GOP readies opposition to troop bill

[rsmith6621]

WASHINGTON - Democratic-backed legislation to withdraw U.S. combat troops from
Iraq cleared an initial Senate hurdle Wednesday, but Republicans confidently predicted they had the votes to defeat it.
President Bush backed them up with a veto threat.


The legislation, calling for combat troops to return home over the next 12 months, "would hobble American commanders in the field and substantially endanger America's strategic objective of a unified federal democratic Iraq," the White House said in a written statement.

The strong veto message underscored the intensifying struggle between the administration and the new Democratic-controlled Congress, which is determined to end U.S. participation in a war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,100 Americans and cost more than $300 billion.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070314/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

[rodeodance]

1. opps McConnel on 2005 Reed statement:

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., said the legislation does not go far enough, but added he intends to support it because "it does not allow the president's misguided policies to continue. It does not tacitly re-authorize the war." The Wisconsin Democrat said he would keep trying to press his own measure, which calls for limiting the use of defense funds in Iraq to achieving a troop withdrawal.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., another vocal critic of the war, said, "The American people are far ahead of the administration. We have an obligation to stand up for our troops and stand up to our president when he stubbornly refuses to change course in Iraq."

But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (news, bio, voting record) said passage of the withdrawal measure "would be absolutely fatal to our mission in Iraq" — and he sought to rebut Democratic supporters with their own words.

He quoted Democratic leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada as saying in 2005 that setting a timeline was "not a wise decision because it only empowers those who don't want us there, and it doesn't work well to do that."

[Kber]

2. Headline reads like the GOP is getting a bill ready to "oppose the troops"

unintentional truth at CNN?

[VegasWolf]

3. Fantastic! Make all the oil profiteers and war mongers state their position! nt