Murtha Plans To Deny Bush Funding For Troop Escalation

[kpete]

Murtha Plans To Deny Bush Funding For Troop Escalation

President Bush is widely expected to announce a plan next week to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq by at least 20,000. Congress may not cooperate.

In an interview with Arianna Huffington, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), the chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Committee, said he intends to block funding for any escalation plan. An excerpt:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/dc-notes-murtha-again-_b_37750.html

When we asked about the likelihood of the president sending additional troops to Iraq, Murtha was adamant. “The only way you can have a troop surge,” he told us, “is to extend the tours of people whose tours have already been extended, or to send back people who have just gotten back home.” He explained at length how our military forces are already stretched to the breaking point, with our strategic reserve so depleted we are unprepared to face any additional threats to the country. So does that mean there will be no surge? Murtha offered us a “with Bush anything is possible” look, then said: “Money is the only way we can stop it for sure.”…

He says he wants to “fence the funding,” denying the president the resources to escalate the war, instead using the money to take care of the soldiers as we bring them home from Iraq “as soon as we can.”

more at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/04/murtha-troop-escalation/

[dipsydoodle]

1. I hope their treatrment at home is better than the UK.

Forces housing 'must be improved'

The government has acknowledged more needs to be done to improve housing for the armed forces following criticism of conditions by a senior army officer.

Adjutant-general Lt Gen Freddie Viggers condemned cramped and decaying living quarters in barracks, saying soldiers and their families deserved better.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6230173.stm

[npincus]

2. Best news I've heard all day.

:)

[Orsino]

3. Well, there you go.

A rep with the courage to say no.

[napi21]

4. Ihope Murtha is right about this. I heard Franks on Countdown yesterday

say that the Pubs managed to pass the Defense Budget for 2007 in the last Congress, so Shrub already HAS the $$ to escalate the war. I'll be watching to see how this pans out!

[Nite Owl]

5. From what I have heard Pelosi

is letting Murtha take the lead on Iraq and she will expect the dems to follow his lead. In other words Murtha isn't going to be out there by himself this time.

[xultar]

6. AMEN!!!!

[Double T]

7. Dems at loggerheads with bush and 'his surge' right away............

this will be interesting.

[Beelzebud]

8. Great news!!! They MUST do this.

[nini]

9. excellent

.

[partylessinOhio]

10. God bless Jack Murtha and give him the strength and courage to continue

to fight to bring our troops home and stop the escalation by denying funding.

Dennis Kucinich from Ohio will be standing with Murtha.

[riderinthestorm]

11. Can someone explain the logistics of this to me?

The 2007 military budget, including funding operations in Iraq, was already voted and approved. Bu$h has plenty of money to fund an escalation.

Best estimates are that he would need supplemental funding approved by late spring by which time the escalation will be a done deal.

So how is Murtha going to "fence the funding"? It's already at the DoD and Bu$h is the CIC and can direct it. Granted it will run out but not before Bu$h has already gotten his way.