"Of, for and by the people" means public choice rules

WE are the government. Our politicians forget this; especially with issues like the war in Iraq. We have a duty to be certain our views and not theirs are the ones that are acted upon. I was deeply encouraged that Rhode Island has the highest number of citizens who opposed the war than any other state with 76%. Now the public has their first glimpse that Sheldon Whitehouse and Senator Chafee have no exit strategy and Matt Brown has shifted from Laffey’s current "stay the course" to leaving in 12 months. It doesn't take being a prior Marine to know better.

Anyone who has followed my campaign, my website (www.carlsheeler.com) or blog knows I have opposed this “blood for oil” war because it was based upon a betrayal of the public's trust and lead to unnecessary deaths; especially, after Bush had declared "mission accomplished" in May 2003. The "lies" began with the assertion Iraq was behind the 9/11 events, then Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, then Saddam Hussein was a dictator and should be removed so we can rebuild and bring feudal Iraq an "American" democracy by "staying the course". Back in the States we need attention on domestic security and prosperity, which has been ignored.

Since July, I had indicated a viable exit strategy exists. Whether it is to displace troops to Kuwait or to keep forces, aircraft and missiles on station on the Battle Carrier Group Theodore Roosevelt in the Mediterranean Sea and a Brigade's worth of special forces in country to continue training Iraq military and police to take over the job, with the U.N.'s and other countries' assistance, it should be accomplished before the end of June 2006.

The reality is now, as it will be in the future; there are three Republics in Iraq (Shi'ites, Kurds and Sunnis) who must self-govern with two groups benefiting from oil and one historically benefiting from Saddam's reign (Sunni's). I used the analogy (misquoted in the Providence Journal on 11/28/05) that our Constitution (the document) did not provide a guarantee that our Northern and Southern states would not go to war and so a "Civil War" is just as uncertain in Iraq if we withdrew in 6 months or 6 years after the Iraq constitution is approved on December 15.

What is certain is the majority of Iraqis now want us to leave their country and continued attacks and deaths of our military will occur until we begin withdrawing. It is my priority to save as many of American lives as is conceivably possible, just as if my own child or spouse were at risk.