Posted on 02/04/2007 9:33:42 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WASHINGTON (AP) -
0204dv-us-iraq 0204dvs-iraq-latest 0204dv-helicopters-down Sen. John McCain sought to weaken support for a resolution opposing President Bush's Iraq war strategy Sunday, saying proponents are intellectually dishonest.
On the eve of a possible congressional showdown on Iraq strategy, McCain contended the bipartisan proposal amounted to a demoralizing "vote of no confidence" in the U.S. military.
The measure criticizes Bush's plan to add 21,500 troops in Iraq yet offers no concrete alternatives, he said.
"I don't think it's appropriate to say that you disapprove of a mission and you don't want to fund it and you don't want it to go, but yet you don't take the action necessary to prevent it," said McCain, top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a 2008 presidential candidate from Arizona.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., called GOP efforts to block a vote on the resolution "obstructionism." Neither a Senate majority nor voters, she said, will tolerate such a delaying tactic.
"If we can't get this done, you can be sure a month or so down the pike, there's going to be much stronger legislation," she said.
The Senate, where Democrats hold a 51-49 working majority, has tentatively set an early test vote for Monday on the nonbinding resolution by Sen. John Warner, R-Va.
In a bid to attract more GOP support, Warner added a provision pledging to protect money for troops in combat.
That compromise drew the ire of some Democrats who said it leaned too far in endorsing the status quo. They want to see binding legislation to cap troop levels, force a new vote to authorize the war or begin bringing troops home.
McCain is sponsoring a resolution expressing support for a troop increase and setting benchmark goals for the Iraqi government. He sought to capitalize on some of the Democratic division.
"I do believe that if you really believe that this is doomed to failure and is going to cost American lives, then you should do what's necessary to prevent it from happening rather than a vote of 'disapproval,'" McCain said.
"This is a vote of no confidence in both the mission and the troops who are going over there," he said, noting the proposal does not seek to cut off money for troops.
A fellow Vietnam veteran, GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, disagreed with McCain's assessment. Hagel said the resolution would make clear the Senate's belief that Bush's policy is misguided.
Hagel said the proposal also lays out alternatives such as moving troops away from the sectarian violence and closer to the Iraq border to provide "territorial integrity."
"We can't change the outcome of Iraq by putting American troops in the middle of a civil war," said Hagel, who is considering a run for the White House in 2008.
Republican leaders are working to block a vote on Warner's resolution. They insisted that at least two other GOP proposals also be considered - McCain's and one focused on maintaining money for troops in the field. Such a strategy could dilute support for Warner's measure and make it tougher for any measure to pass.
Democrats want to limit debate to just the Warner and McCain proposals.
Two Republicans who oppose Warner's proposal, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Richard Lugar of Indiana, said Sunday they were uncertain the Warner resolution would get the support of 60 senators.
"Even if there is, it's nonbinding, and has in my judgment no consequence," Lugar said.
Hagel said Warner's resolution strikes a careful balance for a majority of senators who oppose a troop buildup but differ on the appropriate response.
He called McCain's proposal meaningless because it offers benchmarks but does not spell out what the U.S. government will do if the Iraqi officials fail to meet them.
"What are the consequences? Are we then going to pull out?" Hagel asked. "Are we going to cut funding? Now, that falls more in the intellectually dishonest category."
The resolution debate comes as the White House and congressional Democrats prepared to square off over war spending.
Bush's new budget on Monday will ask for $100 billion more for military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year - on top of $70 billion already approved by Congress for the current year. The budget will call for $145 billion in war spending for 2008.
The spending request covers Bush's new war strategy, including the increase in troops, White House budget director Rob Portman said Sunday.
"It's extremely important that we support our troops," Portman said. He described the requested money as the amount needed "to be sure our troops have the equipment they need, that they are taken care of well."
Hagel and McCain appeared on ABC's "This Week," Graham was on "Fox News Sunday," and Feinstein, Lugar and Portman spoke on "Late Edition" on CNN.
