Democratic Lawmakers Splinter on Iraq [403 To 3 Will Do That Alert]

Washington Post ^ | Nov. 2, 2005 | Jonathan Weisman

[conservativecorner]

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's embrace Wednesday of a rapid withdrawal from Iraq highlighted the Democratic Party's fissures on war policy, putting the House's top Democrat at odds with her second in command while upsetting a consensus developing in the Senate.

For months now, Democratic leaders have grown increasingly aggressive in their critiques of President Bush's policies in Iraq but have been largely content to keep their own war strategies vague or under wraps. That ended Wednesday when Pelosi (D-Calif.) aggressively endorsed a proposal by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq as soon as possible, leaving only a much smaller rapid-reaction force in the region.

The move caught some in the party by surprise. It threw a wrench into a carefully calibrated Democratic theme emerging in the Senate that called for 2006 to be a "significant year of progress" in Iraq, with Iraqi security forces making measurable progress toward relieving U.S. troops of combat duties. Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said last month that "it's time to take the training wheels off the Iraqi government."

[ncountylee]

Since Murtha announced his position, he has received 14,000 e-mails, faxes and phone calls, 80 percent in support,

Murtha changed his email to accept ones from his district only a day or so after this vomit came from his mouth.

[sgtbono2002]

Here are two people who dont know Chicken salad from Chicken Squat.

[mewzilla]

I've got an idea for them: Sponsor and vote for a bill to cut off funding for the war.

And if the Dems don't have the guts, then the Pubbies should do it. And shove a vote down the Dems' throats.

[HateBill]

Over Thanksgiving week, Murtha received a standing ovation in a Dallas Starbucks.

Okay, how many of you think the people in a Dallas Starbucks knew who Murtha is, recognized him, and then spontaneously broke into a standing o for him?

This may be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read!

[conservativehusker]

My thoughts exactly!!...call them on it..write this bill just as Murtha states his plan...then let them make a choice...and maybe flush out some RINOs while they are at it....

[conservativecorner]

Loss Leader

[conservativecorner]

He also dropped a poll on his congressional website because his position was getting arse kicked. Typical chicken hawk demoncrat.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Screecher of the House

[speed_addiction]

What We Are About To Do Here Is What The Good Lord Would Call A Cleansing of the Wicked. I Call It A Good Old Fashioned Texas Ass Kicking.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Murtha received a standing ovation in a Dallas Starbucks."

Wow!!! A Dallas Stsrbucks! Everyone should strive for such glory.

[johnny7]

“Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.”

[sr4402]

I propose a vote on the sense of Congress. "The US Army is Broken and we should Immediately Abandon the war in Iraq", just as Congressman Murtha says.

/Sarcasm Off

[capt. norm]

One more face-lift and Pelosi will not be able to close her eyes to sleep.

[johnny7]

I 'gotta a snare-drum that's got more elasticity.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Doesn't everybody stand in Starbucks?

[Mike Darancette]

The MSM has indoctrinated the public like never before. Most people actually believe Bush deliberately lied about WMD but cannot tell you why the President would do that.

[Soul Seeker]

Marshall Wittmann, a former Republican political strategist now with the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, said Pelosi may have resurrected her party's most deadly liability -- voters' lack of trust in the party on national security. "If Karl Rove was writing the timing of this, he wouldn't have written it any differently, with the president of the United States expressing resolve and the Democratic leader offering surrender," Wittmann said, referring to Bush's top adviser. "For Republicans, this is manna from heaven."

Thank you Lord.