Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a rare member of Congress willing to take heat for challenging U.S. “regime change” projects, in part, because as an Iraq War vet she saw the damage these schemes do, as retired Col. Ann Wright explains.
By Ann Wright
I support Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, going to Syria and meeting with President Bashar al-Assad because the congresswoman is a brave person willing to take criticism for challenging U.S. policies that she believes are wrong.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii.
It is important that we have representatives in our government who will go to countries where the United States is either killing citizens directly by U.S. intervention or indirectly by support of militia groups or by sanctions.
We need representatives to sift through what the U.S. government says and what the media reports to find out for themselves the truth, the shades of truth and the untruths.
We need representatives willing to take the heat from both their fellow members of Congress and from the media pundits who will not go to those areas and talk with those directly affected by U.S. actions. We need representatives who will be our eyes and ears to go to places where most citizens cannot go.
Tulsi Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran who has seen first-hand the chaos that can come from misguided “regime change” projects, is not the first international observer to come back with an assessment about the tragic effects of U.S. support for lethal “regime change” in Syria.
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire began traveling to Syria three years ago and now having made three trips to Syria. She has come back hearing many of the same comments from Syrians that Rep. Gabbard heard — that U.S. support for “regime change” against the secular government of Syria is contributing to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and – if the “regime change” succeeded – might result in the takeover by armed religious-driven fanatics who would slaughter many more Syrians and cause a mass migration of millions fleeing the carnage.
Since 2011, the Obama administration supported various rebel groups fighting for “regime change” in Syria while U.S. allies – Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey – backed jihadist groups including Islamic State and Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, some of the same extremists whom the U.S. military is fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. If Assad were overthrown, these extremists might take power and create even worse conditions for Syrians.
This possibility of jihadists imposing perverted extremist religious views on the secular state of Syria remains high due to international meddling in the internal affairs of Syria. This “regime change” project also drew in Russia to provide air support for the Syrian military.
Critical of Obama’s ‘Regime Change’
During the Obama administration, Rep. Gabbard spoke critically of the U.S. propensity to attempt “regime change” in countries and thus provoking chaos and loss of civilian life.
U.S.-backed Syrian “moderate” rebels smile as they prepare to behead a 12-year-old boy (left), whose severed head is held aloft triumphantly in a later part of the video. [Screenshot from the YouTube video]
In the first days of the Trump administration, Rep. Gabbard traveled to Syria to see the effects of the attempted “regime change” and to offer a solution to reduce the deaths of civilians and the end of the war in Syria. A national organization Veterans For Peace, to which I belong, has endorsed her trip as a step toward resolution to the Syrian conflict.
Not surprisingly, back in Washington, Rep. Gabbard came under attack for the trip and for her meeting with President Assad, similar to criticism that I have faced because of visits that I have made to countries where the U.S. government did not want me to go — to Cuba, Iran, Gaza, Yemen, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia and back to Afghanistan, where I was assigned as a U.S. diplomat.
I served my country for 29 years in the U.S. Army/ Army Reserves and retired as a colonel. I also served 16 years in the U.S. diplomatic corps in U.S. Embassies in Nicaragua, Grenada, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sierra Leone, Micronesia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. I resigned from the U.S. government nearly 14 years ago in March 2003 in opposition to President George W. Bush’s “regime change” war on Iraq.
In my travels since my resignation, I didn’t agree with many of the policies of the governments in power in those countries. But I wanted to see the effects of U.S. government policies and, in particular, the effects of attempts at “regime change.”
I wanted to talk with citizens and government officials about the effects of U.S. sanctions and whether the sanctions “worked” to lessen their support for the government that the U.S. was attempting to change or overthrow.
For making those trips, I have been criticized strongly. I have been called an apologist for the governments in power. Critics have said that my trips have given legitimacy to the abuses by those governments. And I have been called a traitor to the United States to dare question or challenge its policy of “regime change.”
But I am not an apologist, nor am I a traitor … nor is Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for her recent trip to Syria.
Ann Wright served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves and retired as a colonel. She also was a U.S. diplomat for 16 years and served in U.S. Embassies in Nicaragua, Grenada, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sierra Leone, Micronesia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. She resigned in March 2003 in opposition to the war in Iraq. She has lived in Honolulu since 2003. [A version of this story originally appeared at
http://www.civilbeat.org/2017/02/why-i-support-tulsi-gabbard-going-to-syria/#.WKUOjn7-I5I.twitter]
Bravo, Tulsi! You’re the most honest & courageous member of our national government! I & others are rooting for you to be the leading candidate in the 2020 presidential elections!
From Norway viktig arbeid alle nasjoner bør etablere slike kontroll funksjoner. Lykke til vider Tulsi vi følger deg :)
Lykke til Tulsi
Tulsi is a serious and committed politican in a sea of minnows and sharks who walks the walk!
Col Wright is in fact the noblest form of patriot.
