"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead

Jackson said diplomats who visit Iraq have a skewed view of the situation. Speaker urges pullout of Iraq Texans for Peace founder says they don't need us there By icess fernandez Caller-Times November 13, 2005 The United States should pull out of Iraq and let the Iraqi people, who are more than capable, control their own fate, the founder of a state peace organization told a Corpus Christi audience Saturday. Charlie Jackson, founder of the nonprofit Texans for Peace, spoke in front of about 30 people Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Corpus Christi. Jackson spoke about his third trip to Iraq and what was happening there. He said the American presence in Iraq is hindering the growth of that nation because other aid-giving organizations have left. "It doesn't appear that the Iraqi society would disintegrate into violence," Jackson said. "They have shown that they can take care of their own affairs. If we left, there would be a flood of people ready to help but can't because the troops are there." Jackson said diplomats who visit Iraq have a skewed view of the situation because they are only exposed to an area of Baghdad known as the Green Zone, where the U.S. Embassy and other Iraqi government buildings are located. "The problem is that they never go outside the Green Zone," he said. "They have a misconception on what's going on in Iraq. They don't know what's going on." The general population in Iraq wants American troops to leave their country, Jackson said. Attacks are common on American troops and innocent Iraqis also are harmed in the process, he said. "The Washington theory that the troops need to keep the peace in Iraq is wrong," he said. "Eighty to 90 percent of Iraqis want troops out because their presence creates problems." Anne Eiseman came to the meeting to get another perspective on the war. She said she agreed with some of the points raised by Jackson and wishes more people would question the facts about the war. "Wake up, people," she said. "Come to meetings like this. See the full picture." Contact Icess Fernandez at 886-3748 or fernandezi@caller.com

* this page is a mirror of the original at: http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_4235775,00.html

Write your government officials!:

President George W. Bush
email: president@whitehouse.gov
White House Opinion Line:
(202) 456-1111
Washington Office:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Washington Office:
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4304
Phone: (202) 224-5922
Fax: (202) 224-0776
Main District Office:
10440 N. Central Expressway, #1160
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: (214) 361-3500
Fax: (214) 361-3502

Senator John Cornyn
Washington Office:
C5 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4302
Phone: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
Main District Office:
2323 Bryan St., Ste. 2150
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 767-3000

U.S. Representative Solomon P. Ortiz
Washington Office:
2470 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4327
Phone: (202) 225-7742
Fax: (202) 226-1134
Main District Office:
3649 Leopard, #510
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
Phone: (361) 883-5868
Fax: (361) 884-9201

Governor Rick Perry
Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1-800-252-9600
PO Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
Phone: (512) 463-2000
Fax: (512) 463-1849
Washington Office:
122 C St., NW, Ste. 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 638-3927
Fax: (202) 628-1943

State Senator Juan Hinojosa
PO Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711-2068
Phone: (512) 463-0120
Fax: (512) 463-0229
Main District Office:
612 Nolana Ste, 410B
McAllen, TX 78504
Phone: (956) 972-1841
Fax: (956) 686-8462

State Rep. Jaime Capelo
E1.424 Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Phone: (512) 463-0462
Fax: (512) 463-9545
Main District Office:
501 S. Tancahua
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 882-2277
Fax: (361) 882-2881

City of Corpus Christi:

Mayor Neal, Loyd
email: dianag@ci.corpus-christi.tx.us
Phone: (361) 880-3100
Fax: (361) 880-3103

Kelly, Bill (District 1)
email: maryj@cctexas.com
Phone: (361) 289-1383
Fax: (361) 289-0712

Colmenero, Javier D. (District 2)
email: jcolmenr@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Noyola, Jesse (District 3)
email: jnoyola@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Scott, Mark (District 4)
email: mscott@sanjacintotitle.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Kinnison, Rex (District 5)
email: rkcpatx@aol.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Office: (361) 884-6396
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Cooper, Melody (At Large)
email: joe@melodycooperlaw.com
(361) 887-8014 (wk)
(361) 850-7383 (hm)

Chesney, Brent (At Large)
email: bchesney@firstam.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Garrett, Henry (At Large)
email: chiefhcg@aol.com
(361) 949-8406
cell: (361) 850-3113
fax: (361) 949-0162

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