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The Guild 10-10-2002 House votes Thursday to give Bush war authority against Iraq
Yahoo ^ | Thu Oct 10,10:26 AM ET | JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

Posted on 10/10/2002 8:21:15 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty

WASHINGTON - The House headed for a strong vote Thursday to open the way for President Bush to wage war against Iraq if he decides force alone can subdue Saddam Hussein. The Senate brushed off more efforts to weaken the measure.

By a 66-31 vote, the Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. [ha-ha!] — the most outspoken Senate opponent of the war resolution — that would have ended the authorization for him to use force against Iraq after two years.

Bipartisan support for Bush's request for war authority was growing steadily, and chances seemed good he'd have the measure on his desk by week's end to put the nation on combat-ready footing.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the administration believed the House will give the measure "a large bipartisan vote" approving it.

"The president hopes this will send a strong message to the world, and to Iraq, that if Iraq does not obey the U.N. resolutions, that the United States is prepared to enforce the peace," Fleischer said.

A bipartisan vote for the president appeared likely in the House, and the Senate could follow by the end of the week, putting the nation on a combat-ready footing.

Bush, who has stressed that he has made no decision on launching a military strike against Baghdad, has urged Congress to stand with him as he presses the U.N. Security Council to approve a new resolution demanding that Iraq abide by comprehensive inspections and disarmament or face the consequences.

The Senate was likely to clear a hurdle Thursday with a vote to deter a possible filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., a tenacious opponent of ceding congressional warmaking powers to the president.

"Congress is being stampeded, pressured, adjured, importuned into acting on this blank check," said Byrd, the Senate's 84-year-old president pro tempore. [boo-hoo!]

Progress was slower on the diplomatic front, where three members of the U.N. Security Council — France, Russia and China — continued to hold out against a U.S.-British proposal sanctioning military action if Iraq does not comply with coercive inspections.

A 25-minute telephone call between Bush and French President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday failed to yield a breakthrough over wording of a new Security Council resolution to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. "This is intricate diplomacy and we are continuing our consultations," White House spokesman Sean McCormack said.[will this frog ever learn?]

In Paris, Chirac spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said the French president was open to strengthening the powers of U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq, but still could not accept making military recourse an automatic response should they be hampered. In Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov relayed a similar stance.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, interviewed on CNN's "Larry King Live" program, said world leaders were coming together on Iraq. "There is a new determination, a new understanding within the international community that we cannot turn away from it this time, we cannot look away and trust Saddam Hussein to do the right thing," he said.

Debate in the House went deep into the night both Tuesday and Wednesday, with nearly every member intent on expressing the necessity, and gravity, of granting authority to send Americans into war. [Yea!]

"I know the heartache and pain of the families that are left behind," said a tearful Rep. Randy Cunningham, R-Calif., who was a pilot in the Vietnam War.

But Cunningham and almost every Republican backed the president. "It's time we go straight to the eye and dismantle the elements from which the storm of brutal, repressive tyranny and terrorism radiate," said Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., He said that as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, "I can attest to the evilness of Saddam Hussein." [Go Porter Go!]

About half the Democrats were ready to vote for an alternative proposal, sponsored by Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., that would authorize the use of U.S. force in conjunction with U.N. punishment of Iraq, but require the president to come back for a second vote if he wants to act unilaterally against Saddam. The White House-backed resolution encourages cooperation with U.N. efforts, but gives the go-ahead for unilateral action.

Many Democrats said unilateral action could come at a terrible cost in lives and resources, set a bad precedent for other countries seeking to depose the leaders of other countries and create a backlash in the Muslim world. [yadda, yadda, yadda]

"It is not a victory to strike down one tyrant and breed 10,000 terrorists," said Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., a supporter of the Spratt proposal.

A similar proposal offered by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and debated Wednesday night in the Senate also seemed headed for defeat. An amendment by Sen. Bob Graham , D-Fla., to expand Bush's authority for pre-emptive military action to include five terror organizations, went down, 88-10.

At the same time, several senior Democrats said they would support the White House-backed resolution, with reservations, including Sen. Harry Reid [Reid is a nut. He calls Art Bell in the middle of the night to talk about aliens.] of Nevada, the Senate's second-ranked Democrat, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del.

Reid urged Bush to use his war-making powers carefully, saying: "As president of the United States, you are the leader of the free world, not its ruler." Biden, who had favored more checks on presidential authority, came along as well, saying the measure would help give the administration more leverage before the Security Council.