2 outstanding women!!
Their detractors show their own colours
“India-born Tulsi Gabbard…” Rehmat, don’t start off with very fake ‘facts’!!! Are you a ‘birther’ version two?
Polynesian-Caucasian, Tulsi was born in 1981 in Leloaloa, American Samoa.
Ann Wright, every time I read your writings I admire you more. Thank you for another great article. Keep going where you go and writing about it. Voices of reason are hard to come by. Good for Tulsi Gabbard for going to Syria to meet its president. I hope she also met Bashar al Assad’s wife who is as lovely and intelligent person as you could find.
Yes, lovely and intelligent:
http://youtu.be/Fdufb2pt_hw
“India-born Tulsi Gabbard, 34, is the first US Hindu Congresswoman….She was born to a Zionist Catholic father and a devoted Hindu mother.” – Thats terrible. A sinner, like the Yazidis. You totally get it.
Oh brother – “Her family background has made her an extremist Hindu,” “who admires India’s racist prime minister Narendra Modi” . She is devil brother, she worships malik Taus. Total devil. insane.
“supports the Zionist entity” – Understandable- all devils do that.
I strongly support the editorial and positions of Ms. Wright and Ms. Gabbard. It’s remarkable and unfortunate that the U.S. calls itself a democracy, yet in so many areas central to foreign policy, the civilian public is treated as an unfortunate nuisance, to be routinely misinformed with on the “news output” channel and ignored on the “opinion input” channel. In my view, understanding the scope and breadth of the confidentiality/secrecy agreements that dominate U.S. govt. and media reporting and their role in foreign and domestic policy is a key area that the public struggles with. Who is bound by secrecy, how are they bound, what do they know, and how did things get that way, are issues where the public gets routinely stonewalled. It would be highly beneficial for U.S. democracy if the people who know about those things could write more about them, as concretely as the can, or as obliquely as they feel they must.
I am originally syrian chrustian.who live more than 20 years in US, which is my country.
I know as many of the sincere Syrians
That Asad killed more than 1000 us soldiers in Iraq
And wounded more than 1000
Also support all attacks in Lebanon.against US and allies
The question
What the purpose of Jabbard. Visit
To know what
It was a trap planned prepared by the syrian Russian Iranian intelligence agencies, using thier cheep man the previous congressman of Ohio, with one of Asad men in US.mr khawam.
It is traitor act…to accept to visit a killer, liar, robber, illegal president, ….the enemy if US people and US value
What she got new.
If she Iikes to know what is going in syria she must visit the prisons to see the satanic tortures. , has she saw Caesar1 0.000 photos?
Has she saw the chemical attack which endorsed by UN or need glasses to see
Has she met the 5 million refugees and asked them why they left..
Have she heard the ISIS and alnusra who defected saying how Asad made them
She deceived and this congresswoman is not mature politically to go this trip.
Does she know how mutch hurted the Image of US. And the reputation of her self.and the Congress….
Does Mrs gabbad like the intelligence to rape her if told video shot of a protesters. Or drag her husband in the street in front her eyes if he express his idea in changing the regime.
Does she happy when kill her kids in front her eyes until tel the intelligence where is her husband….
It is easy to go
But why what u get benefit to US.
Have been victims of prepared trap.
How will defend the US interest if u used by the enemy of US.
If any one like to know more
Let him reply
The 3 million people filled syria street asking for freedom and behind them 10 million could not go with 4 million afraid to say any
All this
Do Jabarad know that (THERE IS NO SINGLE PERSON IN SYRIA WHERE SHE WENT ABLE TO SAY ANY WORD OF THE TRUTH..HE WILL DISAPPEAR NEXT HOUR BY THE THUGS IF THE RUSSIAN. IRANIAN HEZB ALLAH MAN IN SYRIA.)
WHAT U GET NOTHING
ASHAMED OF THIS VISIT
YOU TRAMPLED ON THE 1000 US SOLDIERS
BlOOD AND THEIR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS
U need to pray and consult. Before any visit
Not to go secretly as robber or burglar
Tulsi’s report about Syria is consistent with those of independent , on-the-ground reporters like Eva Bartlett , Vanessa Beeley , Lizzie Phelan and the late Serena Shim. Your report has the flavor of those put out by the propaganda outlets funded by the West and GCC , like the White Helmets , Aleppo Media Center , Syrian Observatory , Amnesty , HRW , etc , etc.
You’re wasting your time here. Most people here are well past the point where the propaganda has any impact anymore.
Unless you’d like to see Syria reduced to a smoking-pile-of-rubble failed-state , like today’s Libya , you should want the war to end now , like Tulsi.
Commenter “OTHER” is a Hasbara troll as indicated by prolific spelling errors after having “live more than 20 years in US, which is my country” (SIC) – probably an American “political science major” making Aliyah in Tel Aviv, and trolling for extra beer money.