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Hagel and McCain Spar Over Iraq War Policy
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 — As the Senate prepared to open a high-profile debate on Iraq against a backdrop of stunning new violence in Baghdad, senators engaged in unusually bitter exchanges today about the best way forward in the war.
A suicide truck bomb killed at least 130 people on Saturday in Baghdad, a day after a major new intelligence report painted a bleak picture of prospects for bringing the violence in Iraq under control. But the assessment, reflecting the views of the 16 United States intelligence agencies, also found that a hasty American withdrawal could accelerate an Iraqi collapse.
Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, said today that the report, known as a National Intelligence Estimate, made clear that “it essentially isn’t going to make any difference how many more troops” are sent to Iraq.
But Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, said that while chances of success were unsure, an American failure in Iraq would be disastrous, perhaps leading to “a bloodletting in Baghdad that makes Srebrenica look like a Sunday-school picnic.” His reference was to the 1995 massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Serbian forces.
The Senate’s debate on rival nonbinding resolutions — notably, one spearheaded by Senator John W. Warner, Republican of Virginia, that opposes any troop buildup, and another, led by Mr. McCain, that supports the administration’s planned increase — is to begin on Monday. Mr. Hagel supports Mr. Warner’s resolution.
In a year with extraordinarily large fields of presidential hopefuls in both parties, the verbal fights on Iraq were, to an unusual degree, Republican-on-Republican or Democrat-on-Democrat.
***************************** excerpt*********************
Mr. Hagel wants American troops to be shifted out of cities and deployed along borders, and used more against terrorists.
There was sharp disagreement today on the question of engaging Iran and Syria diplomatically to prepare the ground for an American . redeployment from Iraq.
Mr. Hagel and others said that such engagement is critical. “There is going to be no peace in Iraq, there will be no peace in the Middle East unless all the regional partners are brought in to a framework of a political agreement,” he said.
Other Republicans argued that Tehran and Damascus had made it clear they would not work with the United States to bring stability to Iraq. “The idea that the key to our success is through Syria and Iran is naïve,” Mr. Graham said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Bravo Sierra, Frankenstein (V-Pyre)! Your party did it for four years!
I was hoping someone else besides me would realize that :P
"When" he's John Wayne McCain, I like him.
same here, I'll vote McCain over Hillary
Absolutely!
He's still the McCain in MF as far as I'm concerned.
Call me when he introduces a Bill to repeal CFR.
Till then, p*** on him.
L
I think it's too bad that not more Republicans like McCain are speaking out in favor on our side regarding the war in Iraq.
This week Congress is expected to pass a second resolution declaring that the U.S. should set a timetable for its redeployment from Europe and negotiate with the National Socialist government of Adolph Hitler and the Divine Emperor Hirohito to achieve peace in Europe and in the Pacific.
McCain and lieberman do get the "hugeness " of the moment....also Duncan Hunter.....and Newt!
Other than Lieberman I see no DemonicRat that sees any problem with appeasement!
"By the way, I'm a bit confused. Wasn't the real Buford Pusser from Tennessee? Or is Walking Tall II about a different person?"
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO"
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO" Part II
U.S. Sen. John McCain is no War Hero
John McCain: The Manchurian Candidate
McCain Is Booed by Labor Activists
McCain Rides to Kerry's Rescue: "John Kerry is Not Weak on Defense" (Today Show alert)
John McCain SCREAMS AT 9/11 FSA MEMBERS FOR OPPOSING HIS BILL TO GIVE AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS
A number of articles on McCain. (some the same as above)
McCain/Soros by Rabbi Areyh Spero
Soros' "Reform" (an article about Soros‘ instrumental hand in McCain/Feingold)
Not Child‘s Play [McCain/Schumer bill could effect FR?]
McCain's Letter (McCain aligns with Global Enviro activists)
McCain Looked into Caucusing with Democrats
Climate bill sets stage for debate (Sens. McCain, Obama, and Lieberman join forces)
McCain Still Disliked by Fiscal Conservatives (Club For Growth)
John McCain Goes Left for Money
Sens. Snowe, Collins to head Maine exploratory committee for McCain
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