With yesterday being Veterans Day, and my chance to meet and briefly speak with U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George Casey, Jr., at Harvard’s Medal of Honor ceremony, I find it necessary to state my position on the war in Afghanistan and the need to redefine the objective.
Today I proposed an immediate cease-fire in Afghanistan coupled with an invitation to “all-party” peace talks in Paris that would include the Karzai government, the Abdullah faction, the Taliban, and Pakistan.
Attending Veteran’s Day services at Harvard yesterday, and seeing all of the brave young men and women in uniform, coupled with the tragic news of yet another Massachusetts soldier killed in Afghanistan, brought home to me in a very personal way the need for an immediate peaceful solution in Afghanistan. Army Spec. Benjamin Sherman, 21, of Plymouth, was found dead Tuesday in Afghanistan.
My plan calls for offering the Taliban a cease-fire deadline of Friday, December 18th, which marks the Muslim New Year. If accepted, the peace talks would be convened by January 15th in Paris or any other neutral location acceptable to all parties. All issues would be on the table, including the possibility of an “all-party” government in Afghanistan. Critically, no additional U.S. or NATO troops would be sent to Afghanistan while the talks are pending.
Given his being held in high esteem throughout the world, perhaps President Obama himself would be the best person to mediate these talks, as Teddy Roosevelt successfully did in 1905 to end the Russo-Japanese War and for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. Now that the President has ordered his advisers to bring him new options on Afghanistan, perhaps this is one of the options that can be considered. And by inviting Pakistan to the talks, it’s quite possible that many of Pakistan’s current security problems can be solved as well.
If Mandela and de Klerk can negotiate, if the IRA and the British can negotiate, if Israel and her Arab neighbors can negotiate, then certainly Karzai, Abdullah, the Taliban and Pakistan can negotiate. I see this as the best path to a true Peace with Honor for all parties – especially the United States and her NATO allies.
However, my GOP primary opponent (Scott Brown) has no answers to this problem. All he was able to say is: “At this point, I’m not sure, to be honest with you.” (http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/
This is one of the many issues on which I have a fresh and unique perspective not tainted by spending years on Beacon Hill or Capitol Hill. That is why I am asking for your vote in the Republican U.S. Senate primary to be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. And if you are an Unenrolled voter, please pull a Republican primary ballot and vote for me.
I need your help in advancing the Progressive Republican Agenda in Washington. If you are able, please feel free to donate to my campaign by clicking here.
Finally, please watch our newest campaign video asking Scott Brown to accept my invitation to debate.