When it comes to political science, youth in Israel really “know their shit” as documented during their YouTube-banned celebration of the previous American President’s “visit to the region”:
VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b62_1345075293
Hey “OTHER” dude, it’s not “American values” that put US troops in Iraq.
The dead and wounded can thank the lying elite Deep State – whatever you want to call them – that invaded a foreign country for their own reasons (money, power, spite, etc.).
The ‘chemical attack’ was not “endorsed by UN” – in fact just the opposite, the UN officials doubt the attack originated with SAA. Your ‘White Helmets” are a terrorist-linked NATO propaganda op, Amnesty International has exposed itself as a facilitator of empire, and Caesar should get the same debunking soon.
Sadly, there are too many gullible Americans who fall for the R2P propaganda, but don’t expect sympathy here for your “defend the US interest” crap. BTW, protecting that stinking Zionist project is not really a US interest, and one day we’ll have an administration that sees that. (Soon, I hope)
In response to “Other”,
U.S. government war-hawks call Russia (by extension Syria, your alleged country of birth) “our greatest adversary”, most likely in the sense of opposition to U.S. power elite plans of uni-polarity, hegemony and/or imperial wars. Analysts including men and women the world over are excellent at intuiting, describing and detailing problematic situations where wars – military, economic, financial – are bringing massive negative consequences upon innocent people by the millions. Unfortunately, those same excellent men and women analysts too often miss getting to the bottom of the issue(s), to the true roots of social,economic, and military problems – wherever they exist and are studied. In other words, what analysts miss is discovery of true causes, describing those causes in detail, then moving forward with the process of identifying solutions which result in the greatest increase in overall health and well-being of the people. In other words, Part 2: It seems, as simple as it sounds – now is the time for humanity to focus solely on good, beneficial solutions.
To Mr./Ms. “Other”: Please seriously consider the following question your sole opportunity for proving to readers here that you are “real”. What are the true root causes of Syrians’ problems over the last (6) six years, and what are the good and beneficial solutions for Syrians?
The comedy of US “regime change” wars – A German perspective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IcoHMACke0
Obviously, as some comments above indicate there is some controversy attached to Tulsi Gabbard. Unfortunately, controversy on the left too often equates to not being perfect and leads to disqualification. People on the left can’t be choosy these days. Let’s evaluate Tulsi Gabbard on what she does and can do. If her actions help the cause then give her support. People who believe skepticism is called for always have a case when politicians are new – and not so new – but a demand for perfection is not justified.
Bill I know you know this, that yes it’s always nice to find in a politician who’s the total package, but when it comes to siding against an illegal war I’d side with Attila the Hun if he were advocating peace.
I will admit I ignored many of the warning signs that were out there in 2008 about Obama. Regrets, yes I made a few, but in the end I didn’t vote for McCain nor Romney. Yes, yes, I know Obama was a let down, but I will never wish it had been John McCain president for the last eight years. Just look at what McCain does, and even still Obama looks batter than that warmongering criminal. Well, it is what is at any rate, and for now Tulsi Gabbard seems to be doing the right thing,so I will back her at least for now with this change of direction she proposes, and take each day as it comes…one step at a time.
Let’s face it as perfect as Jesus was said to be, there would be those who would find something they didn’t like in him…maybe to religious, I don’t know, but perfect isn’t always out there when it comes to a single consensus.
The squabbling of so-called adults, elected congressional reps and senators, has reached bizarre levels. Attacking Gabbard for trying to learn the truth, now Schumer giving Sanders a dressing-down and telling him to “be nice”! The lies on Syria and Russia are being ratcheted up, there’s clear intent to pressure Trump for NATO to get back into Syria. I just read that Clinton told Chuck Todd that “large crowds don’t necessarily mean policy to the left”. What does that mean, a meaningless statement?! There is no “left” left! I take it to mean a slam at Bernie. Clinton is obviously still working behind the scene. A movement to call out these lies is getting urgent, not sure what to do but we have to do something. Letters to Editor, call CNN, MSNBC, all of lying corporate media, and complain, bombard them? Ideas?
It is frustrating I know. (Sounds like a song title almost)
Consider that forty percent of the eligible voter registration didn’t vote. Consider that what did vote of the better than 231 million eligible registration voters Donald Trump got 26.8% of that vote. Trumps 46% is taken from the better than 130 some million voters who did vote, but if you add in the 92 million who didn’t vote the percent is 26.8%. His vote of 62 million based on the 340 million population is 18%. I know it’s a long way around the boat house, but what I am trying to say is, is that there is a lot to work with here to gather a grass movement if financed and managed right. Take away half of each Donald and Hillary’s vote, because both of them got the lesser of two evil votes, and add in the 92 million Americans who didn’t vote, and you have a base of 150 million….I think. In any regard the total population of disenfranchised is huge…..beautifully magnificently huge!
