Posted on 07/06/2007 7:21:02 AM PDT by Dadofmany
July 05, 2007 Read More: Iraq
Domenici is the latest....
.... To break with the president over the war.
In Albuquerque today, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), a six-term incumbent who faces reelection next year, said he was "unwilling to continue our current strategy" in Iraq.
The announcement follows the split of two other high-profile Republicans with the president over his handling of the war. Last week, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) called on Bush to start withdrawing troops.
Domenici did the same today by endorsing a Senate bill that would adopt recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which calls for a draw down of most troops in Iraq.
"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation, and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward,” Domenici said in a statement. “I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home.”
The Senate will once again revisit the war during the debate next week over the 2008 Defense department appropriations bill.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Domenici and others should back up their critiques with votes.
“Senator Domenici is correct to assess that the Administration’s war strategy is misguided," Reid said in a statement. "But we will not see a much-needed change of course in Iraq until Republicans like Senators Domenici, Lugar and Voinovich are willing to stand up to President Bush and his stubborn clinging to a failed policy – and more importantly, back up their words with action. Beginning with the Defense Authorization bill next week, Republicans will have the opportunity to not just say the right things on Iraq, but vote the right way too so that we can bring the responsible end to this war that the American people demand and deserve.
Here's Domenici's full statement:
Domenici, Pushed by Iraqi Government Failures, Supports New U.S. Military Strategy from the Office of Senator Pete V. Domenici
Thursday, July 5, 2007
-- Backs Plan Moving U.S. Troops Away from Combat, Toward Home --
WASHINGTON – Pointing to his profound disappointment in the Iraqi government, U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today called for a redirection of U.S. military policy in Iraq and announced his support for bipartisan legislation to create conditions by which American combat troops can be removed from that nation.
Domenici, who serves on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced his decision to support the legislation, the Iraq Study Group Recommendation Implementation Act (S.1545), at a news conference in Albuquerque Thursday.
“I want a new strategy for Iraq. I continue to completely support the men and women in the American Armed Forces. They have not failed us. It is the Iraqi government that is failing to make even modest progress to help Iraq itself or to merit the sacrifices being made by our men and women in uniform,” Domenici said. “I am unwilling to continue our current strategy.”
"I have carefully studied the Iraq situation, and believe we cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward,” Domenici said. “I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I do support a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations and on the path to coming home.”
S.1545, introduced by Senators Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), embraces the recommendations in the Iraq Study Group Report issued by the bipartisan Baker Hamilton Commission. The bill makes the Iraq Study Group’s 79 recommendations the policy of the United States, and asks the Bush administration—working with military and diplomatic leaders—to implement those recommendations.
The bill is intended to create conditions that could allow for a drawdown of American combat forces in Iraq by March 2008. Under S.1545, the U.S. military could maintain a long-term but more limited presence in Iraq—focused on protecting American personnel and interests, training and advising Iraqi forces, and carrying out counterterrorism and special operations missions.
Domenici indicated that the provisions in S.1545 could be debated as part of the FY2008 Defense Authorization Bill that the Senate will take up next week.
-30-
Iraq Study Group Recommendations Implementation Act (S. 1545)
• Legislation to make the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group the official policy of the United States.
Why introduce this bill now?
• A political solution in Washington is needed as much as one is needed in Baghdad.
• The recommendations of the Iraq Study Group offer the best opportunity for a bipartisan consensus on a new course in Iraq.
What would the bill do?
• It would get the United States out of the combat in Iraq, and into the support, training, and equipping business, as soon as possible.
How would that work?
• Create the conditions that could allow for a drawdown of combat forces by March of 2008 (not a set deadline) so that those who remain could:
>> Protect U.S. and coalition personnel and infrastructure
>> Train, equip, and advise Iraqi forces
>> Conduct targeted counterterrorism operations
>> Conduct search and rescue missions
>> Conduct rapid reaction and special operations
• Maintain a long-term, but more limited presence in Iraq to support a short-term redeployment of combat forces to stabilize Baghdad, complemented by a political, economic, and diplomatic strategy.
