Baird stands up for his beliefs
After swimming against an incoming surge – in shark-infested waters – these past few weeks, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird believes the tide is turning. The issue is the Vancouver Democrat’s stunning support for keeping the troops in Iraq. He said he is hearing from more people who support his resistance to immediate troop withdrawal.
As an outspoken critic of troop pullout, has Baird damaged his own plans to seek re-election? “That doesn’t matter one way or the other. This matter is too important,” he said. He is supporting what he believes is the correct course of action, he explains.
Reaction – much of it disgraceful – to the congressman’s stand hit its visible zenith Aug. 27 at a town hall meeting at Fort Vancouver High School. Baird estimated a 9-to-1 negative response to his position then. Now, he believes it has turned to 8-to-1 in his favor.
Baird remains opposed to the war in Iraq and is deeply saddened by the loss of troops in that conflict. But a pullout now will condemn Iraq and its people to suffering and chaos at a time when there is hope for success.
There is another underlying question: Does America run away from a conflict it has started, leaving many people in Iraq to face agony, brutality and death?
Baird is following his conscience, based on his first-hand knowledge and additional information he has obtained. He has been to Iraq five times. He’s met with Gen. David Petraeus, chief military commander in Iraq, and with Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq.
He has also talked with U.S. troops in that country, including members of the 104th division, headquartered at the Vancouver barracks. “I asked to meet with them,” he said. Baird said he was not led around on a conducted tour but set his own agenda, meeting with military people as well as civilians, sheiks and others. What did the soldiers tell him? In summary: “We’re making progress. Let us finish the job. If we are pulled out now, there will be a bloodbath in Iraq.”
Baird is critical of some of his fellow Democrats who seem to search for any means to discredit the testimony given last week by Petraeus and Crocker. The New York Times published a full-page advertisement from the organization MoveOn.org. Under a picture of the ad, it offered this smear: “General Petraeus or General Betray-Us? Cooking the books for the White House.”
Baird said he is “most likely to oppose Democratic leadership in the debate this week to pull out American troops.” Because of the near-certainty of a veto by President Bush, “there is not a likelihood of anything passing into law.”
He also said, “I have seen the faces of the soldiers. I’ve seen the faces of Iraqi people. They know what will happen in their ravaged country, and how al-Qaida will retaliate if the United States abandons Iraq. It is one thing to beat the drums of pull-out from thousands of miles away, and quite another to be in Iraq and hear the tales of savagery, beheadings and murder of families.”
Some people are beginning to see the light. Krist Novoselic, former bassist for the music group Nirvana, said “no way” when approached by a Vancouver activist to run against Baird, according to a news story in the Olympian newspaper. “Baird makes good decisions for the 3rd District.” He said he supports the congressman’s judgment on Iraq.
So does Pete Hegseth, who served in Iraq as first lieutenant and platoon leader. Hegseth, executive director for Vets for Freedom, invited Baird to speak Monday evening to 250 people, including Blue Star (family member in military) and Gold Star (death of relative in military) at Crystal City, near Washington, D.C. The nonpartisan organization was established by combat veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Baird spoke Monday morning in Washington, D.C., to a troop-support group of some 600 called “Families United.” He expressed “profound admiration for what you and your loved ones have done and are doing. It is time for all of us to stop pointing fingers or looking for political opportunity. It is time to recognize how high the stakes really are, to look hard facts straight on and do what is right even if that is difficult, even if the cost is high.”
When it comes to political courage, few can match the example set by Baird.