Alexandria, VA: Congressman Jim Moran called a Town Hall Meeting, "Terrorism and the Possible Conflict in Iraq," with Pentagon spokespersons, Public Affairs Victoria Clarke and Major General Kevin Kuklok.
An incredibly well-informed audience respectfully stood in line with notepads, to ask the Pentagon questions. The first person set the tone. A Kurdish-American woman said her family and her people got chemically bombed by Saddam and she is against the war. A big cheer arose from the audience. An Iranian-American woman rhetorically asked where the weapons of mass destruction came from, and answered, "You supplied it. Does the UN have a mandate for 2/3 of Iraq to be a no-fly zone, attacked every day? Has Israel ever followed UN resolutions?" The audience gave a bigger cheer to a woman who asked why we don't join other countries in eliminating all weapons of mass destruction, (including ours.)
Congressman Jim Moran said 69% of people calling his office are against the war and there is an even higher percentage in the room. During the entire event, no one from the audience asked a question or made a statement in favor of the war, although there was some clapping for supporting the troops. A Gulf War vet, who also served as a reservist against al-Qaeda, asked, "What are the 'smart politics' that are going to work in the area after we bring the tanks in, when we are throwing a brick in a hornet's nest? What is our politics towards the countries where the 911 supporters came from, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt?" One of the last questions was from a 16 year old who wanted to know how much this war was going to cost, and was funds for education going to be sacrificed.
Pentagon spokesperson Virginia Clarke answered several different questions in the exact same way; with a statement that "18 different European countries agree with the US re Saddam", with a shake of her head once and a drink of water. Overall it was not the greatest PR event for the Pentagon
9:15 PM - After the scheduled 9 PM close of the meeting- but confronted by an onslaught of unanswered audience questions- Rep. Moran insinuates that pointed questions are the reason that more town meetings are not held.
During the entire event, no one from the audience asked a question or made a statement in favor of the war, although there was some clapping for supporting the troops. Those who challenged the Pentagon views included a Gulf War vet who also served as a reservist against al-Qaeda, asking, "If Clausewitz's premise is true, ('War is nothing more than the continuation of politics by other means,') then what are the smart politics that are going to work in the area after we bring the tanks in, when we are throwing a brick in a hornet's nest? What is our politics towards the countries where supporters of 911 came from, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt?" A Vietnam vet stated, "I know what 'clear and present danger' means and I don't see the 'clear and present danger' of Iraq." He then named the generals who have served in the area, in the military who are hesitant to go to war in Iraq, and ended by naming those driving US foreign policy who have not served, with a big cheer from the audience. One of the last questions was from a 16 year old who wanted to know how much this war was going to cost and how it was going to be paid, and was education for young going to be sacrificed in the process. Most of the people who asked questions were from Virginia. Overall it was not the greatest PR event for the Pentagon. Check for rerun on C-Span TV, channel 17 in DC.
