Reply #53: A senator cannot put a date for effective troop withdrawal in a bill

[Mass]

Murtha did not (he used the "earliest practical date language", Feingold did not (he asked for a timeline) .

The CIC is responsible for fixing these dates.

http://feingold.senate.gov/statements/05/07/2005727747.html

Here is the text of Kucinich's resolution

Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States--

(1) to announce, not later than December 31, 2005, a plan for the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from Iraq ;

(2) at the earliest possible date, to turn over all military operations in Iraq to the elected Government of Iraq and provide for the prompt and orderly withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from Iraq ; and

(3) to initiate such a withdrawal as soon as possible but not later than October 1, 2006.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENTS TO IMPLEMENT POLICY.

The President shall implement the policy expressed in section 3 by--

(1) taking all necessary steps to ensure the completion of Iraq's political transition to a constitutionally elected government by December 31, 2005, as called for in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 (2004), which was supported by the United States;

(2) establishing a plan for the withdrawal of all United States Armed Forces from Iraq limited only by steps to ensure the safety of such Armed Forces;

(3) establishing a plan for a transition of responsibility for internal security activities to the military forces of the Iraqi Government and a transition of United States military personnel to an advisory and support role;

(4) accelerating the training and equipping of the military and security forces of the Iraqi Government; and

(5) taking all appropriate measures to account for any missing members of the United States Armed Forces or United States citizens in Iraq prior to completion of the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq .

They all are different, but they all have the same language that let it to Bush to implement the withdrawal they are asking. Even Kucinich's one, who asks the most from Bush, do not say when the troops will be totally withdrawn, simply because it is not within the prerogatives of the House or the Senate to determine that.