Posted on 02/22/2007 11:50:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
WASHINGTON (AP) - Four years ago, Congress passed legislation authorizing President Bush to go to war in Iraq. Now Senate Democrats want to take it back.
Key lawmakers, backed by party leaders, are drafting legislation that would effectively revoke the broad authority granted to the president in the days Saddam Hussein was in power, and leave U.S. troops with a limited mission as they prepare to withdraw.
Officials said Thursday the precise wording of the measure remains unsettled. One version would restrict American troops in Iraq to fighting al-Qaida, training Iraqi army and police forces, maintaining Iraq's territorial integrity and otherwise proceeding with the withdrawal of combat forces.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., intends to present the proposal to fellow Democrats next week, and he is expected to try to add the measure to anti-terrorism legislation scheduled to be debated later this month. Officials who described the strategy spoke only on condition of anonymity, noting that rank-and-file senators had not yet been briefed on the details.
Republicans recently thwarted two Democratic attempts to pass a nonbinding measure through the Senate that was critical of Bush's decision to deploy an additional 21,500 combat troops.
After failing on his second attempt last Saturday, Reid said he would turn his attention to passing binding legislation.
Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid, declined to discuss the deliberations, saying only, "No final decisions have been made on how to proceed."
Any attempt to limit Bush's powers as commander in chief would likely face strong opposition from Republican allies of the administration in the Senate. Additionally, unlike earlier, nonbinding measures, the legislation now under consideration could also face a veto threat.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews1.iwon.com ...
Dont matter who is shooting at you I guess.......They will have to get confirmation from whoever that it is indeed AlQaeda and not those rascally run of the mill insurgents.</sarcasm>
Could? LoL! It goes without saying.
I wouldn't let them run my mill.
Per some of the recent press, Lieberman may decide that that is too much and switch caucuses. Senate control would turn to the Republicans.
Interesting political time.
The Dems are going to go too far,and then they'll wonder what happened.God save us!
I would pay to see Bush, as speaks on vetoing the bill, flatly say:
This may be the biggest load of nonsense ever produced by a US Congress. There's noting more to be said for the childishness emanating from such a supposedly august body. Now, moving on... [rolling eyes and exiting stage right]"
Of course, it would never come to that point, but it's an amusing thought. Really, the Rats are just wasting time with meddling nothings that do nothing else but feed al-Quaida.
Ya know, W's not the vetoin' kind of Pres. As a matter of fact, it's hard not to notice the curvaceous nature of the back ends of his footwear. But I think he just might draw the line at Al Queda lovin', war losin', surrender legislation.
Yep, he just might wander down to Walgreens and buy him one of them there veto pens.
Lieberman may decide that that is too much and switch caucuses.
The donks INVENTED that game... who's the republican DUCK at the corner pocket waiting to switch it back? And what are we getting for our side of the equation... another olympia snowe? No thanks.
Leiberman is strong on the war but he's a liberal to the core on domestic issues. How's he going to vote on judicial picks? How about border issues? Campaign Finance?
This is a Faustian deal so lets not give him too much because this deal doesnt give us much.
OK, our troops capture some terrorists, but they're not card-carrying members of al-Qaida. So, according to the Democrat plan, they're awarded a Get Out of Jail Free card! Sigh. Just how does someone get to be so stupid?
Not going to happen.
Don't you just love all the BS being shoveled out to the news and the democrats base? They know none of this can pass because they don't have the votes.
It's all sound bites and fury signifying nothing.
~And the left that voted them in are too dumb to see it. Oh, yes, the idiot media plays right along...
congress will be surprised how little power they have to interfere if bush is willing to use the power he has!
Harry Reid a a MEAN GIRLY MAN.
Are you saying Congress doesn't have the power to revoke an Act it passed?
If President Bush had just conducted the occupation in a military fashion instead of a political one then we wouldn't be in the position where the Dems could do these kinds of things.
I lay the blame for this partially at the President's desk for trying to fight a PC war.
As for the Dems I hope they go forward with this so it comes back to bite them in the a$$ come election time.
These Democrats are DANGEROUSLY funny. They are going to get our troops killed. They are incompetent and their patriotism will no longer be a question with me. They are traitors to the US. This government we have now are off on their own. Representatives? Ha!
fyi
Harry is a,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,man?
Me too!
Besides .. the Congress does not regulate the President's authority .. only the Constitution does.
Like Rush said .. they're just a bunch of spoiled children throwing a tantrum because they can't get their way.
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