Feingold-Reid Bill To End War Formally Introduced
Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), on behalf of cosponsor Harry Reid (D-NV) and many other Democratic supporters, went to the Senate floor yesterday and formally introduced the Feingold-Reid bill which, if George W. Bush vetoes the Iraq-withdrawal plan that will hit his desk in the coming weeks, will push the issue further by forcing a troop withdrawal by March of next year.
The bill would end funding specifically for the failed Iraq effort, forcing the president to redeploy American troops elsewhere where, according to Senator Feingold, they can actually begin to defend the country against terror threats.
“The President says he will veto legislation already passed by the Senate that both funds the troops and responds to Americans’ demands for an end to the Iraq war,” Feingold said. “Since the President refuses to change his failed Iraq policy, that responsibility falls on Congress. By setting a date after which funding for the President’s failed Iraq policy will end, we can give the President the time and funding he needs to safely redeploy our troops so we can refocus on the global terrorist networks that threaten the lives of Americans.”
And Feingold made clear on the Senate floor yesterday that Bush and the Republican Congress must understand that, by stranding U.S. forces in Iraq indefinitely, they are expressly defying the will of the American people.
"The President will not listen to the American people. It is up to this Congress -- newly elected by Americans fed up with the President's mishandling of Iraq -- to let the people's voices be heard," said Feingold on Tuesday. "And it is up to this Congress to end a war that is undermining our national security and draining precious resources from the global fight against al Qaeda and its allies. Last November, the American people voted to end the war. Now it is up to Congress to do the same."
The Wisconsin Senator also spoke about how Congress using its "power of the purse" to end military deployments is hardly a precedent-setting event, as Republicans would suggest.
Feingold points out that in October 1993, Congress enacted an amendment cutting off funding for military operations in Somalia effective March 31, 1994, with limited exceptions. He also made the embarrassing point that of the 76 Senators voting for that move during the Clinton administration, a large number of Republicans -- such as Senators Cochran, Domenici, Hutchison, Lugar, McConnell, Specter, Stevens and Warner -- voted affirmatively and those same people are now coming forward to call a similar Congressional move something outrageous, if not unpatriotic.
"Did those eight Senators, and the many Democratic Senators who joined them, act to jeopardize the safety and security of U.S. troops in Somalia?" asked Feingold. "By cutting off funds for a military mission, were they indifferent to the well-being of our brave men and women in uniform?"
Senate Majority Leader Reid has said that if Bush vetoes the emergency supplemental spending bill, he will work to ensure Feingold’s bill gets a vote in the Senate before Memorial Day.
In other Feingold-Reid news, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), a guy who has long been known for standing up for Progressive causes and doing the right thing, agreed this week to cosponsor the war-ending legislation.
Here's our updated list of Senators on the record as saying they will ratchet the pressure up a few more notches on Bush and Congressional Republicans if Bush vetoes the supplemental bill as expected:
- Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
- Chris Dodd (D-CT)
- Russ Feingold (D-WI)
- Tom Harkin (D-IA)
- Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
- John Kerry (D-MA)
- Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
- Harry Reid (D-NV)
- Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
"The President continues to insist that he has no intention of bringing this war to an end -- or even acknowledging when it might end. And, four years later, the American people are calling out in greater and greater numbers for an end to a misguided and open-ended military mission," said Feingold on Tuesday. "Most Americans recognize that it makes no sense to ask our troops to police an ongoing civil war. Nor does it make any sense to ask our troops to put down a Sunni insurgency, or to place them in the middle of 'Shia-on-Shia violence' or 'criminally motivated violence' in Iraq."
"Feingold-Reid also allows the President to bring our brave forces home with honor and without endangering them in any way. It is safe, it is responsible, and it is long overdue."
You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.
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General Petraeus on Iraq
Just what does General Petraeus have in mind for Plan B? Is it a congressional mandate in March 2008, when U.S. forces are due to begin leaving a shattered Iraq?
Plan B, the only Plan they have been ignoring because
sadly the only way out is gonna be with more bloodshed. Bush and his administration are responsible for mismanaging the war to the point where we have to pull out. the chaos cannot be resolved with foreign occupying forces, no matter how much we care. If you are not going to walk hand in hand with the citizens for protection, it ain't gonna happen.
Give the people that are in danger, who want a democratic society, a chance to become citizens under the santuary laws. They won't be killed here.
They will be like us the African American, learning a new culture in a strange new land.
It's either that or death squads roaming and killing in Iraq. Tell the Iraqi president we can help in that matter only. WE are pulling out because of civil war. We offer you safety in our country.
WE owe them that much. Damn you George Bush, you have succeeded in ruining a country that although were being forced to exist together by Sadaam, at least there wasn't death in the streets. Sadaam knew his people would do this, and enforced a peace among them.
We Owe it All to King George, the new dictator of the world.
