Attorney David Lane said that on June 16, Steve Howards was walking his 7-year-old son to a piano practice, when he saw Cheney surrounded by a group of people in an outdoor mall area, shaking hands and posing for pictures with several people.

According to the lawsuit filed at U.S. District Court in Denver, Howards and his son walked to about two-to-three feet from where Cheney was standing, and said to the vice president, “I think your policies in Iraq are reprehensible,” or words to that effect, then walked on.

Ten minutes later, according to Howards’ lawsuit, he and his son were walking back through the same area, when they were approached by Secret Service agent Virgil D. “Gus” Reichle Jr., who asked Howards if he had “assaulted” the vice president. Howards denied doing so, but was nonetheless placed in handcuffs and taken to the Eagle County Jail. More here.

It is time to withdraw our forces from Iraq. The 9-11 Commission and the Senate Intelligence Commission stated that there was no connection between Iraq and 9-11. Our military has done it’s best, but cannot defeat the growing Iraq Insurgency . Iraq is moving toward a civil war. Continuing to fight the Iraq war will only cost more American lives and waste more American tax dollars.

I believe we should begin a phased withdrawal of our forces. “Staying the course” is not a reasonable option . An abrupt withdrawal could cause a full scale Iraqi civil war and destabilize the Middle East . Other countries know this and will commit forces and resources for their own protection as we withdraw.

We are in a war we should not be in and that we cannot win. We should begin withdrawing our forces and hold Bush and Cheney accountable for this unnecessary war.

Neil Posson