Today’s movements could reach out by being readily available in app form. I’m not that up on all of the technology that there is to make this happen, but get the young people at the Apple Store to get involved, anything but make this happen.
More people by the day are giving up on cable news. Yes, it’s on everywhere, but who’s buying what their selling? Not many, and in that is the market to be able to gather enough concerned citizens to charge the Bastille.
I’m probably all wet, but that’s my idea for today.
Don’t get your cart before your horse, Joe. The majority of your 150 million may be hopped up about Obamacare or the EPA, but they also think the Russians invaded Crimea and hacked our election, that Iran is a threat to the US as well as Israel, and God knows what else. Hell, some of them still think Saddam was involved in 911.
Trump is doing an extreme service now by challenging the fake and malicious news. Yes, the chaos may bring a new kind of fake, but the opportunity is here to put out some truth. I’m sure your “charge the Bastille” is metaphorical, but for some like the Black Block it’s literal, plus there are ridiculous impeachment movements galore.
Why don’t you explain what your idea really is, and maybe it won’t be so wet.
The bright purple lapels and tie were not a fashion statement. They were a signal of color revolution (regime change) for the US. Hillary and the Deep State are busy bees planning the next coup d’etat for the US.
Marvelous article, marvelous author, marvelous subject. I’d also like to put in a plug for Dennis Kucinich, who has been fighting the fight for many years, and was with Tulsi Gabbard on the trip..
The Guardian, even though it has been generally biased about Syria, did a decent job reporting it. (See: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/26/tulsi-gabbard-bashar-al-assad-syria-democrats )
I also applaud Rep. Gabbard for being an independent thinker and standing firm for her beliefs; I hope for great things from her in the future.
Yeah Tulsi is refreshing after always listening to Graham & McCain continually shame us into giving more well needed arms to our headchoppers.
No chance of her getting anywhere with this. Gabbard is being given the Bernie Sanders primary treatment….ignored. If she got some significant airplay, then people might just think she’s right. The media therefore will focus on Flynn…Russians, Trump Russians….in between publishing dangerously flawed stuff from compromised corrupted NGOs like Amnesty.
Opposing regime change wars makes you a Patriot. We should be neutral in the internal affairs of other countries. Syria is not a place we should send troops to or even more troops to.
You and Tulsi are heroes. You have a huge task to overcome the testosterone-charged alpha males (and would-be-if-they-could-bes) in Washington. Good luck.
Not only is Tulsi Gabbard gutsy, she is good looking. She was the darling of the Democratic Party until she did the unthinkable, thinking for herself. The challenge is how do you get more Tulsi Gabbard’s elected. The vetting process makes that virtually impossible, and I suppose the Congresswoman got past the gatekeepers because her military credentials made it impossible.
Tulsi didn’t have any problems with the vetting process, her daddy is one of the gatekeepers.
Probably a little harsh in your judgement. Her father is somewhat of a “godfather” in democrat circles in Hawaii, but she’s obviously quite able on her own.
Then we should find out how many more fathers there are out there like Mr Gabbad.
Total bullshit. Her daddy was first elected (to the non-partisan City Council) the same year Tulsi was first elected as a Democrat to the State House. He didn’t even join the Democratic party till 2007, much later that Tulsi.
That’s good news, because no one likes dealing with the girls dad.
Seriously though I have been following Gabbard ever since she appeared on CNN with Wolf talking about the CIA covert activity in Syria…and I thought, wow! I was also highly impressed when she stepped down from the DNC Campaign Committee…now that’s a maverick.
I’m hoping that a Tulsi doing well could inspire more like her to follow.
Mike Gabbard was a member of the Republican Party 1970-2007. He switched to Dems in 2007. Hawaii State Board of Education 2000-2004( w/ wife Carol). Honolulu City Council 2000-?. Member Hawaii Senate 2006- Present. Re-elected 2010, 2012. Every point in your comment is in error.
Correction:Mike Gabbard Honolulu City Council 2003-2005.
The responses to Ann Wright’s article opened my eyes. I had no idea about Congresswoman’s background. I was amused at one of the description of her parents. Her mother was Hindu and her father was a “Zionist Catholic.” I guess you can be a Zionist Catholic, but never imagined the combination.
In truth, though it is seldom mentioned, the history of Kashmir has similarities to the case of Palestine. Given the intention by the British and Indian leaders to separate Muslims and Hindus, the placing of the Muslim population of Kashmir under Indian control with the connivance of Mountbatten created an open sore that has still not healed. As I recall, the UN General Assembly took the position that there should be a referendum. India prevented that from happening, knowing the outcome.
If Tulsi Gabbard is on India’s side on this issue, it is regrettable and I withdraw my enthusiasm for her but stay impressed with her position on regime change and Syria.
Pakisthan had 25% + plus hindus a decade before partition. City of Karachi had 500K hindus. All wiped out bro, all are cleaned to make the land of pure(Pakisthan) from infidels. All evil gone from land of Pure bro.
