Biden Vows to Narrow Bush's Iraq Mandate [move to repeal the authority Congress gave President...]

BREITBART ^

[Sub-Driver]

Biden Vows to Narrow Bush's Iraq Mandate

Feb 15 1:22 PM US/Eastern

By BARRY SCHWEID AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday he would move to repeal the authority Congress gave President Bush in 2002 to send U.S. troops into Iraq and replace it with a narrower mandate.

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the legislation was based on the idea that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and was designed to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"The WMDs were not there," Biden said in prepared remarks at the Brookings Institution, a private research group. "Saddam Hussein is no longer there. The 2002 authorization is no longer relevant to the situation in Iraq."

The Delaware senator, who voted in 2002 to authorize military intervention in Iraq, said he was working to repeal the authorization and to replace it with "a much narrower mission statement for our troops in Iraq."

Congress should make clear the mission is to draw down U.S. forces in Iraq while continuing to combat terrorists, train Iraqis and respond to emergencies, he said.

"We should make equally clear what their mission is not: to stay in Iraq indefinitely and get mired in a savage civil war," Biden said.

Biden long has criticized Bush's strategy in Iraq. It is not clear whether he would be able to draw enough congressional support to succeed in his effort which also would face a Bush veto.

[slowhand520]

Yet another wannabe Commander in Chief sounding off. You know The President really needs to stand up and tell these empty suits to shut the F up already. I am sick of him letting everyone and their mother assail everything he does. Reagan would have eaten these punks for lunch and do it with a smile.

[Mo1]

FYI Ping

[Miss Marple]

He did a pretty good job of dissing the House democrats yesterday in his press conference.

Good point just made on Rush by a caller: "Why is it that the fictional show "24" is supposed to affect the troops adversely, but the REAL actions of Congressmen, and their speech, is not supposed to have any effect on morale?"

That is an excellent point, as Rush said.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Why don't they just cut the funding and be done with it?

[OldFriend]

Just called Senator McConnell's office to thank him for his efforts so far and hoped he had continued success in dealing with the likes of Biden.

Give a call of support, I'm sure it means a lot.

1-800-862-5530

[Txsleuth]

Biden is just trying to do something to get people to quit thinking about his bash against Hillary, Edwards, and Osama Obama.

I DID hear on the radio news...that the Senate may have a Saturday session to debate and vote on the House's anti-war resolution....(that is if the GOP let's them).

[OldFriend]

Wonder what the folks who sought to 'punish' the President are thinking right about now.

A pox on them all.

[fremont_steve]

Better yet - to repeal that authority - uhm - Doesn't the President have to sign it???

I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[Mo1]

Because they are cowards ... plus they want to bleed the President and our military



House Democrats' New Strategy: Force Slow End to War
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1784687/posts

[IamConservative]

move to repeal the authority Congress gave President Bush in 2002 to send U.S. troops into Iraq

Wait a sec, I thought it was an illegal war?

According to another Democrat Presidential candidate, *she* thought the resolution was only to authorize further UN weapons inspections.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Because they are cowards

They promised this before the election.

... plus they want to bleed the President and our military

They haven't given a damn about George W. Bush since he sought the office of POTUS, and they've loathed the military since rocks cooled. Now these a-holes hold the power in Congress. I'm not scared, I'm fed up to my eyebrows. They promise a lot of things. Nothing has changed.

[colorado tanker]

Guess Joe's poll ratings must have taken another turn for the worse. He's going for the moonbats.

[Bitsy]

I, for one, will NEVER forget their behavior since 2000. They have done nothing but undermine the President of the United States, embolden the terrorists and endanger our troops in a time of war. Their tactics are despicable. You are right the vendetta has gone way to far and they will pay for their frivolousness and partisan attacks.>

[onyx]

I hate them all.

[Peach]

Mo1 - are the Republicans fighting back at ALL?

[Mo1]

Yes they are .. but there is only so much they can do because they don't control either house

The Dems won't allow any amendments or let them put forth their own resolutions ..

Reid says he will only let them if HE gets to pick their resolution

In the House they have been arguing against it ... but they don't have the #'s to stop from passing
In the Senate they aren't letting the dems have 60 votes for cloture

[Jim Noble]

Biden needs to be reminded that the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces -- not Congress. Congress has no business defining the mission statement for our troops in Iraq or anywhere else.

To the extent that the War Powers Act is facially unConstitutional, of course you are correct.

However, any act that Congress is capable of enacting, it can repeal.

[onyx]

Yet, a poster just told me there's no differences between the two parties.

[Jim Noble]

they do not and will not have 67 votes in the Senate to override any veto

Are you sure about that?.

[Peach]

Oh, Mo. This is just making me sick for our troops. And for the country, since most people don't "get" what's going on. Our poor military families.