WP: 7 GOP Senators Back War Debate

[kskiska]

Lawmakers Had Blocked Action on Troop Resolution

Thursday, February 8, 2007; A01

Senate Republicans who earlier this week helped block deliberations on a resolution opposing President Bush's new troop deployments in Iraq changed course yesterday and vowed to use every tactic at their disposal to ensure a full and open debate.

In a letter distributed yesterday evening to Senate leaders, John W. Warner (Va.), Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and five other GOP supporters of the resolution threatened to attach their measure to any bill sent to the floor in the coming weeks. Noting that the war is the "most pressing issue of our time," the senators declared: "We will explore all of our options under the Senate procedures and practices to ensure a full and open debate."

The letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was not more specific about the Republican senators' strategy for reviving the war debate. But under the chamber's rules, senators have wide latitude in slowing the progress of legislation and in offering amendments, regardless of whether they have anything to do with the bill.

The letter began circulating yesterday evening after it became apparent the Senate was deadlocked over the war resolution and Reid was prepared to move on to other matters. McConnell and many in his party have aggressively defended their decision to block the bipartisan resolution as an issue of fairness because Democrats would not agree to GOP procedural demands.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020702550.html

[rodeodance]

1. 7 troops died today

while you all blocked even a debate!!

[goclark]

2. So is the Warner Plan back for success? nt

[LittleClarkie]

3. Did they block the Dems so they could ride in and be the heros?

What game are they playing?

[rodeodance]

5. bunch of babies. I am sick of them all.

[rodeodance]

6. But some Republicans were uneasy about appearing to have stymied the debate...

But some Republicans were uneasy about appearing to have stymied the debate. The letter appeared so suddenly that, although it was addressed to Reid, the Democratic leader had not seen his copy before Warner read the text on the Senate floor.

"Monday's procedural vote should not be interpreted as any lessening of our resolve to go forward advocating the concepts" of the resolution, the letter said. "The current stalemate is unacceptable to us and to the people of this country."

House Democratic leaders are attempting to formulate their own nonbinding expression of disapproval of Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 troops to battle, and they intend to devote three days next week to debating it.

A top Pentagon leader weighed in yesterday on the war debate and appeared to undercut the argument advanced by the White House and many GOP lawmakers that a congressional debate challenging the Bush plan would hurt troop morale.

[rodeodance]

7. in other words-------they know (at least these 7)--they made a big BOBO!

[rodeodance]

8. oh my--LOOK HERE--Gen Pace said debate does NOT decrease troop

morale!!!!!!!!!!!


......A top Pentagon leader weighed in yesterday on the war debate and appeared to undercut the argument advanced by the White House and many GOP lawmakers that a congressional debate challenging the Bush plan would hurt troop morale.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period," Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the House Armed Services Committee. He added that potential enemies may take some comfort from the rancor but said they "don't have a clue how democracy works."

[rodeodance]

10. oh oh---Harry wil not like this---Repugs want other resolutions.

The Republican senators attempted in their letter to clear up the apparent contradiction. "Monday's procedural vote should not be interpreted as any lessening of our resolve to go forward," the senators insisted. But they voiced the GOP leadership's view that other resolutions should receive an equal vetting.

"The Senate should be allowed to work its will on our resolution as well as the concepts being brought forward by other senators," the letter stated.

[Kagemusha]

13. Whaddaya mean, "appearing"!? That's what they DID!

Party over principle. Loud and clear. What's to discuss?

[Monkeyman]

12. To hide the truth

Who will be the last man to die in this war of lies

[illinoisprogressive]

4. And so, the story continues....

[PFunk]

9. Maybe it's time to let the congress take over this now.

It looks like they have both the stomach and votes to do so.

[dsharp88]

11. Are these Republicans related to "Sybil"??

Warner co-sponsors the resolution, then votes against debating it, now says he's all for an open debate about it????