AFter a millennium of Islam, finally all evil pandits from the Valley are gone. Freedom from the kafirs bro. Real freedom.
In comparison, how many jews have been driven out of West Bank ? Give credit where due, recognize the true warriors.
As per indian independence act, it was upto the rulers of princely states – for Kashmir then dogra ruler of Kashmir to decide what to do. During partition, most of Pakisthan was made pure of infidels. The dogra ruler of Kashmir ( The Sikh hindu kingdoms had major victories against muslims before losing to the British, thats how the hindus were ruling there) correctly saw the massacre of his subjects and joined India – In return India protected Kashmir from Pakisthani invaders. Part of the Kashmir was cleaned up of infidels in 1947. Some of the hindu infidels were cleaned up in 1980s and 1990s.
Thank You Ann Wright
No, Colonel Wright, you are not the traitor. As far as I can tell, the traitors are the numerous partisan Democrats, establishment Republicans, neocons, intelligence agents, both corporate and military members of the MIC club, and useful idiots in the “mainstream” American corporate media. I suggest referring to the lot of this nest of vipers as the establishment “insurrectionists” who are clearly trying to foment a regime change, an overthrow of an elected president outside the ballot box, or, in starker terms, a coup d’etat, in Washington DC. Some call them the “War Party” and, indeed, the mother of all wars with Russia is what they truly seek. But their modus operandi has come to reside outside the rubrics of parliamentary procedure. They are true insurrectionists and only use the political process as an expedient tool. Love him or hate him, Trump represents the elected legitimate power under the constitution. These insurrectionists are trying to steal this power for their own purposes, just as much as the rebels they employed to seize power through violence at the Maidan. They represent fascism on the march across the globe.
here is more about Gabby …..she may need our help!
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/02/david-gornoski/sacrifice-tulsi-gabbard/
As usual, a very good link, Joe
Yes, Joe,
Tulsi will need help in 2018 when the Dems try to primary her out. They tried in 2016, but failed. (You know, she first introduced her Syria bill in Nov. 2015.) Which brings us to Israel. The last thing Tulsi needs now is to be seen as not supportive of Israel. What happened to Cynthia McKinney is surely not lost on her.
David Gornoski correctly reports the fakestream media’s self-serving castigation of Gabbard, but elsewhere his facts are a little uneven (the US never propped up Assad, and he’s not a Satan) and he omits Israel, the name he dare not say. Gornoski cites Syria’s strategic location, but fails to say, “Strategic for whom?” Syrian oil, water, and lebensraum are all coveted by Israel. Plus, Israel seeks to cut the connection between Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, and their defense of Lebanon.
At least Gornoski doesn’t blame it all on the pipe-line theory, a simplistic distraction if ever there was one. My money is on spite: any perceived insolence or refusal to bend the knee is unacceptable. What’s the point of being the biggest bully if some weakling can defy you?
If ignorance is bliss, the USA has to be the most blissful county on the planet.
Just finished an editorial in the New York Times demanding an investigation into Trump´s connection to Putin. The editorial was the usual garbage, but what was striking were the comments. Practically all of the commentators were certain that there is concrete evidence that Russia interfered with the US election. It just amazes me that the modern, supposedly sophisticated citizens of a country could be so taken in by a story with zero evidence. Nada, nothing. What started out as a ploy to blame Russia for Wikileaks releacing the truth about the Clinton´s and the dirty campaigne the DNC ran against Bernie Sanders is now treated as proven , incontrovertable truth. Goebbles was dead on. Keep hammering the same lie over and over and after a while it becomes established truth.
Americans are in the same boat as were German civilians in the 1930s. Never ending war talk, and enemies building to cover up what? By the looks of it the collosal failure of capitalism to produce some kind of just and equal society. But I must admit, most Americans seem to be wearing their blindfolds cheerfully enough.
Are you sure the comments in the NYT were even real? I mean I suspect it has really gotten that bad. I haven’t bothered reading a newspaper since the 90’s. It’s easier for me to not have to “deprogram” myself every evening.
Bravo, Ann and thank you for being a true American not afraid to stand up for what’s right against massive political pressure to support policies that are very wrong and cost so many lives.
Gabbard showed great political courage when she resigned her position at the DNC to endorse Bernie Sanders, and more courage in her trip to Syria. Unfortunately, the more attention her actions, positions and truth-telling about the reality of American foreign policy get, the more the Democratic establishment wants to demonize her.
Gabbard is one of the few politicians I support with my dollars, and the only one who doesn’t represent my home state. Hopefully there are many others out there doing the same. We need more politicians like Gabbard, not, as the Democratic establishment wants, fewer.
I agree that the “progressive” menu needs updating badly.
I’ll tell you though….characterizing accurate information as a “hit piece” is no different than Donald Trump’s “alternative facts” agenda. If folks here at Consortium are interested in an echo chamber ( which more and more seems to be the case ) then, you’ll get more of the dysfunction you currently see…everywhere.
