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LA City Council Votes to Pullout from Iraq
In 2003, the New York City Council voted to oppose the war in Iraq. Two years later, they drew a resolution for the "orderly and rapid withdrawal" of Iraq. Now, three days short of exactly two years after New York, the Los Angeles City Council, in a 12-2 vote, voted yesterday to support pulling out of Iraq.
The council said it approved the resolution because it wants the federal government to end the war, which is diverting money from local governments. "We want to let our congressional delegation know we are speaking for the people of this country who want to see an end to the war in Iraq," said Councilman Bill Rosendahl, a Vietnam-era veteran who has been pushing for the measure for months.
[snip]
"When you look at this city and all its needs, this is money that can be better spent," Councilman Ed Reyes said.
"We have schools where the dropout rate is 50 percent and it becomes fertile ground for military recruiters. We should be asking why don't we have college recruiters there instead." [Daily News]
Locally, Los Angeles Councilmen Dennis Zine and Greig Smith, representing the West Valley and the Northwest Valley respectively, opposed the measure. Telling the Daily News he didn't think it was appropriate for the council to take such action, Zine explained that while he doesn't want to see the country at war, he is "concerned what other people in the world will say when they see us take this action."
Exactly. "LA is so whacky for wanting to end the war," the world will say. That, coming from a councilman who occasionally dresses as a woman. His Her name is Denise Zine.
Photo of the weekly Santa Monica commemorative by Shavar via Flickr
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