House Votes Against Early Iraq Withdrawal

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House Votes Against Early Iraq Withdrawal


Thursday July 21, 2005 12:31 AM

By JIM ABRAMS

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Calls for an early withdrawal from Iraq are a mistake that will only embolden terrorists, the House resolved Wednesday. The resolution drew opposition from Democrats, who said it implied that questioning President Bush's Iraq policies is unpatriotic.

The measure, approved 291-137, says the United States should leave Iraq only when national security and foreign policy goals related to a free and stable Iraq have been achieved.

``Calls for an early withdrawal embolden the terrorists and undermine the morale'' of U.S. and allied forces and put their security at risk, the amendment to a State Department bill reads.

The GOP-controlled House also voted 304-124 to accept another contentious amendment stating that the detention and lawful interrogation of detainees at Guantanamo is essential to the war on terrorism. Some critics of reported prisoner abuse and lack of legal recourse for detainees have called for Guantanamo to be closed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5155494,00.html