I am not aware of anyone “demonizing” her, but I am concerned about religious zealots of any persuasion. And I am not saying she’s a zealot either…but people she has associated with may/are. This is food for thought and grounds for further research.
I would hope she could be something better..part of a new vanguard. That will become apparent in due time. Glad she made her trip to Syria….would not be so happy with collusion with Zionists inside or outside of government to bring about actions against Muslim nations/populations to advance a Hindu agenda.
In the meantime…you echo chamber people LOL! Read Dan Kuhn’s opening sentence and see how that applies to YOU! Enforced ignorance may be the future for you, but not for me. And I am not anyone with an agenda…like the clown who dismissed me as someone who’s an apologist or troll for mainstream democrat candidates or thinking.
“..advance a Hindu agenda.”
Right. You’re 100% reliable. Not trying to discredit Gabbard with a nonsense hit piece at all. Just presenting info right-minded people should know.
If you read 19th century colonial progressive politics, europeans thought jews and Hindus are similar – in reality though jews have been very very rich. So the progressive support creation of Pakisthan – meaning land of pure ( from infidels) and target the hindus.
Gabbard is good, he is against islamic terrorists, but India has too many progressives already. We don’t need another round of hindu killings.
It’s sad how people just parrot the smears against Tulsi without the facts to back it up. For example, Tulsi is a champion of secularism and freedom of speech and was a keynote speaker at the Reason Rally last year in Washington DC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsOS-YiXXB8. She is a fierce advocate for separation of church and state and for the freedom of people of all faiths or no faith. She also has fought against bigotry against Muslims and strongly spoke out against bigoted statements by Trump, Lindsey Graham and others. She also co-sponsored a HR 239 condemning violence, bigotry and hate towards Muslims. I recently saw that she was invited to speak as a keynote speaker at an upcoming Muslims for Peace event. The “Islamophobe” smear is just that – a smear with no basis in fact thrown at her by those who want to try to conjure up the stereotype that anyone who is Hindu in faith is automatically anti-Muslim. The whole argument against her is rooted in bigotry, not facts and is being floated out by those in the establishment who are threatened by her sincerity and her populist, progressive platform. They don’t like it that they can’t manipulate and control her, so the knives are out.
We NEED regime change in WASHINGTON, D.C. and by that I mean we need to change the entire CULTURE of corruption in D.C……Wall Street, the Military-Security-Industrial Complex, and Big Corporations like Monsanto ALL need to be confined to limit their damage……….The REAL regime governing America (and much of the world now) is the Goldman Sachs and Associates…….that has got to change…….how?!……..Boycott the BANKERS and work hard to create State-Owned and Operated Banks like Bank of North Dakota…….and do your own banking with local Credit Unions…………..
You know Doctor I have often thought if only much like one of those ‘crowd strike’ events where everyone all at one time in unison breaks out in a dance like in Grand Central Station that something that spontaneous could work out well to get a protest out….bear with me here. What I’m trying to imagine is to if every citizen, even a large percentage were to just totally shut down everything if even only for one day….I mean everything as much as possible would come to a halt.
Saul Alinsky once organized Black Chicago residents who were unable to secure a meeting with Mayor Daily. What Alinsky did was lease a ton of buses whereas he had Blacks go to the then brand new O’hara airport, and Saul advised all these bus riders to go to the restrooms and create lines as long as the eye could see….Mayor Dail folded within two hours.
I’m no an organizer, but to those who know this craft should somehow get the average Mary and Raplh get a seat at the table. I could see a cross section of Americans joining in if targeted right to attract the commons to get active. Here is where issues of common cause would need to be high on the priority list.
The other hope is to educate our grandchildren, and encourage them to get actively involved in local politics all the way up to president….and make the needed changes necessary to get a reasonably democratic government to represent the larger masses of its governments population. This of course would mean to oust the corporate money interest, and the against America’s interest foreign interest, but I guest everything comes with it’s own hill to climb.
MOVE YOUR MONEY OUT of Bank of America, Wells Fargo, CitiBank, (please ADD MORE to this list)–any of the BANKSTERS who got BAILED OUT after they DE-FRAUDED people out fo their homes & almost wrecked the economy to 1930s Depression level. Put your money in SMALL, LOCAL banks or better yet CREDIT UNIONS.
We must get over the ridiculous idea that we can control the world.
Although I want to believe that Gabbard would be pure in her intentions, there are some signs that she herself holds some “theological” positions that make her not as “pure” as some want.
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/curious-islamophobic-politics-dem-congressmember-tulsi-gabbard
I want to applaud her viewpoint on “regime change” as an ongoing enterprise, but also want people have have their eyes open with her. The people she has associated with are a bit scary and we really don’t need anyone who holds ideological “beefs” with other religions.
