Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Dems' Iraq Gap
LA Times ^ | 6/26/06 | LAT Editorial Board

Posted on 06/26/2006 3:05:20 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom

It's understandable that Democrats in the U.S. Senate would use the war in Iraq to send a political message to the party faithful, as some did last week in voting for doomed resolutions to fast-track the withdrawal (or "redeployment") of U.S. forces from that country. Trouble is, the message sent to the rest of the country may be that Democrats who are more liberal can't be trusted when it comes to national security.

That message is likely to stick even if the Bush administration decides on its own to draw down the U.S. presence. Over the weekend, an administration official confirmed reports that Army Gen. George W. Casey has devised plans that could produce sharp reductions in U.S. forces as early as September and cut the number of combat brigades by nearly two-thirds by late 2007. But if President Bush follows that advice, he can say that he is simply living up to his oft-stated promise to defer to the judgment of battlefield commanders rather than play politics with troop levels.

Playing politics is, unfortunately, an apt description of last week's Senate debate. It was mostly election-year posturing. The debate gave Republicans an opportunity to warn their red-state base that Democrats wanted to "cut and run."

To no one's surprise, both Democratic proposals failed — one by a respectable margin, the other in a rout. By a 60-39 vote, the Senate rejected a "sense of the Senate" resolution by Sens. Levin and Reed calling for troop withdrawals to begin by the end of the year, with no timetable for complete withdrawal. But even if the Levin-Reed resolution had passed, it wouldn't have bound the president, any more than he was bound by an earlier bipartisan resolution expressing the hope that 2006 would be a "year of significant transition" in Iraq.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 109th; lostdems; rats; unfit
The RATS don't send messages to the party faithful they send them to the lunatic fringe. The party faithful sit home on election day in quiet disgust or leave for the Republican party which more closely reflects their values. As this editorial shows even the MSM is getting fed up with them.
1 posted on 06/26/2006 3:05:24 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

When the LATimes (NYTimes, or WaPo) start warning Democrats about the tactics they're using and how they can be misconstrued...you'd better believe there are problems in the Dem ranks.


2 posted on 06/26/2006 3:10:49 AM PDT by dawn53
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom
The RATS don't send messages to the party faithful they send them to the lunatic fringe.
The party faithful are the lunatic fringe.
3 posted on 06/26/2006 3:25:44 AM PDT by samtheman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

What can I say. The Democrats can't be trusted with national security.


4 posted on 06/26/2006 3:52:16 AM PDT by bkepley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: samtheman

They've been that way since 1972...


5 posted on 06/26/2006 4:17:39 AM PDT by johnny7 (“And what's Fonzie like? Come on Yolanda... what's Fonzie like?!”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

i believe the way to send a message to your faithful is through your platform, programs - not a hotdogging display on the floor of the US Senate to rescue your name from oblivion (sound familiar Senator from Massachusetts?). we who have family members in Iraq, Kuwait, in theater or about to be, have a low tolerance for such reckless behavior.


6 posted on 06/26/2006 4:42:00 AM PDT by avital2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

The message they keep sending is that they know they are out of step with the People. Every time they refuse to go on record, via a vote, to back up the tripe they spout, they prove they are just posturing and don't believe in their own crap.


7 posted on 06/26/2006 4:45:40 AM PDT by trebb ("I am the way... no one comes to the Father, but by me..." - Jesus in John 14:6 (RSV))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: avital2
i believe the way to send a message to your faithful is through your platform, programs

They don't have any platform or programs they're unified behind. They're trying to make that sound like a positive -- but voters don't want to toss the dice when they vote for a candidate.

8 posted on 06/26/2006 6:00:22 AM PDT by randita
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

Was that Reed or Reid? Among buffoons, I want to get the right one.


9 posted on 06/26/2006 6:22:21 AM PDT by depressed in 06 (The only thing worse than high gas prices is walking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bkepley

"What can I say. The Democrats can't be trusted with national security."

Or defense of the 2nd amendment!

They will tax the rich, however.

By rich they mean anyone with a job!


10 posted on 06/26/2006 6:34:52 AM PDT by Panzerlied ("We shall never surrender!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson