Posted on 01/26/2007 12:04:55 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Roberts Gates said Friday that a congressional resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq amounts to undercutting U.S. commanders in a way that "emboldens the enemy."
At his first Pentagon news conference since taking office, Gates was asked his reaction to the debate in Congress over the effect of such a nonbinding resolution. "It's pretty clear that a resolution that in effect says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said.
Gates talked to reporters as Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill prepared for the start debate next week on the resolution of opposition to President Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 U.S. forces into battle in wartorn Iraq. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) said Friday that a quick test vote would likely be taken if Republicans try to delay or block the move.
Gates was referring to Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who was confirmed by the full Senate on Friday to replace Gen. George Casey as the top American commander in Iraq. Petraeus has said he needs all 21,500 extra troops that Bush has ordered to Iraq in order to quell the raging sectarian violence in Baghdad.
"I think it's hard to measure that with any precision, but it seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks," Gates said, referring to the anti-government forces in Baghdad. He added that he was certain this was not the intent of those who support the congressional resolution.
"But that's the effect," he said.
They better wise up or they'll be losing reelection .. cause the dem voters sure as heck aren't going to vote for them
If you read the link I just posted...I guess Pres. Bush worries TOO much about them thumbing their noses at him...sigh
Drats!....what do you make of this?
Based on the story (al-Reuters), I would not think this was a good thing. This is what the dems desperately want, a bunch of pubbies telling the President how it's gonna be.
I am not sure...except didn't Pres. Bush suggest in his speech last Tuesday, or at some other time lately, that there IS a bi-partisan Congressional committee set up to help discuss and monitor the "war on terror"??
I believe I heard that the asked for that, and was turned down by the Dems...
If that is how I remember it...this could just be him "keeping his word", if the House Republicans are using those statements to also include the monitoring of this surge in Iraq...
I also heard on Hugh Hewitt's show yesterday that McCain was going to put in a resolution basically demanding the same things that are in this article that Pres. Bush "supposedly" agreed to.
Did MCCAIN have something to do with this??
All I know is, I am very disappointed...especially since he also said today that he is "the decider"...which signaled strength, to me........this article, just doesn't make sense on the heals of the other news.
I am HATING all of Congress right now...no telling what those darn GOP House members said to him...maybe they threatened to vote to stop the funding???
I think you are right...so I don't think what Biden and Dodd are planning will have a chance LEGALLY...
I couldn't even take heart at the last line, saying that Nancy Pelosi is against it....sigh
Yes, he did mention this during the SOTU speech maybe the Repubs are taking him up on it.....I am so disgusted with the lot of them......
Don't matter to me ... they should never have brought it up in the first place
Warner and his gang can go to hell
I know exactly how you feel.
Hugh is saying McCain is behind that
I just saw a clip of Harry Reid, from today, where he says that 21 GOP Senators are up for reelection in 2008...so they better not think they are going to get a "soft vote".
IOW, the dems are threatening the GOPers up for election that they are going to make life miserable enough on them to get them to LOSE in 2008.
Hugh said McConnell is trying to negotiate votes because of this stunt by McCain
I can't take this any more
WAR TRUMPS PARTY!
I am listening to Hugh...but I didn't hear him mention that Bush agreed to the GOP House resolution...if he did, and says that McCain is behind it..
Bush owes McCain NOTHING...McCain has screwed up Pres. Bush's agenda in different ways for 6 years...Bush needs to tell McCain to shove it.
I used to think so.
Is that what he was talking about when he mentioned Cornyn a second ago...my granddaughter was saying something and I missed that part about Cornyn.
Doesn't sound like WAR is trumping party anymore...I am with you, Bah.
He didn't mention Bush .. just that negotiations are going on to save face in the Senate
I've had it .. stop playing games
Support the troops and the president or bring the troops home now
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