Kucinich Says Transfer of Power Will Not Stop the Bloodshed
The following is a press release from April 7, 2004, by the Kucinich campaign
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Kucinich Says Transfer of Power Will Not Stop the Bloodshed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2004
Contact: Andy Juniewicz, (216) 221-6598, (216) 409-8992, ajuniewicz@aol.com
The June 30th transfer of power from the U.S.- led Coalition Provisional Authority to an interim Iraqi government is "a hoax intended to deceive the American people into believing that this nightmare of death and destruction is coming to an end," said Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich.
"There's not going to be any difference in our military posture on July 1st from what it is on June 30th," said Kucinich, adding, "Those aren't my words. Those are the words of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz." Wolfowitz made the comment to reporters last Friday, April 2, following a briefing to the House Armed Services Committee.
"The only thing that is going to change is the level of violence aimed at our men and women in uniform," Kucinich said. "It will become even deadlier." At least 30 U.S. military personnel have been killed in the last 72 hours.
"On June 30th, all we will be doing is transferring power from the right hand to the left hand -- from the Coalition Provisional Authority to a yet-unestablished interim government chosen under the terms of a constitution written by the Bush Administration and ratified by an Iraqi Governing Council installed by the Bush Administration," Kucinich said.
Despite the fanfare, pomp and ceremony surrounding the signing of that document a month ago, "The constitution actually preserves and perpetuates the continuing occupation of Iraq, and virtually guarantees that the Iraqi opposition will grow more fierce and more deadly."
Kucinich quoted from a section of the constitution, which stipulates, "the laws in force in Iraq on 30 June 2004 shall remain in effect unless and until rescinded or amended by the Iraqi Transitional Government." That transitional government will be appointed only with the approval of the Coalition Provisional Authority. "It will be nothing more than a puppet government attempting to legitimize a U.S. agenda of indefinite occupation and control over a country where we have no legitimate right to be."
Kucinich said the only way to end the escalating violence is to withdraw U.S. troops, bring in United Nations peacekeepers, and have the United Nations oversee a process of elections that are free and fair. Control over Iraqi oil, other assets, and reconstruction contracts should also be placed under UN supervision.
"Our troops are being targeted and killed, and the Administration and others in our government keeping talking about June 30th as though it's some sort of magical date that will bring this nightmare to an end," Kucinich said. "It won't. It can't. The invasion was a mistake. The occupation is a mistake. And we're paying the price for those mistakes with American lives and the lives of innocent Iraqi citizens."
For information about the National campaign: http://www.kucinich.us
For Congressman Kucinich's Schedule: http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.htm.
To schedule an interview with Kucinich or a spokesperson: jonathans@kucinich.us
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