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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Greenwich, CT, United States, 2006/08/24 - Libertarian Phil Maymin seems to be forcing the position of his opponent, incumbent Republican Christopher Shays, to change on the need for a deadline in Iraq. Four days after Maymin called for a deadline, Shays is now following in Maymin's tracks.
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Libertarian Phil Maymin seems to be forcing the position of his opponent, incumbent Republican Christopher Shays, to change in order to adjust to the new dynamics of the election. Four days after Maymin issued a six-page position paper on why America should set a deadline for Iraq and invited his two opponents, Shays and Democrat Diane Farrell, to debate him, Shays stated today he has changed his mind and now supports setting some sort of timeline. At the time, both Shays and Farrell were opposed to setting any sort of certain date of withdrawal. Farrell remains opposed. Still, only Maymin has set a fixed withdrawal date.
Both Shays and Farrell declined to debate Maymin in the town meeting scheduled for August 29, at 8pm in Greenwich Town Hall. Maymin will hold the town meeting to describe why a deadline is in the best interests of both Americans and Iraqis, how Iraq is quickly becoming a Communist country, and why the deadline ought to be July 4, 2007. “Americans should not have to suffer the indignity and irony of celebrating their great day of freedom and independence while being taxed to pay for an invasive occupation of another country halfway around the world,” said Maymin.
The Iraqi Ambassadors to the United Nations have been invited to join the public in attending the free event.
“On one hand, it’s nice to know I have such influence with my opponents,” said Maymin. “On the other hand, where are their principles? Shays has flip-flopped on the deadline issue. Farrell pretends to be an anti-war candidate but she wouldn’t support a fixed date for withdrawal either. It almost seems as if they are both trying to play both sides of the issue. I am the only one of the three candidates officially on the ballot who would not have voted to invade Iraq even if the United Nations had supported it at the time, and I am still the only one to have proposed a specific date for withdrawal.”
According to published comments, the change in stance by Shays on the deadline issue came about as a result of his latest trip to Iraq. Shays has taken 14 trips to Iraq since the invasion began three years ago. Shays stated that a deadline would encourage the “political will on the part of the Iraqis.” Maymin’s position paper of four days earlier stated: “A deadline tells the Iraqi people that they have the support of the American military until that date to get their country in order. A deadline tells the Iraqi people that we are not occupiers but welcome guests. If the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government don’t want us there, we shouldn’t be there.”
Shays also said it is essential to signal to the Iraqi government that there is no open checkbook or indefinite time frame. Maymin’s position paper of four days earlier stated: “Are we supposed to offer the Iraqis a blank check to come back and squash every civil war they have?”
During the 1,254 days since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Shays has never called for a timeline. Four days after Maymin's announcement and debate invitation (mayminforcongress.com), Shays is now following in Maymin's footsteps.
Maymin’s position paper is available on his website.
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campaign[.]mayminforcongress.com 