I wonder what she would think of a Pakistan/India confrontation?
Anyways, I’m watching her for future developments.
~S
Versions of that hit piece have been going around for awhile now – undoubtedly encouraged by the same people who were angry about Gabbard’s endorsement of Sanders and her trip to Syria.
Agree
The funny thing is, they’re always framed as coming from a progressive who’s ‘concerned’ that she isn’t what she appears. Every time. Like it was coming from a script..
The absurd irony of Tulsi’s critics who smear her by calling her an “Islamophobe” is that Tulsi is literally the only person in Congress who is actively, aggressively pushing to end the pro-war, regime-change policies that have literally turned functioning Middle Eastern, primarily Muslim, countries into living hell. No faith group has been more obliterated than Muslims by the U.S. regime-change policy in the Middle East. Tulsi is the one actually fighting for the right of Muslim people to live in peace and demanding that the U.S. STOP arming so-called jihadi terrorists who terrorize peaceful Muslims more than any other groups. The hypocrisy of neo-cons calling Tulsi names when they are ones arming terrorists who are murdering, raping and destroying Muslim countries is sickening.
The “hit piece” dates to 2 years ago.
It’s a hit piece nevertheless and the lies and half truths exposed at https://www.reddit.com/r/NoDAPL/comments/5gcpt3/tulsi_gabbard_proves_once_again_that_she_is_the/dasmluz/
….the lies and half truths….
I examined your link and found nothing to reassure me that she (Gabbard) doesn’t think of Indian Muslims the way the Israeli Zionists think of Palestinians.
The woman obviously has many good traits, but I’m not going to put her on a pedestal just yet.
That article is full of lies and half truths and is thoroughly rebutted at https://www.reddit.com/r/NoDAPL/comments/5gcpt3/tulsi_gabbard_proves_once_again_that_she_is_the/dasmluz/
Thanks for posting that.
Yes. Thanks for posting this.
Lies and “half truths” though? I don’t see it. Comments about her being in cahoot with the RSS might be, but that’s not in the ( admittedly old ) article I posted. I think there is enough evidence to say she has a link with the RJP. Take that as you may.
Some of you people here kill me. Yea, I’m working off a script. Blah blah blah. Won’t go into my life, but I mostly try to stay humble and learn. This is despite having some years of experience..as someone in the military with NATO CTS/Atomal clearance and direct NSA contacts. Things change and I accept that fact. What I know today may not be applicable tomorrow. The yahoos here know it all? Sure you do….
Still thankful for new information that comes from this site. Cheers.
What is “RJP” ? The evil is pretty much in your head – you hindu phobes.
BTW it is BJP – that gained power in 1970s in response to suspension of democratic rights by then socialist leaning gov, and then after the infamous shahbano case where Indian parliament reversed supreme court law by succumbing to muslim orthodoxy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohd._Ahmed_Khan_v._Shah_Bano_Begum
Do the socialists get a lot of money from Saudis or what ?
Humility isn’t something one “attempts”. It is either engrained in your character or it is not…that is not to say that persons with a well-formed sense of humility do not have an occasional failing.
The logical conclusion of what you say (you said “despite”) about your experience (military with NATO CTS/Atomal clearance) is that it worked against the development of said character trait.
NATO? NSA contacts? Well, this yahoo says that “don’t impress me much”.
The next time you come to a comments board to act superior, here’s a tip; it is “yeah” – slang for yes (study your Lennon-McCartney), not “yea” which can also mean yes, but is pronounced differently, as in “Yea verily”, “Yea or nay?” or “Yea Team B!”. ..oh yeah, and there is never just one “cahoot”.
Changing US Syria policy is a matter of great urgency, and Gabbard is nearly a lone voice in DC. If she ever attains such vast power that she can affect India’s internal policies then we should be concerned. That time is not yet.
The concern you express below regarding Zionist anti-Muslim influences on her is a bit dishonest. Israel’s real policy is anti-Arab, not anti- Muslim. We can both cite pro-Israel, anti-Muslim bigots – my favorite example is Michael Ledeen, who hates Iran, but was running a major arms supply ring with Israel to Iran from Reagan’s NSC.
Exactly. Syria is much more to the point.
I could not agree more with Tulsi Gabbard and Ann Wright. I am thankful that we have these courageous, principled women who go to places like Syria to see for themselves, instead of following the Washington noise machine. Their opposition is to policies put into place by neocons. The Trump administration, say what you will about it, has been critical of the neocons’ project of US world hegemony and more open to the views of people like Gabbard than the liberal Democrat interventionists, whose policies coincide with those of the neocons.
Related: “Misreporting Iraq and Syria” by Patrick Cockburn – http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/02/03/90277/
Kudos to Ann Wright , Tulsi Gabbard , and Dennis Kucinich for having the courage to present the ‘inconvenient truth’ about our military misadventures to an American public that’s been so deluged with pro-war propaganda. I hope enough are listening and starting to understand that our government , and their MSM mouthpieces , lie to us , ALL THE TIME and EVERY TIME.
