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| House Votes to Withdraw U.S. Troops From Iraq by Fall 2008 |
| 2007-03-23 |
| WASHINGTON — House Democrats called for a new direction in Iraq on Friday, passing a measure that would order President Bush to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq by September 2008. Democrats picked up enough votes to win passage by 218-212 on the $124 billion war spending bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush promises to veto the measure. “Today, this Congress faces a historic vote. A vote to truly change the direction of the Iraqi conflict,” said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., just before the vote on the House floor. Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, also called the vote "historic," urging collegues to vote against the measure. "Our troops are on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, doing their duty to protect freedom and to end tyranny," House Minority Leader Boehner said. "They're there watching this debate we're having in the House today and wondering, 'Will Congress do its duty? Will Congress stand up and support he mission that I'm in?' The vote puts Congress closer to a showdown with the White House over Bush's Iraq policy. Bush will veto the bill, White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters at Friday's briefing. "Look, the president's going to veto this bill, and he's going to veto it because even though it provides some funding, it also puts handcuffs on generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, corporals, privates, and everybody else," Snow said. Most Republicans opposed the Democrats' plan, which also included budget requests not related to war spending. "What we got instead was a poorly assembled wish list of non-emergency spending requests, wrapped in a date-certain declaration of defeat — a confirmation to our enemies that, if they hang on just a bit longer, we'll be out of their way soon," said Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., told fellow lawmakers a vote against the bill would be a vote against funding for the troops, health care and military families. “You’re voting against supporting the troops if you’re voting against the money that goes to the troops,” Murtha said. Bush urged Congress to approve the bill without a timeline during a meeting Thursday with his Iraqi civilian reconstruction team. "The Congress owes you the money you need to do the job, without any strings attached," he said. "Congress needs to get their business done quickly, get the monies we've requested funded and let our folks on the ground do the job." Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that if Congress fails to pass a measure funding the war efforts by April 15, it will slow down training of troops scheduled for future deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Gates says it would also delay repair of equipment. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a $121 billion version of Bush's emergency war spending request, but bucked the White House by putting in language that sets a date-specific timeframe for withdrawing troops from Iraq. The Senate bill sets a March 31, 2008, goal for withdrawing all combat troops out of Iraq. The legislation, which also gobs on billions in special projects at home, now heads to the Senate floor for a vote by the full chamber. "I think the only way we can succeed in Iraq is by fundamentally changing the dynamic," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who chairs the subcommittee that oversees military funding. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's measure to set a timeline for the withdrawal of troops failed last week by a 50-48 vote. The House measure is unlikely to get through the Senate unchanged, where many Democrats oppose a timetable on the war. |
| Posted by:Glenmore |
| #15 I hope you're talking about 2x2x6 concrete camps, Dave. I'll help pour. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-03-23 23:28 |
| #14 Dear Enemy Terrorists: We bought you some time. Enjoy your gift. Dhimmicrat Party, USA |
| Posted by: Sneaze 2007-03-23 22:17 |
| #13 Nah. That's where most of the idiots got their idiocy in the first place... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-03-23 19:28 |
| #12 "Round these idiots up and herd them into Is this what you meant? |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-03-23 18:20 |
| #11 "House Votes to Withdraw U.S. Troops From Iraq by Fall 2008" Boy, will THAT ever teach bin Laden not to mess with us!!!! Screw this crap. Round these idiots up and herd them into camps so we can fight the damn war without their interference. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-03-23 17:55 |
| #10 What has happened is the Democrats have manouvered themselves into a position similar to what they did to the President's Father. He veotes the bill and they can then point and say, "See, he's denying our Troops in Harm's Way the money they need. He claims to be behind the Troops but he vetoed the funding for their effort". That's basically what happened with GeorgeI when he vetoed a bill that was supposed to be an increase in Veteran's benefits but the Democrats attached a tax increase to it. He would not deny the Veterans the increase s, in effect, he reniged on his promis, "Read my lips. No new taxes". There has got to be some way to reveal the truth about this. You won't see the MSM expose the Democrats' perfidy, though. Assholes all. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-03-23 17:32 |
| #9 President Bush said he would veto this, and they these games are preventing necessary funds to get to the troops so that they can do their job. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-03-23 17:19 |
| #8 Bring some of the troops home NOW! March them up that hill and drag those bloated carcasses into the street and arrest them for treason. |
| Posted by: Rob06 2007-03-23 15:56 |
| #7 House Votes to Withdraw U.S. Troops From Iraq by Fall 2008 Oh, but Murtha said they were supporting the troops. And Big Spinach subsidies. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-03-23 14:53 |
| #6 Sorry Murtha. I doesn't work that way after your big mouth spilled your political machinations behind this bill. |
| Posted by: danking_70 2007-03-23 13:32 |
| #5 “You’re voting against supporting the troops if you’re voting against the money that goes to the troops,” Murtha said. Could somebaody please dope slap that lying bitch... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-03-23 13:26 |
| #4 Is there a law against treason? Doesn't seem like it. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-03-23 13:23 |
| #3 Traitors, all. And they deserve the traitor's punishment. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-03-23 13:22 |
| #2 Can't wait for September 2008 when we'll be hearing the refrain "I voted for it [withdraw] before I voted against it". |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-03-23 13:21 |
| #1 President Bush is holding a press conference at 1:45pm. He better say that this bill is DOA. |
| Posted by: danking_70 2007-03-23 13:21 |