guidelines for the campaign, including an exit strategy, are established. > > > > > > The Legion, which represents about 2.9 million > > > American veterans, has scheduled a news conference today to discuss the > > > resolution, which is being delivered to the White House and all > > > members of Congress. > > > > > > =A9 Copyright 1999 The > > > Associated Press > > > > > > > > >
