As I watched coverage of General Petraeus last week in front of Congress, it brought up one of my longest-held, fundamental concerns about the U.S. involvement in Iraq. There simply is no possible circumstance under which supporters of this blunder would accept that we must get out. In a frighteningly literal sense, they insist on winning (which is impossible, you can't defeat a tactic) or dying in the attempt. These supporters have become so caught up in Iraq as the defining issue of their political careers that there's no way to extricate themselves. And so unless and until we have a Congress that is sufficiently strong and motivated to force change, it will never come. Reality will simply never matter to these people. Which is just one reason that I've been so excited to read the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq and see it rack up support and endorsements throughout the country. It's a powerful step in the right direction, and I'm excited by the possibilities it offers.

Today Rick Jacobs spells it out more clearly, explaining not only how important the Responsible Plan is, but how you can get involved and help make it even stronger:

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The war in Iraq will never end.

That's right. This occupation will never end unless we change the conversation and change Washington.

Fortunately, there's an unprecedented new movement of courageous congressional candidates, military veterans, bloggers, and activists teaming up on a plan to responsibly withdraw our troops from Iraq. Together, this unique alliance is pushing back on John "100 years" McCain and his fellow head-in-the-sand politicians and pundits.

And now, we're bringing this movement for change to California.

It's called the "Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq" -- a comprehensive strategy endorsed by 50 congressional candidates, two generals, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense, and netroots activists across the progressive blogosphere (led by our friends at Open Left). And, as the plan gains momentum, it is provoking a predictable reaction from the right-wing, pro-war crowd and their sympathetic stenographers in the traditional media.

You can see it for yourself. In a less-than-shocking example of beltway blindness on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Cokie Roberts dismissively rolled her eyes at the "Responsible Plan," proudly quoting John McCain's tired talking points.

How do we change the national conversation today? By showing Cokie Roberts and her friends in the media that the American public is fed up with Washington's failure to end the war. You can start now by signing on to the "Responsible Plan" after you watch Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation magazine, courageously challenge Roberts and her mimicry of McCain on ABC:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan

What is the "Responsible Plan"?

Arianna Huffington, in a piece for the Huffington Post, does an excellent job summarizing how it got started, what it says, and what it will mean come 2009:

"(The plan was initiated by) Darcy Burner, a Democratic challenger who is running for Congress in Washington state. Working with national security experts and retired military generals such as Major Gen. Paul Eaton, the officer in charge of training the Iraqi military immediately after the invasion in 2003 and 2004, (Burner) developed "A Responsible Plan to End the War," a comprehensive approach to Iraq based on legislation already introduced in Congress.

The (plan) doesn't just lay out how to end the war -- it also addresses the institutional failures that led to the tragic invasion and occupation of Iraq. This includes rebuilding the U.S. diplomatic apparatus, banning the use of armed military contractors like Blackwater, banning torture, promoting government transparency, and restoring accountability through the checks and balances laid out in the Constitution."

... The idea is to band together a group of challengers running on a shared platform who, if elected, will be able to head into Congress armed with a mandate, supported by allies, and wielding a specific legislative agenda designed to end the war. Call it 'A Contract to Restore America.'"

From the grassroots to Congress, the "Responsible Plan" is a people-powered campaign to flip the script on the right-wing cabal that started this disastrous war and continues to defend it. As you might expect, neo-conservative extremists are already waging attacks on the "Responsible Plan," including one pro-war organization -- founded by former Bush Administration officials -- that called the strategy "surrender."

The "Responsible Plan" has already been endorsed by 50 congressional candidates in just a few weeks, including five from California (click here to see who they are).

But that's not enough. To stop the right-wing noise machine now, we need you to show your support and speak out. Please sign on, post a comment, and tell your friends -- and your favorite congressional candidate -- that they should support this responsible plan to end the war in Iraq:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan

Ending the war in Iraq does not mean just electing more Democrats. It also means electing better Democrats. The kind of Democrats who won't cave in to the ridiculous rhetoric of neo-con extremists, Cokie Roberts, and the other shameless power-brokers and pundits populating our nation's capital.

We have to keep up the pressure on our elected representatives as well as strongly encourage this year's slate of congressional candidates to get behind the "Responsible Plan" now. Many of you have personal relationships with congressional candidates -- both incumbents and challengers -- across California. Can you reach out to them and ask them to take responsibility by endorsing the "Responsible Plan" now?

We know that we can end this war in Iraq -- and prevent another war with Iran -- if we build this movement together. But it's going to take each and every one of you and your friends to make it possible.

Thank you for taking action today and making 2008 a new era for progressive politics in California. And the world.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

P.S. A few weeks ago, you helped us air "Yacht Party" TV ads about California Republicans refusing to close a multi-million dollar "yacht tax" loophole, despite facing a grim $16 billion budget deficit. Meanwhile, the federal government is diverting funds that would support housing and education in order to pay for endless war in Iraq.

Our elected leaders have their priorities out of whack. This has got to stop. You can take matters into your own hands today by signing on, speaking out, and telling your friends:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ResponsiblePlan