A petition delivered yesterday to Representative Vern Ehlers’ Grand Rapids office urged the Republican Congressional representative to support a plan that would establish a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq. The petition, signed by 832 members of Representative Ehlers’ district, advocates for a withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2006—arguing that the United States’ objective have been achieved as Saddam Hussein has been removed from power and that the Iraqis have held elections. Citizens delivering the petitions described how former supporters of the war now support a withdrawal, including decorated Vietnam veteran Representative John Murtha, a Democrat, and Representative Walter Jones, a conservative Republican that gained some notoriety for renaming French fries in the House café to “freedom fries.” When speaking of Representative Ehlers’ ongoing support of the war, local organizer Glenn Freeman said, “It is irresponsible for Representative Ehlers to continue defending the President and his failed 'stay the course' policy in Iraq.”

The local petition was organized as part of an effort by the national political advocacy group MoveOn who coordinated petition deliveries to Congressional offices across the country. MoveOn’s effort drew the attention the Republican National Committee, who released a memo on MoveOn to Republican legislators arguing that MoveOn is a “left-wing organization” who’s primary backers support policies like “drug legalization” that are “far out of the American mainstream.”