• Support the comprehensive set of recommendations of the – from establishing milestones to evaluate Iraqi progress, to engaging in diplomatic discussions with all of Iraq’s neighbors.
• Cosponsored by Senators: Salazar, Alexander, Pryor, Domenici, Bennett, Casey, Gregg, Lincoln, Sununu, and Collins.
What he said was illusionary. He said he opposed to defunding the roops, and an immediate withdraw.
By March of 2008, the Iranian issue will be resolved, one way or another. Those troops, in those numbers, will not be needed in Iraq.
How soon they all forget April 1975.
He’s up for reelection... and he was wobbly on the ‘Legal Invasion’ issue as well. TOSS HIS A$$ OUT.
Is W already fading into the rear view mirror as Senators whose seats are exposed (pun intended)are scurrying frantically in rear guard actions in the face of a restive electorate?
Another bedwetting farthead heard from.
What this schmuck just did was despicable. He could take his concerns directly to the President without putting his name all over the media. He’s doing a great disservice to our brave troops in the line of fire to use it for his personal gain. His sorry butt isn’t facing the enemy 24/7. Hopefully, the voters in his state will throw him out and start over. Media hogs aren’t appreciated.
These Senate creeps need to be sent packing. They’re all out for themselves and screw the country and our troops. Send them packing!
I agree! And I demand that the RNC not fund any of these weak-kneed RINOs. Let’s get it on, kill these fanatic murderous Muzzies, and turn the screws on Iran.
Domenici is right behind Lautenberg as a doddering imbecile who doesn’t know where he is most of the time. He needs to step down - or be stepped down.
I am NOT for pulling out, I am for whatever is needed to defeat Al Queda in Iraq, BUT with that goes a stable Iraqi government, and further responsibility taken over by the Iraqi military and police. Niether of these are happening to the degree the White House or the country are happy with at this time.
If there is one thing that has absolutely been done wrong in this campaign it's the lack of good news out of Iraq by the White House. The MSM has used the deaths of soldiers and the roadside bombs to distort the real picture in Iraq.
One more thing about Dominici, a few weeks ago the budgets for the National labs, Los Alamos and Sandia, were on the choppinig block. Meaning the two places where the nuclear arsenals are developed, and maintained, along with other significant defense projects, would have had a significant degradation in the ability to perform the R&D necessary to the defense of this nation. He and Bingaman, both political opposites, took the Budget Committee into a private session along with others from the Defense department. When it was over the labs were fully funded and even more added to help.
The bottomn line here is the Iraqi government is not stable enough to control the countryside without significant help from coalition forces, and the change needed there has not developed quickly enough. If this one item does not change, and the White House has sent a number fo representatives to let the Iraqis know this, there will be more calls from Congress to change tactics or move to leave.
If we are going to have a conflict with Iran, and it looks like that is escalating rapidly, we are going to need the forces committed in Iraq now for that campaign.
General Petraeus is studying, and living it, too; in much greater depth. Is the Senator even aware of recent positive developements? At this point; Why not wait and consider the General's analysis of the "surge" strategy? The Senator's timing explains what is happening.
IMHO - The Senator's political future appears more important than ANYTHING else. The older I get, the more I realize how easy it is to underestimate the selfishness, arrogance and ego needs of career politicians, and how easy it is to overestimate their intelligence. The older ones will likely not realize that, with the internet and talk-radio, we are learning. What are we learning? - That this guy was on the wrong side on amnesty, and now he needs to DRAMATICALLY CHANGE THE SUBJECT and re-position himself in a way that will get him enough votes to win another election. The timing and nature of his statement indicate that his concerns about this country and the troops rank beneath his concerns about the next election.
Evidently the DemonRat Treason Virus is communicable. I hope Cheney & Rove will build a political fire under this useless $#!+head and his bedwetting RINO ilk.
Don’t forget to include Ted Stevens in this group, aka, Internet Pipes Man.
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