I’m very much in favor of Tulsi’s “Stop Arming Terrorists” act , but worry that even in the unlikely event that it became law , some backdoor way would be found to circumvent it . For example , if a known AQ-linked group changes their name and disavows the AQ connection , do they then become qualified for funding ?
I’d prefer a bill that bans mercenary support of all kinds , whether terrorists or not. Ban the use or support of any non-state armed groups. Our increasing use of mercenaries has been an ugly turn , seemingly placing us a step removed from atrocities committed in our name , but making us no less responsible for them , given any kind of honest accounting.
The need to put our own American boots on the ground creates a powerful incentive to think twice before going to war. That’s a good thing.
Simply abrogating the NATO treaty does the job. The US Constitution provides no federal power to wage foreign war under any condition, only to repel invasions and suppress insurrection. Only a treaty can permit foreign wars, so the US should allow only the UN to decide on such interventions, and it must have no special powers at the UN.
It is the demagogue right wing tyrants, as Aristotle warned, who gain power over a democracy by creating foreign enemies to demand domestic power and accuse their moral superiors of disloyalty. That is all NATO has been used for since the Cold War. If we need it again we can start it again.
Agreed. Dissolving NATO is on my wish-list too.
In the meantime , I’ll try to recruit some more disloyals.
Sam F, Yes, and NATO became illegal when it went farther east than mid-Germany. It is an unnecessary and provocative organization used to intimidate and threaten Russia and any other country that doesn’t do the bidding of the USA.
VERY good point: that HAVING to “put OUR OWN boots on the ground” (emphasis ADDED) could make us “think tiwce before goign to war”.
I support Tulsi and Ann. Great both of you. I can vote either of you for president.
Congresswoman Gabbard ishould be applauded for her bi-partisan approach to policy and is willing to work with the President to achieve her worthy goals. This is contrast to those in her party who are seeking to delegitimize or bring down the legally elected government. It should be noted that Tulsi is also a co-sponsor of HR 790, the “Return to Prudent Banking Act,” to restore the original Glass-Steagall Act separating commercial and investment banking, thus holding President Trump to his publicly announced campaign promise. In doing so she is helping to unite the House, the Congress and the President with critical legislation which is in the interest of all Americans, except perhaps those few who are benefiting from the Wall Street casino economy at the expense of the real economy and everyone else.
Elected elites in the both Democratic and Republican parties are like cult members who are not in any position independently to stray from group think, unless they want to lose their elected gigs!
Due to corporate campaign funds given to the Democratic party establishment or directly begged by members, (it is a well known fact that it is mandatory that every Congressman spends a big chunk of their time at some Congressional cubicles in Washington DC, to work the phones and solicit campaign funds from corporations).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnyalqKNRwc
These people are cult members working very hard for the corporation who fund their campaigns and get them elected. The American voters are merely ping pong balls on a ping pong match!
The money men are now capable to crowd fund protesters.The protesters are come from the same brainwashed the pig pong balls population, brainwashed by MSM. This is called the use and abuse of the ruled population! I wonder what American voters get from these shameless cult members!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHiicN0Kg10
Very good points. Before meeting Assad, Congresswoman Gabbard was castigated by members of her own party for meeting with our own president, Donald Trump. Unlike most Democrats, who just want to blame Russia for their failures, Tulsi is working with the current reality for the benefit of the country.
Execept thta Trump, his Goldman Sach Cabinet & the right-wing Republi-crats DON’T WANT Glass-Stegall restored–or they would have in 2009 after Wall Street nearly crashed the economy. They are DISMANTLING Dodd-Frank right now.
Good article:
“Should The Regime Change Criminals Be on Trial for War Crimes?”
See link below for more info.
http://graysinfo.blogspot.ca/2015/09/should-regime-change-criminals-be-on.html
Bravo, Ann and Tulsi!!
Yes, Bravo. But we do not need uniforms to suggest patriotism. And we do not need women like Hillary who have to prove that they can play with the boys, and turn out to be unable to distinguish a man from a uniform. So far Thatcher and Hillary have been disasters, and I will need a lot of evidence of real courage not these simulations.
Real courage requires knowing what this country needs, and what is wrong with the federal government. It is highly unlikely that a naive young fashionable person can stand up to the gangland and put principles in power. I will wait until I hear a really tough humanitarian woman show that she can do that and not just talk about it. The last thing we need is a female Obama to sell us down the river.
For supporting the killer of US soldiers and the best friend to Iran his Allah and rusdia
You must be out of your mind. Where did they kill the US soldiers? In New York, Los Angeles, or Washington D.C.? We send these troops to invade other countries and expect that those countries will just submit themselves to the killing machines and won’t retaliate. What have Iran and Hezbollah ever done to the US in the US?
Idiot