Chicago protest to confront war Democrats

Demanding “Not another dollar—not another day—not another excuse,” anti-war forces in Chicago are mobilizing to protest the so-called debate among the Democratic Party’s presidential candidates, set here for Aug. 7. In order to bring out thousands of union members, the debate’s AFL-CIO organizers have relocated it to Soldier Field, Chicago’s NFL football stadium.

Union workers want to elect pro-worker candidates, and they want an end to the Iraq war. It’s too bad the Democrats in the debate won’t give them the chance. No candidate can be pro-worker and pro-imperialism at the same time. And all the leading Democratic candidates, although they all pretend to be against the Iraq war, are in favor of continuing the war and the U.S. military domination of the Middle East.

For example, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama generally supports the Iraq Study Group plan, which would keep U.S. troops in Iraq to train the occupation government troops, to “fight terrorism,” and to protect U.S. forces and equipment. In other words, he is not for withdrawal at all. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton wants to “cap U.S. troops at Jan. 1, 2007 levels.”

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden wants to carve Iraq up in three pieces. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards wants to have no more than 100,000 troops in Iraq. None of the above Democrats is for immediate and complete withdrawal from Iraq. And when it comes to Palestine, or Lebanon, or Sudan, or Iran, they become much more enthusiastic about war and intervention. (Information from their websites)

The Democrats who actually favor immediate withdrawal from Iraq—Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel—don’t have a chance at the ruling-class funds and media attention that the others get.

The Aug. 7 protest’s initiating organizations—the Chicago Coalition against War and Racism and Chicagoland Code Pink—have called for a demonstration at Soldier Field to start at 4 p.m., two hours before the debate’s starting time. A struggle with the Democratic city government for the right to free speech is under way. The latest information is posted at www.ChicagoTroopsOut.org and will be updated continuously.