Senate resolution - Goal for troop withdrawal March 2008

[Mass]

(no deadline though)

SENATE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE JOINT RESOLUTION TO TRANSITION THE MISSION IN IRAQ

Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today joined Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer, Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray, Senator Russ Feingold, and Senator Evan Bayh to announce a new Joint Resolution to revise U.S. policy on Iraq. Iraq has fallen into a bloody civil war, and as conditions on the ground have changed so must U.S. policy change to meet them.

The Reid Joint Resolution builds on the longstanding Democratic position on Iraq and the Levin-Reed Amendment: the current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution, Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should not be policing a civil war. It contains binding language to direct the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin their phased redeployment within one-hundred twenty days with a goal of redeploying all combat forces by March 31, 2008. A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping Iraqi troops, and targeted counter-terror options. A full description of the Reid Joint Resolution is attached to this release.

"The President's strategy in Iraq is not working, and Congress must decide whether to follow his failed policies or whether to change course," said Senator Reid. "Democrats believe, as does an overwhelming majority of the American people, that the time has come to transition the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq. Hopefully, Senate Republicans will now join Democrats and the American people in calling for a change in course. They must put doing the right thing above protecting the President."

"Democrats are united when it comes to changing our mission in Iraq," said Senator Schumer. "What's happened here is that Iraq has devolved into a Civil War. And that's not what we bargained for. That's why Democrats believe we should change the mission from policing a civil war to focusing on counter-terrorism. We want 2007 to be a year of transition. The focus should now be on our own plan to focus on counter-terrorism. Our goal is to ratchet-up the pressure on the President to change course."

"Democrats are united in our commitment to changing course in Iraq. We heard the American people and our military leaders. We heard our troops and their families. It's time to plan to end a war that this Administration has failed to effectively prepare for and execute. I urge our Republican colleagues to stand united with us in changing course in Iraq," Senator Murray said.

Senate Republicans have twice blocked the Senate from even debating the President's policies in Iraq and have given a green light to the President's escalation plan. Last November, the American people made a clear call for a new direction, and Democrats are committed to bringing stability to Iraq and bringing our troops home from a civil war.

[rox63]

1. Wheeeee!!!!!!

But pretty darn close to a deadline. No deadline is set in stone. So it's at least a goal, and a change of mission. And it's binding. YAY!!!

:bounce: :loveya: :popcorn:

[Mass]

2. Interesting - Kerry was not part of the press conference.

I thought he was part of the task force on Iraq.

[rox63]

3. Maybe he had something else going on?

:shrug:

[Mass]

4. I would guess so. I also noticed neither Biden nor Levin were there.

I imagine other things were going on.

[wisteria]

12. Maybe he will speak on this later. n/t

[Mass]

5. Kerry statement

He seems happy with this. It is true that this is a long way from what happened last year, though I am not sure goal and deadline are the same thing (we'll see).

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=270368

Kerry: Senate Democrats United Behind Iraq Deadline Plan

Kerry praises move toward deadline for redeploying combat troops

WASHINGTON D.C. - Sen. John Kerry offered the following statement today in response to the announcement from Democratic leaders that they are offering legislation that sets a deadline for the deployment of US troops from Iraq.

"This plan is a critical step forward for our country, and the brave men and women of our armed forces who have been waiting for Washington to provide a clear plan forward in Iraq. Last June, 12 senators joined me in voting to set a deadline for redeployment of American combat troops from Iraq.

Now we can all stand united behind an exit strategy that includes the deadline we need to get the Iraqis to stand up for Iraq and bring American combat troops home. I'm pleased that today's solution is built on the premise of the legislation we offered last year: that there is no military solution to this conflict and any successful strategy must include a deadline combined with diplomatic, political and economic steps that get Iraqis to make the compromises needed for stability."

###

[ginnyinWI]

6. the the House has a pretty good bill out today, too

I saw the press conference with Skelton, Murtha, and Obey along with Nancy Pelosi.

