The withdraw-from-Iraq movement in Congress


Posted by Helena Cobban
May 27, 2005 10:39 PM EST | Link
Filed in Antiwar

The withdraw-from-Iraq movement is slowly gathering strength in the US Congress.

I've been away from most news sources for most of the past week, so I don't know how much publicity has been given to the fact that on Wednesday evening 128 members of the House of Representatives voted for an amendment stating:

    "It is the sense of Congress that the president should—
    (1) develop a plan as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act to provide for the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq; and
    (2) transmit to the congressional defense committees a report that contains the plan described in paragraph (1)."
As the article points out, a majority in the House of representatives requires 218 votes... So we still have a way to go yet.

I see from this listing of who voted how that my Representative (!), Virgil Goode, voted against the amendment. Maybe I should contact his office to let him know how I feel about that.

Any of the rest of who who's a US citizen could contact your representatives, too-- with either praise or a strong reproach for how s/he performed.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (Dem. from CA) introduced the amendment... In understandably "patriotic" terms.

But according to that report linked to above, which is by Kevin Zeese of Online Journal:

    Perhaps the most important speech in favor of an exit strategy came from Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC). His district in North Carolina is one that is very supportive of the military. His opposition to the continuation of the war is of interest because he had been a supporter of the war, a point he highlighted in his opening: "This is about a policy, that I believed when I voted 2 years ago to commit the troops that I was making my decision on facts. Since that time I have been very disappointed in what I have learned about the justification for going into Iraq." He explained:
      " . . . all this amendment does is just say that it is time for the Congress to meet its responsibility. The responsibility of Congress is to make decisions whether we should send our men and women to war or not send them to war. What we are saying here tonight is we think it is time for the Congress to begin, to start the debate and discussion of what the exit strategy is of this government . . ."
Well, the withdrawal movement may be slow. But it seems to me it's heading in exactly the right direction.

Comments
Comment from... Salah, at May 28, 2005 01:11 AM:

"I have been very disappointed in what I have learned about the justification for going into Iraq."

It took two years by Walter Jones to learn, two years past already and GWB win 2nd term then Walter Jones comes now give what he learned! More than two years to learn..., I don’t think sound right from a politician dealing with sensitive issues in regard of US internal and external policies....

This should be done early as David Kay reports about the WMD reports, it came clear that GWB planed to attack Iraq for no sold ground of justifications.

The main thing now what after the withdraw? what about the distraction of a complete country, the killing of more that 100,000 of Iraqis, more than that the wounded and disabled Iraqi, the lost of jobs for 3 millions of Iraqis, most of all the revenue from oil for food program that US take responsibility from UN and the revenue from the production of the oil from the day that US took control of oil fields in Iraq till when they leaving?

These question should US House of Representatives give answers for it and do some thing about it, also impeach GWB abut this miss he put US in it.

Comment from... DonS, at May 28, 2005 07:25 PM:

Why are you in the least surprised -- perhaps you're not -- that Goode voted against it. The man is inherently right wing. As you know he is so confident that he has his fingers on the pulse of the crackers in Southside that he could just go on and switch parties with impunity.

My rep,Boucher (D), of "the fighting ninth", voted against it too. He masquerades as a libral sometimes, but he too has to satisfy the local jingoists most of the time. I am waiting, almost praying, for the tides to change.

Comment from... Salah, at May 29, 2005 12:56 AM:

"The problem is that Bush wants "victory," not a workable solution, and he is prepared to pay any price for victory"


http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts05282005.html

Salah

Comment from... anonagain, at May 29, 2005 06:31 AM:

"The problem is that Bush wants "victory," not a workable solution, and he is prepared to pay any price for victory"!

NOT QUITE... he's prepared for YOU/ME/US/anyone willing to join his coalition of the willing to pay.

Comment from... wmpoole, at May 29, 2005 05:14 PM:

"The problem is that Bush wants 'victory'"

yea and Howard and Blair too...Chirac also wanted a victory today but alas democracy can sometimes disappoint...as Schroeder is also likely to learn this fall.

Comment from... Salah, at May 30, 2005 11:46 AM:

"U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Bickerstaff of Satellite Beach, Florida, uses a tent pole to bat a rock off the Haditha Dam where his unit is based, 220 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Baghdad, Sunday, May 29, 2005".

http://apnews.myway.com/image/20050529/IRAQ.sff_JLS102_20050529154022.html?date=20050529&docid=D8AD530O0

BAD APPLES.......
There is no resistance hiding in these rooks Andrew....

Comment from... Salah, at May 30, 2005 12:01 PM:

Others, like Spc. Jason Delfosse, of the 82nd Airborne Division, come to get treatment for non-combat related ills. ``I was here for kidney stones,'' he said, holding his crimson paratrooper beret. ``I'm going to Afghanistan to rejoin my unit.''

Helenna, your tax goes to help this guy……..

Hospital in Germany copes with heavy flow of wounded from Iraq, Afghanistan

http://cbsnewyork.com/international/Iraq-TheWounded-ai/resources_news_html

Is it time to stop and think with wisdom?

Comment from... debby, at May 30, 2005 12:52 PM:

Support the troops. Check out:

http://www.optruth.org/main.cfm

the main Iraq vet organization. A few bucks could help a lot.

Comment from... Waiting for Jason to come home, at June 12, 2005 09:51 PM:

Tax dollars well spent, Salah - on the brave Men and Women that protect us and fight for our freedom. Support Jason Delfosse. Support our troops. Thinking of Jason in Ventura -- ~Jenny~

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