Free Republic

The "cut and run" Democrats are in full swing now by recently voting to "help" President Bush ["Senate panel rejects Bush's war strategy," Jan. 25]. They've passed a resolution that will be sent to the Senate for a full vote showing their angst against the recent increase in troop strength in Iraq. These actions do not send a message of commitment to winning the war against terrorism, of which Iraq is one front. These are weak, politically correct attempts to thwart President Bush no matter the cost. The Democrats would rather lose Iraq in order to maintain power in Congress....

Feb. 7, 2007 - Maybe he’s not such a lame duck after all. President Bush has been on the run since the midterm election cost his party control of both chambers of Congress. January wasn’t much better, as he laid out a new plan to win the Iraq war—only to watch a number of his GOP colleagues on Capitol Hill turn against it. So the White House appeared to be in serious trouble as Congress contemplated a vote on a resolution directly repudiating Bush’s call for a surge of troops to help stem the sectarian violence plaguing Baghdad and beyond....

It came as little surprise that when Senate Republicans blocked debate Monday on a resolution that would have opposed President Bush’s plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, erstwhile Democrat, sided with them. But Mr. Lieberman also went further, accusing Democrats of giving strength to the enemy and abandoning the troops, and arguing that an alternative resolution that he and many Republicans backed was “a statement of support to our troops.” Defeated last year in the Democratic senatorial primary in Connecticut but then elected as an independent to a fourth term, Mr. Lieberman has kept a...

WASHINGTON - At a time when even President George W. Bush acknowledges the war in Iraq is sapping the nation's spirit, the Senate has tied itself up in procedural knots rather than engage in a debate on Iraq policy. Given the influence that voter frustration with Iraq had on the November elections, the national unease with the mounting human and financial costs, and the raw passion on all sides, even some lawmakers say they are astounded that the buildup to the Senate fight over Bush's proposed troop increase has produced such a letdown. "It just floors me," said Sen. Amy...

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine: Iraq resolution When Senate Democrats refused to allow consideration of all three competing resolutions on Iraq yesterday, seeking instead to bring only two to the Senate floor, Republicans stopped them from bringing the issue up at all. The Democrats then complained that Republicans were blocking debate on Iraq, and mainstream media outlets immediately agreed. "Republicans block Senate Debate on Iraq," said the AP. "GOP blocks a debate over Iraq policy," concurred the New York Times. "GOP stalls debate on troop increase," echoed the Washington Post. In fact, of course, both sides...

On the Senate floor just a short while ago, a pretty hot debate ensued before any real debate on Iraq resolutions was allowed, or actually not allowed by the vote following the debate about the proposed debate. The Senate went 49-47, the Democrats well shy of the 60 votes needed to moved ahead on one of the war resolutions. As you may have anticipated through reports during the weekend and today, Republicans in the Senate voted in near unanimity tonight against the Democratic leadership’s intention to bring the Warner-Levin resolution opposing President Bush’s troop buildup to the floor for debate....

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats won their first major vote against the Iraq war. Now they need to get some Republicans on board. A resolution swiping at President Bush's Iraq war plans is headed to the full Senate as early as next week as administration officials and Republican leaders labor to keep the effort from gaining more GOP support. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday passed 12-9 a resolution that dismissed Bush's plans to increase troops in Iraq as "not in the national interest." The vote on the nonbinding measure was largely along party lines, with Sen. Chuck Hagel (news,...

2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won't say whether she read a key intelligence report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction before she voted in Oct. 2002 to authorize the Iraq war. Asked directly by the Boston Herald whether she did her homework by reading the report on the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's WMDs, the paper reports that the Democratic frontrunner "declined to say." Though billed in the press as a supporter of the war, the former first lady has been highly critical of the Bush administration's so-called rush to judgment of Iraq's pre-war threat. But in Oct. 2002, while...

The 6th District of OH was redrawn this year. It essentially follows the Ohio River, and now consists of the following counties: Athens (part), Belmont (part), Columbiana, Gallia, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning (part), Meigs, Monroe, Noble, Scioto (part), Washington, The district's incumbent Congressman, radical-disguised-as-moderate Ted Strickland, now faces a situation where a large plurality has never had a chance to vote for/against him. Although this race is not seen as "competitive" by the national media, THEY ARE WRONG. Mike Halleck, the Republican, is running a spirited campaign and working an appearance schedule that would send most of us to the hospital....

ABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico, Oct. 27 — President Bush left a summit conference here today without a pledge from Mexico to support the American resolution in the United Nations Security Council to disarm Iraq. Mexican officials made it clear that Mexico is siding with France in the debate at the United Nations. While the United States is demanding one resolution that includes a legal basis for the military action against Iraq, France wants two stages, authorizing force only when Baghdad fails to comply with weapons inspections.

<p>UNITED NATIONS — American diplomats on Thursday disputed reports that the United States was "backing down" in its demand for a single U.N. resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq.</p> <p>In contrast, the diplomats predicted that the toughly worded message to Saddam Hussein that the U.S. wants will be passed by the U.N. Security Council.</p>

The 6th District of OH was redrawn this year. It now consists of the following counties: Athens (part), Belmont (part), Columbiana, Gallia, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning (part), Meigs, Monroe, Noble, Scioto (part), Washington, The district's incumbent Congressman, radical-disguised-as-moderate Ted Strickland, now faces a situation where a large plurality has never had a chance to vote for/against him. Although this race is not seen as "competitive" by the national media, THEY ARE WRONG. Mike Halleck, the Republican, is running a spirited campaign and working an appearance schedule that would send most of us to the hospital. Just a sampling of Strickland's far-left...

The Senate debates Iraq resolution live right now on C-SPAN2 and MSNBC Internet Video. Will they reach an agreement before the end of the day. The House is with Bush, if the Senate approves the resolution today will Bush announce the declaration of war against Iraq on Monday? At the moment, Sen. Chris Dodd is rambling about the campaing reform bill which has nothing to do with the Iraq resolution. I hope they Senate approves the resolution today.

Congress' action may come soon 10/02/2002 G. ROBERT HILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON - President Bush, wrangling for congressional support in his campaign against Iraq's Saddam Hussein, warned Congress on Tuesday against approving a resolution that "ties my hands." He plans to confer with the four top congressional leaders again Wednesday in what White House and congressional aides signaled could be the meeting that finally forges a compromise authorizing the president to use military force, if necessary, against Mr. Hussein. The Senate could begin debate quickly, with a vote to follow next week. But Senate Majority Leader...

Negotiations between the White House and the House of Representatives on language for a resolution giving President Bush authority to eliminate the threat posed by Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction was nearing completion Thursday. But comments from the Democrat leader of the Senate indicated it may not be the case there. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said there was no draft resolution yet, just ideas that had yet to be refined. Wednesday he accused President Bush of politicizing the war on terror and conflict with Iraq – and came under fire for doing the same himself. Daschle: 'No Draft'...

<p>Congress is likely to give President Bush carte blanche on Iraq, as lawmakers from both parties and chambers on Thursday welcomed the White House's draft resolution authorizing the executive to "use all means" against Saddam Hussein.</p> <p>Senate Republican leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said both the House and Senate might vote on the resolution as early as the first week of October, plenty of time before lawmakers go home to campaign for midterm elections.</p>