Posted on 11/12/2006 7:40:13 AM PST by shrinkermd
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, who won majorities in the U.S. Congress in last week's elections, said on Sunday they will push for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin in four to six months.
"The first order of business is to change the direction of Iraq policy," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), a Michigan Democrat who is expected to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the new Congress.
Levin, on ABC's "This Week," said he hoped some Republicans would emerge to join Democrats and press the administration of President George W. Bush to tell the Iraqi government that U.S. presence was "not open-ended."
Bush has insisted that U.S. troops would not leave Iraq until the Iraqis were able to take over security for their country.
"We need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months," Levin said.
Speaking on the same program, Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record), a Delaware Democrat who is expected to head the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he supported Levin's proposal for a withdrawal.
Didn't notice your tag line until just now. Priceless!!
Amen! In addition to the obvious political concerns, people we know and love are there, and will be there again before the end of his term......
you've got to be kidding.
The media distorts all the time especially reuters.
They need to be SLAMMED all the time when our security is at stake.
They're making it up?
You are living in dreamland. Americans will not see it as Democratic failure...they will be brainwashed into saying it was Bush's failure.
Period.
The new government in Washington might be willing to cut and run, but our troops still have their boots on the ground in a very hostile land. You can follow the new government and do nothing, or you can take matters into your own hands. On this day after Veterans Day weekend, dont let your boys and girls down. See: http://www.gulf1.com/Army/support.htm
They DISTORT things all the time.
Where have you been?
I didn't say that Reuters is 'making it up.' The traitors on the left are trying to defeat America. That is the truth.
The slant that they will succeed and that it is a good thing, and the abundance of biased articles on the subject with an obvious attempt to discourage us is what I take issue with.
But apparently leftist media bias doesn't bother you. Telling.......
You answer my question first, newbie.
Speaking on the same program, Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record), a Delaware Democrat who is expected to head the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he supported Levin's proposal for a withdrawal.
Yes, they think that they have a mandate to do exactly that.
And they do have the means simply by not funding our military. With the far left group in charge now, I expect them to gleefully destroy our military.
I also expect them to kill off our missile defense program by not funding it either.
The veto pen cannot add anything to the budget, it can just stop a bad budget -- and that doesn't mean that you will then automatically get a good one.
And a veto pen cannot create supplemental funding of any type, such for as this famous request for supplemental funding:
March 25, 2003 Dear Mr. Speaker:
On October 16, 2002, I signed into law the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243). After condemning Saddamm Husseins continued possession of chemical and biological weapons, obstruction of inspections, and brutal repression of the Iraqi people, the Congress affirmed, "Iraq poses a continuing threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security of the Persian Gulf region and remains in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations."
Subsequent to enactment of Public Law 107-243, the United Nations Security Council unanimously agreed to Resolution 1441 offering Iraq one final chance to disarm. After more than a decade of deceit and defiance, the regime, yet again, failed to "fully and unconditionally" comply. Iraq continues to pose a grave danger to global peace and security. The United States and our allies must seek to disarm Iraq and liberate the Iraqi people, and we will prevail.
Today, I submit a request for 2003 supplemental appropriations to support Department of Defense operations in Iraq and to strengthen the capabilities of our friends and allies who will share the burden of military and stabilization activities. Disarming and liberating Iraq is a first step. This request also provides immediate humanitarian relief, support for reconstruction and the development of a free-market democracy in Iraq. Finally, the request will enhance the safety and well- being of Americans at home and abroad with investments managed by the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies.
...
Any similar request from the White House will now go straight to the round-file.
Levin is posturing before the release of the Iraq Survey Report, General Peter Pace's Pentagon report and any discussions with the White House as Charman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is also touting a 4-6 month period before a phased withdrawal begins if there is no new plan for victory, if the Iraqis don't step up to the plate quicker and sign a political deal (sharing oil revenue) and if they continue to stall in taking over their own security. I highly doubt Levin will argue against a fresh approach that hopefully will be proposed by James Baker and Lee Hamilton. Too many dems were consulted by the authors of the report, and a majority of them will say that a quick withdrawal without leaving a relatively secure Baghdad and Anbar Province is a recipe for disaster (I say "relatively" because I believe there has always been and will always be sectarian violence in that country and that part of the world). Baker is going to try to internationalize Iraq, to draw in assistance from friends and foes in order to stabilize the country and the region. His report will be also focus on the region and how success or failure in Iraq will determine the course of the Middle East for years to come.
Congratulations on getting Ford defeated...too bad we needed a couple more Reps elected...but, at least Ford is gone.
Thank you and all Tennesseans.
Well done meandog! Brushcop, I'm so disheartened.
Humans write things. Biases exist. The answer to free speech is more free speech, but just to say what they have written is wrong is a cop out, imo.
Most of the troops are not going to agree with this plan. They have sacrificed much and seen their comrades die in this war. As in Vietnam, the Democrats will stab our soldiers and our allies in the back. The reaction to this treason may get ugly.
What does that have to do with the fact that you entirely missed my point?
Sorry I am not a newbie. Jerk.
I have been on Freerepublic for a long time. I just had several email changes and couldn't retrieve other names.
Look up COHIBA and chuckwalla. Jerk.
If you don't see the obvious distorted bias of reuters then I am not going to do your work for you. I have better things to do.
That is sooo wonderful!!!LOL!
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