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 > > > > > >
