G.O.P. Senators Thwart Debate On Iraq Policy

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
New York Times
February 6, 2007
Pg. 1

By Carl Hulse and Jeff Zeleny
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 — Republicans on Monday blocked Senate debate on a bipartisan resolution opposing President Bush’s troop buildup in Iraq, leaving in doubt whether the Senate would render a judgment on what lawmakers of both parties described as the paramount issue of the day.
The decision short-circuited what had been building as the first major Congressional challenge to President Bush over his handling of the war since Democrats took control of Congress last month, and left each party blaming the other for frustrating debate on a topic that is likely to influence the 2008 presidential and Congressional races.
At issue is a compromise resolution drawn up chiefly by Senator John W. Warner, Republican of Virginia, that says the Senate disagrees with President Bush’s plan to build up troops and calls for American forces to be kept out of sectarian violence in Iraq.
The deadlock came after Democrats refused a proposal by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, that would have cleared the way for a floor fight on the Warner resolution in return for votes on two competing Republican alternatives that were more supportive of the president.
One of those alternatives, by Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, would declare that Congress should not cut off any funds for forces in the field. That vote was seen as problematic for Democrats because many of them opposed any move to curtail spending, raising the prospect that it could have attracted the broadest support in the Senate.
The procedural vote, which divided mostly along party lines, left the Democratic leadership 11 votes short of the 60 needed to begin debate on the bipartisan resolution. Forty-seven Democrats and two Republicans voted to open debate on the resolution; 45 Republicans and one independent were opposed.
The Republicans run a risk with their resistance in the event Democrats are able to persuade the public that Mr. Bush’s allies are stonewalling in the Senate and shielding the president from criticism over an unpopular war. But their show of unity, with war critics including Mr. Warner of Virginia and Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, siding with the leadership, lent some credibility to Republican claims that Democrats were being unfair. “I am confident that somehow this matter will be worked out,” Mr. Warner said.
But Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said that “time was tenuous” and that he would not guarantee that Democrats would try again to bring up the resolution. He did promise that there would be more clashes over Iraq policy as the Senate turned to measures like the president’s request for $100 billion in emergency Iraq spending.
“You can run but you can’t hide,” Mr. Reid told his Republican colleagues on the floor. “We are going to debate Iraq.”
The results left the future of the Iraq fight unsettled, though Senate leaders indicated that they would continue to negotiate over ways to restart the debate. Lawmakers on all sides of the issue said they anticipated that the Senate would ultimately approve a resolution of some kind because of intense public interest in the issue. Mr. Reid changed his vote and sided with Republicans at the end, a procedural move to allow him the option to reopen the issue.
Still, as they jousted over the terms of debate, senators provided a taste of what a floor fight over the resolution would look like as they traded tough words about the meaning of a resolution challenging Mr. Bush and what would happen if Congress remained silent.
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the independent who sided with Republicans in agreeing not to take up the resolution, called the proposal “a resolution of irresolution,” saying it criticized the president’s plan but did nothing concrete to stop it. He goaded colleagues who opposed the buildup to take more definitive action if that was their view. “Have the courage of your convictions to accept the consequences of your convictions,” he said.
Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a Democratic co-author of the resolution who typically promotes comity in the Senate, accused Republicans of stalling. “If not now, when?” he said. “If not now, do we wait for more troops to die before we oppose the president’s plan?”
In addition to the resolution introduced by Mr. Gregg, declaring that Congress should not cut off financing for forces in Iraq, Republican leaders had sought a Democratic commitment for a vote on another alternative, one introduced by Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona. That measure would set 11 conditions for the Iraqi government if it wanted to retain American support. The Republican approach would need 60 votes for passage.
Democrats said that the Gregg initiative was meant as a distraction and that they wanted to focus on the question of whether senators supported Mr. Bush’s plan or opposed it. “We are witnessing the spectacle of a White House and Republican senators unwilling even to engage in a debate on a war that claims at least one American life every day and at least $2.5 billion dollars a week,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat.
Some Republicans admitted that they were unsure how long the unity would last and whether Republicans could continue to make a case against the resolution on procedural grounds. And two Republicans facing re-election in 2008, Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Norm Coleman of Minnesota, joined Democrats in voting to begin the debate.
Democrats tried to immediately pounce on the vote, with Mr. Reid saying Republicans had given Mr. Bush the green light to begin his buildup. They also warned of political consequences for Republicans given public frustration with the war.
“Senator McConnell led his Republican troops off the cliff,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
The White House welcomed the Senate vote. “All sides have a right to be heard in this debate, and we support Senator McConnell’s and the Republicans’ right to be able to offer the amendments they want to offer,” said a spokeswoman, Dana Perino.
Senator John Sununu, a Republican of New Hampshire who is also up for re-election next year, acknowledged that voters were likely to be unhappy with the procedural wrangling over an issue as grave as Iraq.
Mr. Sununu, who sided with Republicans, but declined to say whether he would ultimately vote to oppose the Iraq plan, said, “It may come as a surprise to my colleagues, but most voting members of the American public think that the Senate spends all too much time talking and not enough time casting votes.”
 
Good for them... It is important to stop the Dems in their defeatist drive

In the United States of America, bipartisan resolution means there were both Republicans and Democrats on board.

And we in the United States of America just held a Federal Election in November, where the Republicans were tossed out of Power (thankfully) in the US Congress, replaced with Democrats strangely enough, so do you view the United States of America as a defeated Nation?
 
Wouldn't that be nice if the politicians would ask the troops how they felt before speaking on their behalf? Especially the Democrats.
 
In the United States of America, bipartisan resolution means there were both Republicans and Democrats on board.