They want Bush to certify progress in Iraq by July 1st, or else troops must start redeploying. If some progress is certified by then, then the date gets pushed up to Oct. 1st. But then redeployment starts regardless of what's going on in Iraq. Their deadline for that redeployment would be March 2008, and if it starts in July, then six months after that, which would be Jan 1st. What they mean by "progress" is actual political/legislative progress on the part of Iraqi politicians.

She said they can't do legislation according to what they think * will sign, only according to what's right and what the American people want--and 84% of us want it. Home by Christmas!

[Mass]

7. The deadline would be sept 2008, unfortunately, if Bush certifies the benchmarks.

but, yes, these are important steps.

This said, it will not pass and unfortunately, even if he was going to beat a filibuster in the Senate, it would be vetoed.

Sad, but probable.

[TayTay]

10. Remember, this will not pass

And even if, by some miracle it does, it will be vetoed. This is but the beginning of a fight that will go on for the duration of the 110th Congress.

It is still not certain that the Resolution will have the votes to even get past a filibuster against it even coming up for debate. That is what killed the non-binding.

That said, Yeah!!!!! This is real progress on a real bill to affect real change. That much more is now right with the world.

[rox63]

11. As JK said, this is a fight we have to have

Forward into battle, brave Dems! :patriot:

[Mass]

8. Link to resolution

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=415021313&size=o

[TayTay]

9. This is the Senate Democratic Leadership

Which is distinct from the folks who have Chairmanships and other, mere mortal Senators.

Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader
Robert C. Byrd
Dick Durbin, Assistant Majority Leader
Charles E. Schumer, Vice Chair of the Conference
Patty Murray, Secretary of the Conference
Charles E. Schumer, Chairman of Campaign Committee
Byron L. Dorgan, Chairman of Policy Committee
Debbie Stabenow, Chair of Steering and Outreach Committee
Jeff Bingaman, Chairman of Committee Outreach
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice Chair of Committee Outreach
Blanche L. Lincoln, Chair of Rural Outreach
Barbara Boxer, Chief Deputy Whip
Thomas R. Carper, Deputy Whip
Bill Nelson, Deputy Whip
Russell D. Feingold, Deputy Whip

Senator Kerry is not in the leadership as organized right now. (He was in the past and has held a few of the posts listed above.) The Democratic Leadership was speaking for the Democratic Caucus. There is no slight here.

You know, I was looking at the committee schedule for next week and Sen. Kerry's schedule is really light. He had a committee hearing postponed on Wed on Climate Change in Commerce and the rest of the Hearings, save Finance on 3/14 can easily do without him. Think something might be up on the floor of the Senate for the taller Senator from Mass?

Gee, I wonder why so much of his time is free next week when the Senate Democratic Leadership is scheduling debate on Iraq and this resolution. (Espeically this Resolution which is so like a certain Kerry/Feingold Resolution that was introduced last June.) I'm just trying to see what is in front of me to see.

[Mass]

13. Here is why the word "deadline" is not in Reid proposal or press release

Some Democrats are still afraid of using the word "certain date". (I let you guess who these are, but the answer is in this article).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/washington/09cong.html?ref=world

I guess this is better than nothing, but, already, some people are saying that "“It’s a goal; it’s not a hard deadline, it’s a goal. We’re just trying to create some pressure on the president. That’s the whole point here.”

I guess this is better than nothing, and, in this sense, a success, but frankly, these people are driving me crazy. When will they accept we need to leave.

At least, the NYTimes recognized the similarities between this bill and Kerry's bill.

Last June, Democratic leaders voted against a plan supported by Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts calling for a similar withdrawal. Democratic strategists say that support for a timetable has steadily grown because of the conditions in Iraq, what they perceive as Mr. Bush’s resistance to change and the widespread support among the public for a clear-cut end to the war.

