Senator Carl Levin Speaking on Iraq in Grand Rapids
Michigan Democratic Party Senator Carl Levin is scheduled to speak in Grand Rapids on February 16 on Iraq (details at the bottom of this post). His speech, which is titled "One Year After The Surge: Where Do We Stand? Where Do We Go From Here?," will provide attendees with Levin's "latest assessment of the situation in Iraq, the outlook, and the alternatives."
Over the past year, Media Mouse has focused a decent amount of attention on Senator Levin's position on Iraq. Levin--unlike Representative Ehlers--has a reputation of being "antiwar," despite the fact that for the most part, he has consistently supported the occupation of Iraq. Like Ehlers, Levin has voted for every funding request to maintain the occupation of Iraq.
Unlike Ehlers, Levin has received national attention for his position on Iraq. He has introduced legislation, appeared on national talk shows, and positioned himself as a key Democratic Party voice on Iraq. Despite this, Levin's stand has largely been anything but "antiwar." Beyond voting to fund the war, he has consistently shifted blame for the ongoing violence in Iraq onto Iraqis and has repeatedly referred to Iraqis as irresponsible and ungrateful for the United States' support. Levin's appearance in Grand Rapids offers an opportunity for the antiwar movement to broaden its analysis and illuminate the ways in which both Republicans and Democrats maintain the occupation of Iraq.
In order to aid in this process, we thought it would be worthwhile to link to our coverage of Levin and his position on Iraq:
* Levin Blames the Iraqis for the Situation in Iraq (Again)
* West Michigan Legislators Support Allocating $189 Billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
* Levin on Iraq Bill: Iraqis are "Dawdling" and it's a "Goal" not a "Timetable"
* Levin Considering Strategy to Reduce Iraq Funding Request
* Second Democratic Party "Withdrawal" Proposal Defeated
* Senate Approves More Funding for Iraq War by 92-3 Vote
* Levin and Stabenow Split Vote on Senate Bill Calling for "Withdrawal" by 2008
* Michigan Senators React to Petraeus Testimony
* Levin Possibly Retreating on Call for Withdrawal of US Troops from Iraq
* Michigan Senator Calls for Removal of Iraqi Prime Minister
* Levin Introduces Measure Calling for Withdrawal from Iraq by April 2008
* Levin Reiterates Pledge not to Cut Funding for War
* Antiwar Ad Targets Senator Levin
* Michigan Senator Carl Levin's Iraq Position "Praised" by the Bush Administration
* Senator Levin: "We're Not Going to Vote to Cut Funding, Period"
* Michigan Senator Carl Levin on the Iraq War: His Views and Policies in Public Statements September 2002 to March 2007 (Part 2)
* Reports of Antiwar Visits at Carl Levin's Offices in Michigan
The event announcement from the Progressive Women's Alliance:
"PWA GENERAL MEETING - SEN. CARL LEVIN EVENT, 1:00 P.M. FEBRUARY 16, 2008
"One Year After the Surge: Where Do We Stand? Where Do We Go From Here?"
U.S. Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, will be our speaker at a special meeting in February. Join us to hear Senator Levin on the latest assessment of the situation in Iraq, the outlook, and the alternatives. The event is free and open to the public, so bring friends, family, and any colleagues who might be interested in hearing Senator Levin expound on the political issues brought about by the Iraq War.
What: PWA Program Series, SATURDAY, February 16, 2008 (Please note that this is in place of our usual third Wednesday of the month meeting.)
Where: Loosemore Auditorium on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus of Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Free parking is available in the DeVos Lot on the west side of DeVos Center and accessible from Winter Street. For directions, visit the Maps section of the GVSU website at http://www.gvsu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.maps.
When: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Who: All PWA Members, their friends, and interested citizens are invited!"
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