"If Saddam Hussein is around five years from now, we are in deep trouble as a country," Biden said.[I knew there was a tiny bit of brain in that Biden head somewhere!]


TOPICS: Society; The Guild
KEYWORDS: guild; theguild
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To: Timeout
Did you see your Senator Graham voted AGAINST the Iraq resolution???? I wonder how the Sunshine State will feel about THAT!?

Yes I did! And I think he's up for relection in '04. The strange part was at some point I heard him say that the resolution wasn't tough enough? I was in the middle of doing something and his blubbering caught my ear, so I'm not sure I heard correctly and certainly didn't hear all of it.

Any help on what he said would be appreciated.

77 to 23! Take that Babs, Harry, Alec, and all you hollyweirdoes! Our other senator Nelson finally did something smart and voted yes.

21 posted on 10/11/2002 5:03:16 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: Iowa Granny; *The GUILD
Perhaps young Dickie finally turned the lights on and saw the 'toons for the users and discarders that they are. G*d knows he was around them long enough to see enough to eventually get the picture. Let's have breakfast:


22 posted on 10/11/2002 5:24:26 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: lodwick
Dickie is a strange character. From what I've gather over the past months listening to him on radio and tv interviews, he's like the character two-faced in the Batman movie.

He still likes bill, but will bash him for anything that Dick thinks he's doing wrong. Hellary on the other hand he hates with a passion and the feeling is mutual.

I think he really enjoys playing both sides of the politic field. Loves to point out all the idiot stuff dems are up too, but voted for algore.

Maybe healthy dose of prozac would help.

Hey good news! Madonna's new movie is a stinker! So what else is new?

It is the film the world has been waiting to see. Madonna, one of the world's biggest stars, appearing on screen directed by her husband Guy Ritchie, should have been an explosive box-office combination.

But Swept Away may now be on its way to becoming a Hollywood flop on the scale of Kevin Costner's Water World or Mariah Carey's notorious Glitter.

American critics, finally allowed to see the film the day before it is released in the US, were universally scathing. [snip]Link

Things are quiet here at the Betty household. It's weird. The hubster took off for South Carolina yesterday and Number one son has "Fall Break" until the 21st, so he spent the night at a friends. I'm all alone, except for the dog and two cats. Got the whole bed to myself last night! A nice treat. It's so quiet. Yea!

23 posted on 10/11/2002 5:55:03 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: BigWaveBetty
Down time with one's self is from time to time a very good thing - enjoy it.

Morris is so bright politically and so screwed up personally that it hurts.
24 posted on 10/11/2002 6:17:19 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: Iowa Granny
I am in such a violent mood!! I just read about Jimmy Carter receiving the Nobel Peace Prize as a slap in the face to the Bush administration.

I AM JUST SO ANGRY!!!! Please, show me where the Carter World Peace is. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
25 posted on 10/11/2002 6:19:17 AM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Yep - thank G*d that my car was parked when I heard of peanuthead getting the Peace prize - what a freeping joke that is, and he is. On the fashion front these days:


26 posted on 10/11/2002 6:28:10 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Those awards mean nothing, didn't Arafat get one?

I think Registered should create a photo with Jimmy pulling his Nobel Peace Prize out of a CrackerJack box.

27 posted on 10/11/2002 6:33:55 AM PDT by pubmom
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To: pubmom
...pulling his Nobel Peace Prize out of a CrackerJack box.


Best line of the day? Thanks for the laugh. ;-)
28 posted on 10/11/2002 6:35:43 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Wooo Hoooo!

Poll Sees Americans Taking Bush Line on Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans accept arguments by President Bush for a potential war against Iraq: that it may soon have a nuclear weapon and the surest way to avert the threat is to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, according to a poll released on Thursday.

The findings came as the House of Representatives voted to grant Bush the power to launch a military attack on Iraq if needed. The Senate is expected to follow suit.

The poll by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press, an independent opinion research group, found that debate over Iraq was having little impact on next month's elections, which will determine control of Congress.

According to the poll, 86 percent of those surveyed believed Saddam had nuclear weapons or was close to acquiring them, and 66 percent believed he was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. [HA!]

Bush cites the attacks as demonstrating the need to act against Saddam, and has linked his campaign against Iraq to the "war on terrorism" he launched last fall, but he has not established a direct link between Sept. 11 and Iraq.

