posted on June 15, 2006 02:28:09 PM new
Kerry,Feingold,Boxer,Byrd,Harkin,Kennedy,Murtha & Pelosi shot down in flames..again.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate rejected a call for the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq by year's end on Thursday as Congress erupted in impassioned, election-year debate over a conflict that now has claimed the lives of 2,500 American troops.
The vote was 93-6 to shelve the proposal, which would have allowed "only forces that are critical to completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces" to remain in 2007.
The vote came alongside a daylong debate in the House, where Republicans defended the war as key to winning the global struggle against terrorism while Democrats excoriated President Bush and his policies.
"We must stand firm in our commitment to fight terrorism and the evil it inflicts throughout the world. We must renew our resolve that the actions of evildoers will not dictate American policy," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said in remarks laden with references to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The war was "a grotesque mistake," countered the Democratic House leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. "The administration continues to dig a hole. They refuse to come up and see the light," she said.
The political subtext was clear from the outset.
"Is it al-Qaida or is it America? Let the voters take note of this debate," said Republican Rep. Charles Norwood of Georgia, attacking war critics as defeatists who do not deserve re-election.
The debate unfolded four months before midterm elections that will decide the control of Congress, and at a time Bush is trying to rebuild faded public support for the conflict.
The administration was so determined to get its message out that the Pentagon distributed a highly unusual "debate prep book" filled with ready-made answers for criticism of the war.
The Senate voted unfolded unexpectedly as the second-ranking leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced legislation he said was taken from a proposal by Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat and war critic. It called for Bush to agree with the Iraqi government on a schedule for withdrawal of combat troops by Dec. 31, 2006.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said if the United States withdrew, "I am absolutely convinced the terrorists would see this as vindication." He predicted terrorism would spread around the world, and eventually reach the United States.
Democrats sought to curtail floor debate on the proposal, and the vote occurred quickly.
Kerry and other Democrats accused Republicans of political gamesmanship, and promised an authentic debate next week. He and five other Democrats were in the minority on the vote - Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Barbara Boxer of California, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Tom Harkin of Iowa, and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
The debate in the House was poignant and partisan by turns.
Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., began his remarks by asking for a moment of silence to mark the 2,500th U.S. combat death.
At the White House, spokesman Tony Snow said, "It's a number." He said that Bush "feels very deeply the pain that the families feel."
Polls show the war has become unpopular. But Bush has tried to rally support in the days since the death of terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and the recent completion of a new Iraqi government.
The Pentagon's 74-page battle plan for the debate said that "Iraq will become a haven for terrorists, murderers and thugs" if the United States left "before the job is done."
"We cannot cut and run," it said at another point, anticipating Democratic calls for a troop withdrawal on a fixed timetable.
posted on June 20, 2006 12:18:29 PM new
This proves one thing...
Republicans want a war and have no ambitions to bring our troops home. They could care less about our servicemen. It is obvious when they don't provide funding for adequate protection, cut funding for our Veterans, pay Haliburton to provide poor services to our military while their employees make 3-5 times what our military makes, etc.
Republicans don't want to pull out of Iraq because all of their buddies who contributed to their election campaigns won't make money. Republicans support war profiteering, and clearly have no goal but to kill off more of our troops in the name of the allmighty dollar.
posted on June 20, 2006 03:50:22 PM new
Actually the only thing it proves is that republicans are more interested in empty gestures than in doing their damn job. The bill was absolutly pointless and the only people that are buying into the message are those tat already had a lifetime subscription to it to begin with.
Useless waste of time and an insult to the intelligence of the american people. Do you REALLY count it as a victory Bear?
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People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
posted on June 20, 2006 06:54:21 PM new
More importantly Ron... what job DID they do?
They were elected to serve this country not to serve their own political needs and the ONLY purpose that bill served was to play political games. The ONLY people that that bill was intended to benefit was republicans running in the mid term elections.
Don't even attempt to defend it or paint it as anything else... even the republicans admit that was it's purpose.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
