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January 11, 2008

Bean, Scheurer weigh Iraq war

Northwest Herald, Regan Foster

CRYSTAL LAKE – A Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Barrington, said this week that it was time for the U.S. to entirely pull out of Iraq.

“We are talking serious entrenchment, but I do believe not one more dollar, not one more soldier spent in Iraq,” Randi Scheurer, a Lindenhurst educator and primary hopeful for the 8th Congressional District Democratic nomination, said Thursday. “Pull all troops, pull all embassy workers, pull interpreters; every single individual who was involved on the ground and in the air out of Iraq.”

But Bean, who historically has voted to support the war, said an immediate and unilateral pullout from the country was not the best way to go

She visited Baghdad in early November – her second trip to Iraq – and said the region appears to be militarily stabilizing. Bean said she would support timelines for troop withdrawal, but added that redeployment could not happen overnight.

“I’m not going to look in the eye of armed servicemen and their families and not tell them I’m going to make sure they have what they need to be safe,” Bean said. “As they stand up, we’ll stand down and now is the time.”

Bean and Scheurer are bidding for Democratic voters’ support in the Feb. 5 primary.

Scheurer, the wife of 2006 Moderate Party hopeful Bill Scheurer, has a son who was injured while on duty in Iraq. Bill Scheurer also made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination in 2004.

Randi Scheurer, who also endorses universal health care coverage for all Americans and restructuring both the World Trade Organization and Central American Free Trade Agreement to get rid of what she called “corporate insiders and trade tribunals,” has centered her campaign around an immediate end to the war.

The urgency is so great, Scheurer said, that she supports decommissioning thousands of pieces of heavy artillery and leaving them in Iraq.

By deactivating the weapons, she said, they would not be used by Iraqi forces or insurgents.

Following the pullout, Scheurer said, the U.S. should step aside from any coalition or government in Iraq. That’s because many Iraqis view America as the aggressor, Scheurer said.

“Our country believes in, by using the power of the trigger, of the gun, of the military, we can achieve a common reassurance,” Scheurer said. “The truth is using these things only creates more ... distrust, more defensive behavior.

“Trust comes from fairness and opening up conversation and dialogue with people who don’t trust. It’s powerful.”

Bean, on the other hand, said the U.S. needs to maintain a strong presence in Iraq and take a role in diplomatic rebuilding there. While the country’s military forces may have stabilized, Bean said, it’s government remains internally segregated.

“They have their democracy, they have their government,” Bean said. “The desire to pursue a democratic, diverse nation has got to come from them. We’ve all been that beacon on the hill. I think we should [maintain that.]”

( http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/01/11/news/local/doc47870bab740a4765626361.prt )





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Randi Scheurer email me			January 11, 2008 Bean, Scheurer weigh Iraq war Northwest Herald, Regan Foster CRYSTAL LAKE – A Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Barrington, said this week that it was time for the U.S. to entirely pull out of Iraq. “We are talking serious entrenchment, but I do believe not one more dollar, not one more soldier spent in Iraq,” Randi Scheurer, a Lindenhurst educator and primary hopeful for the 8th Congressional District Democratic nomination, said Thursday. “Pull all troops, pull all embassy workers, pull interpreters; every single individual who was involved on the ground and in the air out of Iraq.” But Bean, who historically has voted to support the war, said an immediate and unilateral pullout from the country was not the best way to go She visited Baghdad in early November – her second trip to Iraq – and said the region appears to be militarily stabilizing. Bean said she would support timelines for troop withdrawal, but added that redeployment could not happen overnight. “I’m not going to look in the eye of armed servicemen and their families and not tell them I’m going to make sure they have what they need to be safe,” Bean said. “As they stand up, we’ll stand down and now is the time.” Bean and Scheurer are bidding for Democratic voters’ support in the Feb. 5 primary. Scheurer, the wife of 2006 Moderate Party hopeful Bill Scheurer, has a son who was injured while on duty in Iraq. Bill Scheurer also made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination in 2004. Randi Scheurer, who also endorses universal health care coverage for all Americans and restructuring both the World Trade Organization and Central American Free Trade Agreement to get rid of what she called “corporate insiders and trade tribunals,” has centered her campaign around an immediate end to the war. The urgency is so great, Scheurer said, that she supports decommissioning thousands of pieces of heavy artillery and leaving them in Iraq. By deactivating the weapons, she said, they would not be used by Iraqi forces or insurgents. Following the pullout, Scheurer said, the U.S. should step aside from any coalition or government in Iraq. That’s because many Iraqis view America as the aggressor, Scheurer said. “Our country believes in, by using the power of the trigger, of the gun, of the military, we can achieve a common reassurance,” Scheurer said. “The truth is using these things only creates more ... distrust, more defensive behavior. “Trust comes from fairness and opening up conversation and dialogue with people who don’t trust. It’s powerful.” Bean, on the other hand, said the U.S. needs to maintain a strong presence in Iraq and take a role in diplomatic rebuilding there. While the country’s military forces may have stabilized, Bean said, it’s government remains internally segregated. “They have their democracy, they have their government,” Bean said. “The desire to pursue a democratic, diverse nation has got to come from them. We’ve all been that beacon on the hill. I think we should [maintain that.]” ( http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2008/01/11/news/local/doc47870bab740a4765626361.prt )