Senate GOP will not block Iraq bill -- Vote on amendment to strip withdrawal as early as Tuesday

[Lone_Star_Dem]

By ANNE FLAHERTY Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press
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WASHINGTON — Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday he won't block Senate passage of an Iraq war spending bill even if the GOP fails to kill its troop withdrawal deadline because he knows President Bush will veto it.

Facing a cliffhanging vote this week, McConnell promised to fight the provision, which calls for combat troops to be brought home within a year. Even if he fails, McConnell said he won't stand in the way of the bill's final passage because the sooner it is sent to the president, the sooner Bush can veto it.

<snip>

The Senate will vote as early as Tuesday on a Republican amendment to strip the withdrawal language from the bill.

<snip>

While most Republicans are expected to reject setting a timetable in Iraq, the vote is likely to be a difficult one for those facing re-election next year.

A solid majority of Americans want their representatives in Congress to support legislation calling for a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008. Nearly six in 10 want their members of Congress to support such a bill, and one-third want them to oppose it, according to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4662471.html
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It's nice to know that there are some R's who are afraid not to support a withdrawal date for fear of voters retaliating.

This is going to get very interesting before it's over.

[liberalnurse]

1. A logical choice.....

Let *bush finally get the dirt on his hands.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. It goes well with with the blood that's already there. N/T

[Vincardog]

2. If jr. doesn't want to fund the troops, who are we to force it on him?

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. I expected this. The psycho will be the 'bad guy' and their stinkin' fingers will be clean

in the '08 election. If they voted against it, it's fodder for the Dems campaign ads.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. You make an excellent observation

This will be used against any R in '08 that would be foolish enough to vote against public opinion. A fact that I'm sure didn't escape the notice of the Dems when they initiated this in the first place.

I'm also wondering if this means that their attempt at spinning it as being "pork filled" didn't poll as well as they'd liked.

I'm sure the Rs who are secure in their seats for '08 will do all they can to stop this, but without the ones up for re-election in less war hungry states, they don't expect to have the numbers. That leaves it up to bush to make his stand and veto the war funding.

[LSK]

7. 200some GOP House members already voted against it n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. Then they're toast in '08. They will regret that vote. They don't support the troops.

;)

[Justice Is Comin]

5. And there were some here who

thought the House bill wasn't going to have any leverage. Pffft.

Bush will twist in the wind on this veto. He's as they say in New York, screwed.

[LSK]

8. unfortunately, he has no more elections to win

[dysfunctional press]

10. exactly. he's still the one doing the screwing.

for two more years.

[Justice Is Comin]

11. Yeah partner

but he takes all the republics down right with him.

You think the public won't be po'd that he vetoes this?

[Johonny]

9. Wow

The Republicans in the Senate are starting to get that the President is no help in 2008 and beyond. Time to let him sink with record.

[cali]

12. Very interesting is right.

The shit is gonna fly in short order. I'd like to see Pelosi and Reid give a full court presser saying they've given the prez everything he asked for plus funding for veterans health, and he is refusing to fund the troops because he doesn't believe in accountability, and that it's up to him to decide whether to fund the troops through this legislation or not.

I'm not sure what would happen then. I think he can get the funds from some other part of the budget, but I'm not sure of that.