And we in the United States of America just held a Federal Election in November, where the Republicans were tossed out of Power (thankfully) in the US Congress, replaced with Democrats strangely enough, so do you view the United States of America as a defeated Nation?

I think there are many many people in your country who don't have the WILL to carry on the mission and majority of Dems are defeatists and enemy appeasers. However I am unable to read the minds and I can't say if your entire nation is defeatist. But some of you don't want to continue fighting and it is a sad reality.

Wouldn't that be nice if the politicians would ask the troops how they felt before speaking on their behalf? Especially the Democrats.

You think people like Nazi Pelosi, Howard Dean, Levin, Turbin Durbin, Kerry and slow Joe Biden care what troops think/want?
 
Last edited:
I think there are many many people in your country who don't have the WILL to carry on the mission and majority of Dems are defeatists and enemy appeasers.



You think people like Nazi Pelosi, Carl Levin, Turbin Durbin and slow Joe Biden cares what troops think?

Nazi Pelosi? Turbin Durbin?

No matter, as you are not an American, your slights on Americans (any) mean next to nothing, as does your (personally) opinion on anything to do with the United States of America, as far as I'm concerned.
 
Last edited:
Nazi Pelosi? Turbin Durbin?

No matter, as you are not an American, your slights on Americans (any) mean next to nothing, as does your (personally) opinion on anything to do with the United States of America, as far as I'm concerned.

Fine. You asked a question and got your answer.

And I doubt playing with politicians names is a crime. Leftists always make fun of President Bush and his aides, so tit for tat ;-)
 
And I doubt playing with politicians names is a crime.

Well, as far as those who hold Federal Elected Office United States of America, and certain other people in the Federal Government, for you, it's not a crime.

However, the nation you come from, and those who hold office in Iran? Well, that you would need to look into yourself, let me know how that turns out will you?
 
Well, as far as those who hold Federal Elected Office United States of America, and certain other people in the Federal Government, for you, it's not a crime.

However, the nation you come from, and those who hold office in Iran? Well, that you would need to look into yourself, let me know how that turns out will you?

What are you implying by that?
 
And I doubt playing with politicians names is a crime.

Well, as far as those who hold Federal Elected Office United States of America, and certain other people in the Federal Government, for you, it's not a crime.

However, the nation you come from, and those who hold office in Iran? Well, that you would need to look into yourself, let me know how that turns out will you?

What are you having trouble with?
 
I am not quite sure if I get what you mean.

But we're not talking about my motherland here, we're talking about US senate. no?
 
I am not quite sure if I get what you mean.

But we're not talking about my motherland here, we're talking about US senate. no?

See the way all this went down is.....

I think there are many many people in your country who don't have the WILL to carry on the mission and majority of Dems are defeatists and enemy appeasers. However I am unable to read the minds and I can't say if your entire nation is defeatist. But some of you don't want to continue fighting and it is a sad reality.



You think people like Nazi Pelosi, Howard Dean, Levin, Turbin Durbin, Kerry and slow Joe Biden care what troops think/want?

You posted that.

And then......
Nazi Pelosi? Turbin Durbin?

No matter, as you are not an American, your slights on Americans (any) mean next to nothing, as does your (personally) opinion on anything to do with the United States of America, as far as I'm concerned.

I posted that.

Afterwards.....
Fine. You asked a question and got your answer.

And I doubt playing with politicians names is a crime. Leftists always make fun of President Bush and his aides, so tit for tat ;-)

You Posted that.

Then.....
Well, as far as those who hold Federal Elected Office United States of America, and certain other people in the Federal Government, for you, it's not a crime.

However, the nation you come from, and those who hold office in Iran? Well, that you would need to look into yourself, let me know how that turns out will you?

I Posted that.

You will notice that I made reference to the United States of America, and Iran.
Now, I'm not Iranian, I only Posted that, for you, it's not a crime with regard to the whole contempt towards Elected (and certain other) Officials in the United States of America.
 
Ah, I get it now. Well, I don't know if you are trying to compare a democratic and free country like the USA with a closed and un-democratic state like Iran. But while it is a crime to make fun of politicians in Iran, many including me, don't/didn't stop making fun of them. It's something every one does, regardless of nationality and beliefs. What matters is that these politicians, of any party and country, are not gods or angels. But seriously, there are more appeasers within the dems party.
 
Ah, I get it now. Well, I don't know if you are trying to compare a democratic and free country like the USA with a closed and un-democratic state like Iran. But while it is a crime to make fun of politicians in Iran, many including me, don't/didn't stop making fun of them. It's something every one does, regardless of nationality and beliefs. What matters is that these politicians, of any party and country, are not gods or angels. But seriously, there are more appeasers within the dems party.

Where as here in America the use of contemptuous words against certain people is a crime.


[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 20, 2004]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 20, 2004 and December 23, 2004]
[CITE: 10USC888]​


TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES​

Subtitle A--General Military Law​

PART II--PERSONNEL​

CHAPTER 47--UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE​

SUBCHAPTER X--PUNITIVE ARTICLES​

Sec. 888. Art. 88. Contempt toward officials​

Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the
President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the
Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or
possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a
court-martial may direct.​




DoD Directive Number 1344.10 makes such a crime for all Active Duty Members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.​

And like I said, you are not an American, so your view of one Party or another within the Federal Government United States of America does not mean much to me, as I doubt you could do anything to harm the US Constitution, or any Party in Government.
That you dislike or maybe even hate, and that there is hate, and even some wanting to kill members of the United States Government is par for the course among certain peoples of the World, we are at War after all.​
 
Back
Top