Published on Thursday, March 10, 2005 by CommonDreams.org MoveOn.org: Making Peace With the War in Iraq by Norman Solomon
Sadly, it has come to this. Two years after the invasion of Iraq, the online powerhouse MoveOn.org -- which built most of its member base with a strong antiwar message -- is not pushing for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
With a network of more than 3 million "online activists," the MoveOn leadership has decided against opposing the American occupation of Iraq. During the recent bloody months, none of MoveOn's action alerts have addressed what Americans can do to help get the U.S. military out of that country. Likewise, the MoveOn.org website has continued to bypass the issue -- even after Rep. Lynn Woolsey and two dozen cosponsors in the House of Representatives introduced a resolution in late January calling for swift removal of all U.S. troops from Iraq.
That resolution would seem to be a natural peg for the kind of kinetic activism that established MoveOn's reputation. A movement serious about ending U.S. military activities in Iraq could use the resolution as a way to cut through political tap dances and pressure members of Congress to take a stand. Down the road, generating grassroots support for a get-out-of-Iraq resolution has potential to clear a congressional pathway for measures cutting off funds for the war.
But, tragically, MoveOn's leadership is having none of it. Over a period of recent weeks, the word "Iraq" appeared on the MoveOn.org home page only in a plug for a documentary released last year. Inches away, a blurb has been telling the website's visitors: "Support Our Troops: Contribute your frequent-flyer miles so that American troops can get home." (But not stay home.) Many soldiers are returning to the killing grounds of Iraq, while a growing number are vocally opposed to this war.
Why won't MoveOn "support our troops" by supporting a pullout of our troops from Iraq? "We believe that there are no good options in Iraq," MoveOn.org's executive director, Eli Pariser, told me. "We're seeing a broad difference of opinion among our members on how quickly the U.S. should get out of Iraq. As a grassroots-directed organization, we won't be taking any position which a large portion of our members disagree with."
full: http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0310-35.htm
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Marc Cooper blog:
The anti-war movement is in the crisis of stagnation it finds itself today precisely because characters like Solomon dominate its leadership. There’s been a campaign, in fact, over the last handful of weeks to force groups like MoveOn, some labor unions, and other left-of-center types to sign-on to the Out Now formula. That, of course, would make the anti-war leaders feel better about themselves but would do damn little to actually build an effective counter-movement to the White House war policy.
What’s needed now is the exact opposite of what Solomon is calling for. Those who favor troop withdrawal need to build bridges with those who are doubtful but indecisive about what to do. The only two options possible are not just the status quo or immediate withdrawal. And remember real-life politics is about building coalitions – not purging the impure.
full: http://www.marccooper.com/
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