February, 05 2016, 08:15am EDT
Thousands Ask Clinton to "Stop Lying" About Iraq Vote
WASHINGTON
In the first day, nearly 10,000 people have signed a petition on RootsAction.org urging Hillary Clinton to "Stop lying about your Iraq vote." A RootsAction.org email launching the petition Thursday said:
"On Wednesdaynight's CNN town hall, Hillary Clinton falsely claimed that her vote for the 2003 Iraq invasion had actually been a vote for more inspections rather than war. In fact, Clinton voted against an amendment proposed by Senator Carl Levin that would have authorized war only if Iraq refused to fully cooperate with UN inspectors. 'Instead,' notes scholar Stephen Zunes, 'she voted for the Republican-sponsored resolution which gave President Bush the authority to invade and occupy Iraq at the time and circumstances of his own choosing.'
"In fact, Clinton at the time justified her vote by parroting Bush and Cheney's false claims about biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, and Iraqi ties to al Qaeda -- war propaganda rejected at the time by many experts around the world. Clinton falsely claimedon Wednesdaythat top UN inspector Hans Blix supported the war resolution she voted for. He did not. And actually, just last week he said it's doubtful ISIS would exist if not for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
"Five months after Senator Clinton's vote, Bush launched the long-threatened campaign of shock and awe, and Clinton did not object. In fact she went on to vote repeatedly to fund the ongoing war that she now claims she never intended. She later became the prime mover behind an overthrow in Libya modeled on the overthrow in Iraq."
Signers of the petition have added many hundreds of comments. Here are a few samples:
Babak Sani - Berkeley, CA - This is a prime example of why so much of the electorate views you, Secretary Clinton, as untrustworthy.
Steven Wallace - Lafayette, CO - This dissembling on her vote for the 2003 Iraq invasion (and the vote itself) are my BIGGEST beef with Hillary Clinton. She claims she didn't know at the time that the Bush administration claims were bogus, but I (and many others) knew they were, just from information revealed on reputable political websites. Hillary, please ...
Sharla Dashew - San Francisco, CA - you just aren't trustworthy. if you voted for the Iraq war just be brave and admit it and then say it was the wrong choice for a vote and if it was today you would have a different vote. then maybe people would believe you
Carl Levine - WA - The truth matters. Lying about your past public actions that resulted in a destroyed region and many dead and wounded US service members means you are not trustworthy.
Raymond Mullineaux - N. Bennington, VT - The truth is in the Congressional Record. How can you change it, Hillary? Let's start telling the truth under oath for campaigns. It was a bad vote, repent it and we'll talk.
L.M. Holmes - Honolulu, HI - You have to own this, no way out.
DeNell Benner - Grand Rapids, MI - The Iraq war should never have happened. It was and remains to this day a tragedy for which no attempts to explain or justify will ever be sufficient nor will ever matter. Anyone complicit in this crime against humanity should have to answer for it.
Drew Lindhoff - Lilburn, GA - This latest distortion of the truth is why all too many of us see you as being totally disingenuous.
Bill Edwards - Midlothian , VA - There she goes, dodging Bosnian sniper bullets yet again...
Earle Spanjer - Santa Rosa, CA - Her Iraq vote is one of many reasons I will never vote for Hillary. I will never trust her.
Dennis Skalski - Tampa, FL - If you don't mind, stop ALL the lying, not just about this!
James Fuller - Minneapolis, MN - Lies, position reversals (during campaigns), anything that might trick someone into voting for Clinton. She's turning many Democrats in my area into ex-Democrats. Among my own circles, which are very broad, I can name about 10 people who have said they will not vote for Clinton under ANY circumstances, regardless of who her opponent might be.
RootsAction is dedicated to galvanizing people who are committed to economic fairness, equal rights for all, civil liberties, environmental protection -- and defunding endless wars. We mobilize on these issues no matter whether Democrats or Republicans control Washington D.C.
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