Dems At It Again, and Again, And Agian

Hey folks,

They are at it again. "We will end this war." {Before Hillary tries to get in.} Because they own defeat. They cannot survive victory.} This just brought to mind that the surge IS working. The attacks are now, very less, and coming from OUTSIDE the surge zone. It is working, and they are getting scared. It’s really that simple. I could leave it at that, but where would be the fun?

So in the here we go again category, The AP reprted,

In a direct challenge to President Bush, House Democrats unveiled legislation Thursday requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the deadline would be added to legislation providing nearly $100 billion the Bush administration has requested for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She told reporters the measure would mark the first time the new Democratic-controlled Congress has established a "date certain" for the end of U.S. combat in the four-year-old war that has claimed the lives of more than 3,100 U.S. troops.

The Guardian, by Mark Tran and agencies

Senior congressional Democrats today threw down the gauntlet to the Bush administration by unveiling legislation setting a timetable for a US troop withdrawal from Iraq.

The direct challenge to the White House follows the president's decision last month to send an extra 21,500 troops to Iraq despite growing public opposition to the war.

The plan calls for a complete withdrawal of combat forces by August 2008 at the latest. {Before the Elections}A senior House Democrat, David Obey, said the plan will bring an "orderly and responsible close" to American participation in Iraq's "civil war".

The Washington Post? Well, they pretty much are reporting the TRUTH. This is nothing more than even more anti-war {because they will do anything they can to end it} rhetoric. This is nothing more than further anti-America, cowardly attack on Bush, bunch of bunk.

Even in her conservative Kansas district, calls and letters to freshman House Democrat Nancy Boyda show a constituency overwhelmingly ready for U.S. troops to come home from Iraq.

Yet as the House nears a legislative showdown on the war, Boyda finds herself wracked with doubts. She is convinced that Congress must intervene to stop the war, but is fearful of the chaos that a quick U.S. pullout could prompt. "Congress has an obligation to do something," Boyda said. But she is unsure what to do, worried about anything that "affects commanders on the ground."

This morning House Democrats, fractured as a group and, with many members such as Boyda torn over how to proceed on Iraq, will meet to learn the details of a new proposal cobbled together by party leaders last night, which calls for bringing troops home early next year while removing remaining troops from combat by October 2008.

This is because this is the same old same old. They HAVE to increase their efforts, because the surge they tried to stop is WORKING. We are winning. They cannot allow that to happen. But, big BUT, when it comes right down to it, they do not have the votes. Post continued,

Because Republicans have stood remarkably united against the Democratic effort, the loss of just a handful of Democratic votes could lead to an embarrassing public defeat. At least a dozen of the 43 conservative "Blue Dogs," {that’s Democrats folks} who worry about the "soft-on-defense" stigma that has haunted the party, could bolt if Democrats move toward withdrawal too aggressively. But dozens of antiwar Democrats say they cannot support legislation that is too meek.

"There's a fine line that I hope will not be blurred between micromanaging the war and assuring accountability," said Rep. Stephanie Herseth (S.D.), a Blue Dog leader. "I don't think we should be overreacting to public opinion polls."

Oh, they have added some bench marks. You know, those little annoying things that they said they were doing away with?

Under the deal, to be formally drafted by the Appropriations Committee next week, Congress would institute the same tough benchmarks for the Iraqi government that Bush detailed in a national address in January. Under those benchmarks, the Iraqi government would have to take responsibility for security in all of Iraq's provinces by November, and adopt and implement oil-revenue-sharing legislation.

The government would have to spend $10 billion of Iraq's money on job-creating reconstruction and infrastructure projects; hold provincial elections this year; liberalize laws that purged Baath Party members from the government; and establish a fairer process for amending the Iraqi constitution. Bush would have to certify the benchmarks are met by year's end. If not, troops would begin leaving Iraq next spring, with all troops out of combat by the fall, a senior Democratic aide said.

The pot would be sweetened with extra money for military and veterans' health care, the war in Afghanistan, troop training and equipment, and new funds for Hurricane Katrina relief. The specifics include $450 million for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and another $450 million for traumatic brain injuries, said Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), an Appropriations Committee member.

With that money, Moran said, some Republicans will have to join the Democrats. "We will have the votes," Moran said. "We have to join together here, and I think it will pass quite easily."

{laughing} Not only are they trying to micro manage the war, they want to micro manage the Iraqi government as well. The absolute arrogance. Some in their own party even realize this.

"It's still micromanaging the war," Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) said.

Conservative Democrats fear the charge, still lodged by some Vietnam veterans, that that war could have been won had the politicians not intervened. More than anything else, many Democrats want to leave Bush responsible for ending the war he started.

"The war is the issue, but it's the president's issue, not ours," Boren said.

Yes Dan, then, even if you get your own party to agree, you would have to get ALL the gutless Republicans, and Lieberman to agree with this. Not all will. The LWL is simply wasting more time doing NOTHING, with the hope that they can convince you they are trying so hard, because they care about the troops. OK, whatever so say. But we know the truth.
Peter

Sources;
AP-Democrats want Iraq pullout by fall 2008
The Guardian-Senior Democrats unveil Iraq pullout plan
Washington Post-As Iraq Exit Plan Arrives, Democrats' Rift Remains