[jamesinca]

14. Not only sponsors it

The republics complain that there ideas are not heard. If their ideas are not heard, then why did Sen. Reid call off Sen. Byrds attack of the republic party members idea so this could go forward. Why did Warner cosponsor if their ideas are not being heard? Are they talking about the 90 amendments and 70 more they had waiting for the minimum wage bill so as to avoid debate on Iraq? Remember 21 of them are up for re-election in '08 and they will not be able to march in there as a pro war, anti troop bunch anymore.

[wellst0nev0ter]

15. Ha, ha. Fuck Me Once, Shame On You

Fuck me. . .I won't get fucked again. So they can all go fuck off the motherfuckers :grr:

[youngdem]

16. Hey, look, the Repukes are sorry and they bought us this huge wooden horse as an apology

How nice!!

Let em in.

Let em in.

:sarcasm: :grr:

[Omaha Steve]

17. Dems tell Hagel (R-Ne): GOP blew chance for war vote (OWH)

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1000&u_sid=2327882

Published Thursday | February 8, 2007
Dems tell Hagel: GOP blew chance for war vote
BY JAKE THOMPSON
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

WASHINGTON - The Senate's Democratic leader is reacting coolly to a new push by a band of Republican senators seeking to revive debate on a resolution opposing President Bush's troop surge for Iraq.

The Republicans, including Nebraska's Chuck Hagel, this week blocked debate on a resolution that several of them had co-sponsored.

They reversed course Wednesday, when Hagel and six colleagues wrote the leaders of both parties vowing to use every tactic available to force a Senate debate of the president's plan.


Chuck Hagel

"If anyone thinks that we're going to go away or this issue is going to go away, that just isn't going to happen," Hagel said in an interview.

FULL story at link.

[AX10]

18. Everyone who opposed this war has an obligation...

to hang this noose around the neck of every elected official who still supports this horrid war!
We must destroy the bastards in the 2008 election!

[More Than A Feeling]

19. Actions have consequences, Republican wusses, and you don't have your majority to protect you now!

[Cocoa]

20. I'm getting confused

this is some convoluted stuff.

[TwilightZone]

21. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell Hagel was thinking.

His claim that it was a essentially a procedure protest vote seems really weak.

What I don't get is that he's been pretty consistent on his stance, so this silly attempt at grandstanding seems really unusual, particularly on an issue that he claims to care about. :shrug:

[KittyWampus]

24. White House must have turned the screws pretty damned tight

[TwilightZone]

25. With what, though?

Hagel has never seemed like the type to cave to pressure, particularly pressure from a president who's now polling at 30%. He's rarely *ever* backed down to anyone on the Iraq issue.

As much as I hate most of the rest of his political stances, I have to give him some credit for speaking up when few others were. This seems like an unnecessary political gamble on his part. Or just plain stupid.

Hell, maybe old habits die hard. Maybe ol' Chuck just forgot his party isn't in charge anymore and thought he could still throw his weight around.

[youngdem]

26. Hagel is running for president as the New McCain

He is triangulating. He is offering up criticism of the president and attempting to at least push back a little against the president, while really just offering up bullshit measures in the Senate.

He is a politician.

That's all.

[TwilightZone]

27. I disagree.

He's never been interested in being the New McCain. He's the anti-McCain. McCain can't win on a war platform, and neither can Hagel.

He's been positioning himself as the anti-McCain (and the anti-Bush) for *years*, so backing off on his Iraq stance now makes zero sense.

[Hav]

22. .

Good. Maybe they won't do such a shit again. Yeah right...

[tsuki]

23. Flip-flop. Flip-flop. Hagel was for the debate before he was

against the debate. Flip-flop. He's for the debate again? Until the vote, when he'll flip-flop again?

As far as I am concerned, he had his vote, and he voted FOR the surge.

[TroglodyteScholar]

28. Sounds like some borderline personalities to me...

Bunch of effing psychos.....