[Mass]

14. Reid has done a little marvel: unify the caucus around this proposal.

45 democrats, ranging from Lieberman to Bernie Sanders.

:bounce:bounce:bounce:bounce:bounce

6 Democrats have not signed on this yet:

Byrd, Johnson

and Conrad, Nelson and Nelson, and Pryor.

.J.RES.9
Title: A joint resolution to revise United States policy on Iraq.
Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry (introduced 3/8/2007) Cosponsors (44)
Latest Major Action: 3/8/2007 Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. COSPONSORS(44), ALPHABETICAL : (Sort: by date)


Sen Akaka, Daniel K. - 3/8/2007
Sen Baucus, Max - 3/8/2007
Sen Bayh, Evan - 3/8/2007
Sen Biden, Joseph R., Jr. - 3/8/2007
Sen Bingaman, Jeff - 3/8/2007
Sen Boxer, Barbara - 3/8/2007
Sen Brown, Sherrod - 3/8/2007
Sen Cantwell, Maria - 3/8/2007
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. - 3/8/2007
Sen Carper, Thomas R. - 3/8/2007
Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. - 3/8/2007
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham - 3/8/2007
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. - 3/8/2007
Sen Dorgan, Byron L. - 3/8/2007
Sen Durbin, Richard - 3/8/2007
Sen Feingold, Russell D. - 3/8/2007
Sen Feinstein, Dianne - 3/8/2007
Sen Harkin, Tom - 3/8/2007
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. - 3/8/2007
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. - 3/8/2007
Sen Kerry, John F. - 3/8/2007
Sen Klobuchar, Amy - 3/8/2007
Sen Kohl, Herb - 3/8/2007
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. - 3/8/2007
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. - 3/8/2007
Sen Leahy, Patrick J. - 3/8/2007
Sen Levin, Carl - 3/8/2007
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. - 3/8/2007
Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. - 3/8/2007
Sen McCaskill, Claire - 3/8/2007
Sen Menendez, Robert - 3/8/2007
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. - 3/8/2007
Sen Murray, Patty - 3/8/2007
Sen Obama, Barack - 3/8/2007
Sen Reed, Jack - 3/8/2007
Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV - 3/8/2007
Sen Salazar, Ken - 3/8/2007
Sen Sanders, Bernard - 3/8/2007
Sen Schumer, Charles E. - 3/8/2007
Sen Stabenow, Debbie - 3/8/2007
Sen Tester, Jon - 3/8/2007
Sen Webb, Jim - 3/8/2007
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon - 3/8/2007
Sen Wyden, Ron - 3/8/2007

THOMAS Home | Contact | Accessibility | Legal | FirstG

I am no fan of Reid, but for this, he deserves a big hurrah

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x375290

[Inuca]

15. LIEBERMAN??!!?? n/t

[rox63]

16. I am shocked that Lieberman signed on to this bill

Shocked, but pleased. :) Wow... :wow:

[JI7]

17. did anyone see what went on between Rep. Obey and some protestors

i didn't watch the video. but read some of the transcript and what morons these protestors are. they are totally clueless about how anything works and what is going on.

[Mass]

18. They were incredibly clueless.

Among other recriminations, they were asking Obey :

- to filibuster the supplemental (Uhm, I thought filibusters were only in the Senate??).

- to vote against his own bill.

- to somehow vote for a bill that is far from having a majority.

In addition, they did not seem to even have an idea of what was in the bill, but were unwilling to learn.

[MH1]

19. I watched a couple minutes of the video and read the transcript

the woman acted totally clueless. He shouldn't have lost his temper but I can't wholly blame him.

I don't think their badgering of Obey did anything to make the war end sooner.

Like I said before about the people who wanted to "occupy" JK's office, shouldn't they be targeting people on the other side of the issue? (to be fair it seems the Mass VFP group was better informed and the whole thing was handled much better all around - even though someone on the ultra left blogged some nastiness about it anyway)