Perhaps with time, they will be able to one day return, like we were.
mommapanther
What a sad thought to have
What a sad thought to have to leave a shattered Iraq behind but it just would have to happen like that if the "window of opportunity" doesn't happen. There must be a congressional mandate to leave in March 2008 even if true peace does start to happen. We can't stay there forever. Look what happened in Cambodia when we left Vietnam. It was talked about in the news that chaos would happen then if we left. It did, and the communists marched ahead murdering millions. It seems General Petraeus is saying we need to "look each other in the eye" and be truthful about this war and take a big step by leaving Baghdad, if not Iraq. He must be thinking of those days, not wanting that chaos to happen. Of course no one wants to face such a hard step to take. It seems that no one can take a first move out of Iraq just like they can't move to impeach. Their all frozen in time.
Which is exactly why we need to get our nosey,oppressive
superpower butts out. Damn that cowboy, he has acted in a very very irresponsible manner, as far as stirring up other hornets nests in controlled countries, during an already in progress war on terrorist regimes of 911.
Is this what the American Middle Eastern Bully Foreign Policy, this administration and corporate CEO's have been doing since the 80's? Did Bin Laden get tired of the shady, forced behind closed door, business deals for oil? The companies who have anti social managers or agents with, little or no rules to how they make their greedfilled coffers or profit margin.
They have turned america to a oil whore junkie.and the Busher's are making a mint in profits.
WE must immediately get her off the stuff, that creates wars over foreign resources. The incentive is our surplus, emergency oil reserve, amounts to rely on, unless they sold that too.. That's the motivation Americans need to hear.
Budget the oil we use, and switch to Wind and Solar, the energy source that is free.
That's the America, Americans want!
Give us something free in this country. How about us?
Free us from this bushenstein Regime. Impeach Now!
mommapanther
Some Democrats plan cave-in
While the Feingold-Reid is now introduced, don't ignore the fact that Sen. Carl Levin announced to the world on Sunday that Democrats are actually planning their step-by-step acquiescence to the dark forces of greed and violence.
__________________________________
April 8 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin said Democrats may be ready to compromise in the showdown with President George W. Bush over linking funding for U.S. troops in Iraq with a timetable for withdrawal. Similar statements by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer are the clearest sign yet that senior Democrats won't force a confrontation with the president. Should Bush veto war-funding legislation that sets a limit on the U.S. military presence, Levin said the majority Democrats likely will strip out language calling for troops to start leaving Iraq in four months, but still require Iraqi political progress. If Bush also vetoes that measure, lawmakers might modify the legislation further to allow Bush to certify that the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is meeting its own benchmarks, he said.
Levin also said most Democrats won't go along with a separate proposal (Feingold-Reid) endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that would cut off funding for combat troops in Iraq next March.
___________________________________
What Senators Levin and Schumer failed to mention is that U.S. losses in lives and limbs and minds not only continue while they "compromise", but increase. *Since the start of this war, the U.S. military fatalities have averaged 2.4 per day. That average has been exceeded every month since last September. For April, as of the 11th, the U.S. death rate is 4.82 per day.
Just how well is Bush's "surge" working? By what standard would you measure? Here's mine:
There's 47 more American families with empty chairs at future family Easter dinners, in just 11 days!
I want you to spare 5 minutes and make a difference for an American family with a loved one at risk. Your expense-free assignment: Call the U.S. Capital ASAP(1-800-459-1887, 1-800-614-2803, or 1-800-828-0498)
1) Ask for Senator Harry Reid's (D-Nev) office and tell the staffer you and 57% (latest newsweek poll) of Americans won't tolerate a Democratic cave-in on a withdrawal deadline. He must not cave on the Feingold-Reid proposal, either.
2) Call Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), same as above.
3) Call Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich), same as above and add he's up for re-election in 2008.
4) Call Senator Feingold and encourage him to hold the line against Democratic capitulation to a failed President with fading support for failed policies.
5) Feel good about yourself. An American soldier may live to come home because of your 5 minute effort.
*Iraq Coalition Casualties
Done
Now everybody else, get bizzy.
mommapanther
Please let it happen.
Let's Hope it happens, this unecessary and immoral war has to truly end.
Feingold-Reid Bill
That bill isn't what I want. I want to get out now...not in March 2008. It only took 60 days for us to leave Vietnam after Nixon agreed to the Paris Peace Accord that Kissinger had negotiated...so why 11 more months? I think the Dems are just trying to stall so that the oil and economy can be further privatized. I support Kucinich's H.R. 1234, OUT NOW!
But this President will veto any Iraq withdrawal
and that includes Kucinich H.R. 1234.
The Only way to end this war in Iraq is either cutting off funding or Impeachment.
"The bill would end funding
"The bill would end funding specifically for the failed Iraq effort, forcing the president to redeploy American troops elsewhere where, according to Senator Feingold, they can actually begin to defend the country against terror threats."
... such as Washington DC ?
Sometimes Laughter
Brings what you're after, to the point of sharpened Truth.......
It SAYS it, and it will for probably "whomever"
but you're going to LAUGH, anyway!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGHty_S0TU0
Plan "B" is the new product, coming up......
(-:G
Make War Obsolete