April 22 is a day that has historical significance in the life of John Kerry. On April 22, 1970 he was instrumental in the
first Earth Day in Massachusetts. One year later on April 22, 1971, John Kerry testified before the Senate Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Fulbright Commission on the Vietnam War, it was day that he and many others across this country will never forget.
It was on that day that Kerry sat in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and asked
"How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
Saturday, April 22, 2006, now thirty-five years later, as history is repeating itself in Iraq, John Kerry is making history on the anniversary of his Senate testimony, as he takes to the podium at Boston's Faneuil Hall to ask once again "Where are the leaders of our country? Where is the leadership?"
Generals, veterans, elected officials and Gold Star mothers who ask tough questions and dare to stand and speak the truth to power, are being attacked. They all have a right to speak up as Americans, and we all have an obligation to speak out against a President who is wrong -- a policy that is wrong -- and a war in Iraq that weakens our country.
An OP/ED from Senator John Kerry that coincides with his speech at Faneuil Hall... is available here.
By sharp contrast to the Bush Administration's "stay the course" mantra no matter what the consequences are to American troops, and American credibility, John Kerry is speaking the truth to power and saying that the only responsible path forward in Iraq is an exit strategy.
Last October, John Kerry said that "we were entering a make or break six month period in Iraq." In his speech at Georgetown University, he outlined a series of steps to get our combat troops out in 2006.
Earlier this month, he followed up on his plan from October, by laying out two important deadlines (first in an OP/ED in the NY Times and then in a speech on the Senate floor) - if Iraqi leaders can't form a unity government by May 15 then they are never going to, Kerry said, and American troops must withdraw rather than fight in Iraq's escalating civil war. Kerry also said if the Iraqi's do form a government, then we need to empower the new Iraqi leaders by agreeing on a schedule to withdraw American combat forces by the end of 2006. He has consistently been tough with Iraq's elected leaders, saying "No American soldier should be sacrificed because Iraqi politicians refuse to resolve their ethnic and political differences."
John Kerry has always demonstrated the courage to speak the truth to power when the lives of American troops are in danger.
Check here for the text of Kerry's speech Saturday. C-Span is scheduled to air the speech on Sunday at 7:00 and 10:00 pm, est. Check your local C-Span listings for time in your area, I am told that the times could be changing.
Senator Kerry will also be on This Week with George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning on ABC.
The Full Text of John Kerry's Speech is here.