Bush has also warned that Iraq could build a nuclear weapon within a year if it can get enriched uranium.

"Clearly, the president's major arguments in favor of taking military action against Iraq are resonating with the public," the Pew center said in its report on the poll.

Furthermore, 85 percent of those surveyed believed that the Saddam must be ousted -- rather than simply disarmed -- to deal with the threat posed by Iraq. [Double HA!]

The survey of 1,513 people was taken Oct. 2-6, before Bush made a prime-time speech on the Iraqi threat. {Looks like you networks are pretty worthless in helping people form opinions! HA HA!] It had an error margin of 3 percentage points.

Opponents of attacking Iraq say a war would destabilize the Middle East and detract from the war on terrorism and say a resumption of U.N. arms inspections of Iraq would be sufficient to avert any threat posed by Saddam.

Mirroring other surveys, the Pew poll found that 62 percent of Americans favored military action against Iraq. But it also said nearly half of those surveyed were concerned a war against Iraq would harm the U.S. image among Muslim nations, and 40 percent said they expected large U.S. casualties.

The poll also found the debate over Iraq, although it was closely followed by the public, was having little impact on the battle for control of Congress in the Nov. 5 election.

LINK

29 posted on 10/11/2002 7:11:28 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: pubmom

30 posted on 10/11/2002 8:31:31 AM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs; *The GUILD

31 posted on 10/11/2002 9:01:04 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: lodwick
W sank little Tommy's Battleship, boo hoo!
32 posted on 10/11/2002 9:33:49 AM PDT by pubmom
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs; *The GUILD
Have we admitted too many? peanuthead is now a red X.

Here's one from freeper null and void:

The clinton version would say:

You'll never be as important to the world as you are to your penis...


645 posted on 10/11/02 12:23 PM Central by null and void
33 posted on 10/11/2002 10:28:01 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: lodwick
He's still visible here. I was just mulling over a toast for his honor.

"Nuts to you," seems appropriate.

34 posted on 10/11/2002 10:33:46 AM PDT by pubmom
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To: pubmom
The website you have requested has exceeded its daily bandwidth quota of 50MB and has been temporarily de-activated.

It will automatically be re-activated on Oct 12, 2002.


I'm guessing that if you refresh your browser, peanut head will go away - dont'cha wish we could do that in real life to the goof?
35 posted on 10/11/2002 10:46:56 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: BigWaveBetty; Hillary's Lovely Legs; Iowa Granny; Timeout; retrokitten; pubmom; Carolinamom; ...

I would like to thank all you wonderful people from the GUILD who sent the flowers. They arrived this afternoon around 11AM, Eastern time. The flowers are lovely and have made me very happy. I will take a picture of them and post the picture. I will also take the picture with me to my mother's memorial service to show my siblings. Once again, Thank you so very much. I am blessed to have friends like you, here on Free Republic. God Bless you all.

36 posted on 10/11/2002 10:49:33 AM PDT by Teacup
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To: BigWaveBetty; Hillary's Lovely Legs; mountaineer
I think that the powers that be can be persuaded that any Guild sponsored live threads belong over on the right listings of daily events. We need to write to Jim and John about this, get it cleared with them, and then let them notify these mysterious moderator persons of what the new deal is going to be.

I wish someone had reminded me of this during the last fundraiser so I could have made it a challenge of some sort. ;-)

37 posted on 10/11/2002 11:41:02 AM PDT by lodwick
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To: BigWaveBetty
By a 66-31 vote, the Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. [ha-ha!] — the most outspoken Senate opponent of the war resolution — that would have ended the authorization for him to use force against Iraq after two years.

Old KKK Byrd is such a twit!! I hope he keeps talking, though. He can't help but run some Dems. off, and maybe they'll think 'Repub' for this election!

38 posted on 10/11/2002 11:42:32 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
ROTFL!! Until I got to the end of your post, I thought it was one of Lod's! He's always finding stuff like that!!
39 posted on 10/11/2002 11:45:23 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: lodwick
Our next live event will be Miss World. The Miss World Pageant is one of the top three most watched world events. The other two are the World Cup Soccer and the Olympics.

Trust me, with threads like " what's your favorite pick up truck?", and live threads for events that last for 2 minutes, we will be able to make our case.

Thanks for your support, we need it.
40 posted on 10/11/2002 11:52:20 AM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs
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