John Kerry: Another Big Day in the Fight to Change Course (from HuffPost)

[marmar]

John Kerry


05.16.2007
Another Big Day in the Fight to Change Course (32 comments )

Today is another big day on the step by step, vote by vote fight to set a new course in Iraq. We've come a long, long way from the days where Russ Feingold and I could only get 13 votes to set a deadline to redeploy American troops from Iraq and make Iraqis stand up for their own country.

But we still have a long way to go. And this is one of those "we've just begun to fight" moments.

I'm a cosponsor of the Feingold-Reid amendment that will be offered today that will use the power of the purse to force the President to take a new path in Iraq - if this Administration won't change the mission in Iraq, Congress will change the mission on our own. We still face large obstacles in our path, but we are starting to break down the roadblocks that stand in the way.

Two weeks ago, I created a special campaign with our friends at ActBlue, the Roadblock Republicans campaign, to try to convince Republican colleagues to join us in pushing for a change of course.

Some people don't think that's the way things should be done in the Senate, but this isn't personal, it's about changing a deadly course that has cost us lives and made us less safe. Every day we delay is another day down the wrong path.

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I don't care about the future of the Republican Party; I care about the safety of our troops and the strength of our security - but if political pressure will bring these Republicans to a place of common sense and conscience in standing up to their President, then that's what it takes.

So today we vote again. I'm proudly standing up and declaring my support for the Feingold-Reid amendment. And I urge all of you to contact your Senators and let them know how you feel on this most important issue.

This fight is not going to be over until we get a new course in Iraq. I promise you that. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-kerry/another-big-day-in-the-fi_b_48585.html