The worldwide leadership of Democrats Abroad has joined many others in calling for an “orderly, early and rapid withdrawal” of all United States military personnel from Iraq.
Meeting in Barcelona, the overseas Democrats also renounced the Bush doctrine of preemptive warfare and called for the censure of the President and Vice President by Congress for their disastrous failure of leadership both at home and abroad.
“As Americans living overseas, we personally witness the damaging effects of the Bush Administration’s foreign policies every day,” said Michael Ceurvorst of Hong Kong, International Chair of Democrats Abroad. “Our voices are united in calling for a return to traditional American values and responsible engagement in the world.”
Addressing the delegates by telephone and in person were party chair Gov. Howard Dean, Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) chair Gov. Tom Vilsack and several candidates running for the U.S. Senate in 2006, including Barbara Radnofsky of Texas, Robert Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania, and Iraq veteran Paul Hackett of Ohio.
With the President’s approval rating plummeting, the 2006 mid-term election is shaping up as an opportunity for Democrats to regain control of one or both houses of Congress. To assist the millions of Americans living outside the U.S., Democrats Abroad will launch a worldwide voter outreach drive in 2006. The election coincides with the 30th anniversary of legislation granting voting rights to overseas civilians.
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