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Democrats Coalesce – FINALLY! – Around Plans to Withdraw
The House and Senate resolutions on Iraq that the party leadership introduced on March 8th are historic for two reasons: (a) Congress would finally use its power of the purse to bring our troops home – after the President has made it clear that he won’t listen to a “non-binding” resolution, and (b) it sets an actual deadline to get out of Iraq. While it doesn’t call for an immediate withdrawal, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid deserve credit for finally getting the message that Congress must pass binding legislation that will put an end to this madness. While it’s still an open question if they have the votes to get it approved – not to mention signed into law – Pelosi urged her colleagues not to constrain their efforts like that, because it’s “too limiting a factor."
This is not the first time that Congress has voted on legislation to get us out of Iraq, but it’s the first time that Democratic leaders (who now run both houses) have endorsed such efforts. Progressives like Barbara Lee, Dennis Kucinich and Lynn Woolsey have been pushing this for years, but Pelosi did not support it – and their measures went down to defeat. In the Senate last year, Russ Feingold and John Kerry introduced a binding resolution to get us out by July 2007 – but only 13 Senators voted for it. What the Democrats in Congress are finally doing is incredibly important, and concerned citizens should lobby their legislators to get it passed.
Here’s what it does. The Senate version directs the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin a phased redeployment in 120 days – with a goal of complete withdrawal by the end of March 2008. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring this to a vote on the Senate floor tomorrow.
The House version conditions funding for the War on having our troops fully prepared, and requires the Iraqi government to set benchmarks on getting the country in order. It calls for a complete withdrawal to begin no later than March 2008, and earlier if the Iraqi government fails to make progress beforehand. Because it’s an Appropriation bill, it has to first go to the House Appropriations Committee – who will vote on it this week.
More
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=4288#more
Here’s what it does. The Senate version directs the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin a phased redeployment in 120 days – with a goal of complete withdrawal by the end of March 2008. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring this to a vote on the Senate floor tomorrow.
The House version conditions funding for the War on having our troops fully prepared, and requires the Iraqi government to set benchmarks on getting the country in order. It calls for a complete withdrawal to begin no later than March 2008, and earlier if the Iraqi government fails to make progress beforehand. Because it’s an Appropriation bill, it has to first go to the House Appropriations Committee – who will vote on it this week.
More
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=4288#more
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"the House version conditions funding for the War on having our troops fully prepared, and requires the Iraqi government to set benchmarks on getting the country in order."
Troops fully prepared for what? Having the best body armor so they can do some more SWAT team raids and kill innocent women and children?
Mr. Hogarth's gushing endorsement of the phony redeployment is sickening!
'benchmarks to get the country in order'?
like what? Turning Iraq inot a police state with CIA trained death squads killing more workers?
The Democrats deserve prison cells, maximum security, lockdown, the hole. Put them in the Pelican Bay Control Unit with their republican co-conspirators.
Why should we trust the democrats or their apologists at 'beyond chron'?
Troops fully prepared for what? Having the best body armor so they can do some more SWAT team raids and kill innocent women and children?
Mr. Hogarth's gushing endorsement of the phony redeployment is sickening!
'benchmarks to get the country in order'?
like what? Turning Iraq inot a police state with CIA trained death squads killing more workers?
The Democrats deserve prison cells, maximum security, lockdown, the hole. Put them in the Pelican Bay Control Unit with their republican co-conspirators.
Why should we trust the democrats or their apologists at 'beyond chron'?
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