Iraq withdrawals "off the table": Republicans

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

Iraq withdrawals "off the table": Republicans
By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leading Republicans in Congress on Thursday declared that troop withdrawal legislation should be scrapped because the United States has made significant progress in the Iraq war, just as Democrats were resuming efforts to bring soldiers home.

"It should be off the table," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said of Democratic attempts to pass legislation to force President George W. Bush to withdraw some of the 168,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and wind down the combat mission there.

The Republican hardened stance followed months of speculation that September could usher in cooperation with Democrats on trying to craft a new Iraq policy. In recent months a small but growing number of Republicans have said it is time to develop a bipartisan strategy to bring troops home.

Democrats pointed to a new report that said the Iraqi army was improving to bolster arguments for starting to withdraw U.S. forces.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070906/pl_nm/iraq_usa_cong...

[rodeodance]

1. yah know--for being in the minority they sure are a bossy lot!

[FiveGoodMen]

2. How can you tell that they're in the minority?

[rodeodance]

3. actually, i debated using the word----as it does seem they get their way a lot.

[1620rock]

It's already on CNN, the Dems are backing down.

[Megahurtz]

16. SHIT!

[Javaman]

40. Come on, are you really that surprised?

I have been banging my head against the wall since last november and have devoloped a flat spot.

[dickbearton]

8. With the blue dogs...

they are not a minority.

[The Backlash Cometh]

43. They just know how to lay the foundation to frame the issue better than Dems do.

[NYC Liberal]

50. Reminds me of how we should have been. nt

[SleeplessinSoCal]

4. This is the GOP response to floated compromise offer from Dems....

As reported in The New York Times:

"WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 — With a mixed picture emerging about progress in Iraq, Senate Democratic leaders are showing a new openness to compromise as they try to attract Republican support for forcing at least modest troop withdrawals in the coming months.

After short-circuiting consideration of votes on some bipartisan proposals on Iraq before the August break, senior Democrats now say they are willing to rethink their push to establish a withdrawal deadline of next spring if doing so will attract the 60 Senate votes needed to prevail."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/washington/06cong.htm...

Maybe now Dems will realize there is no negotiating with the mob. They'd better stand up to the mighty 28% and get the country back on the right track.

[tom_paine]

31. The Dem Leadership realizes NOTHING. Hasn't that become clear yet?

Actually, that's not ture. I think they realize what a nice and cushy life they have as a member of the Imperial Congress, even though it is a ceremonial and powerless position.

[Purveyor]

5. Then the Democrats should counter that additional funding is also off the table.

Hey, a person can 'hope' can't they?

[eagler]

13. YES!

[acmavm]

46. Yes they damn will should. And none of this we can't pull the

funding from 'the troops'. There's plenty, more than plenty, twenty times plenty, cash in the Pentagon budget request. LET THE MONEY COME FROM THERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

[radfringe]

6. the progress pixie has been busy...

[frogcycle]

7. then take the $50B off the table too n/t

the ONE thing this congress can do is .... NOTHING

Just don't bring up the bill to give him more money. Go on to other legislation, just frigging ignore the tantrums.

[dickbearton]

9. The congress is doing plenty...

Between repubs, blue dogs, and corporatists, they are
supporting the Criminal Bush.

[grytpype]

10. Great. They are killing themselves for 2008.

Stay the course, stick with Bush, get slaughtered worse than they did in 2006. I'm thrilled!

[tabasco]

11. Republicans want us in Iraq until the oil is gone.

It is no coincidence that oil companies have been raking in world record profits the last few years.

It was all about the oil. The republicans know it; the democrats know it; but only a few have the courage to speak the truth.

Sad days for America.

[Maggie_May]

12. Bush said we could bring troops home!

So lets take his word and bring troops home.

[sendero]

14. Watch as the Democrats....

.... PISS AWAY 2008 by refusing to stand up to these assholes.

[harun]

18. They roll over and 2008 is going to be a repug landslide, people

will try and punish them. Even though it wouldn't make sense that is how the vote will go.

[paulk]

45. you're right

it doesn't make sense...

the "people" are going to punish the Republicans in 2008, despite the best efforts of boo-birds like you who are trying to pin this mess on the Democrats.

[rodeodance]

39. People are angry-----it may come to that

[AlCzervik]

15. I wish all the democrats would propose legislation and vote like they aren't running

for reelection.

[harun]

17. The Repugs better pass the hat then because we need to

pull the funding now.

Yet another MASSIVE fraud is going to be successfully pulled on the American people. Ohhh the list is oh so long and lucrative to the war profiteers.

[angryxyouth]

19. Is there any way to find out which lawmakers are making money off the war?

How Much

[lonestarnot]

34. I've asked this question before and never get an answer from anyone either.

It's not you.

[angryxyouth]

47. Thanks, I thought I smelled bad or something.

A big wave right back at you. The MSN Michael Brush Article was good, At least we know Cheney is at the top of the list

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/CompanyF...

[Xipe Totec]

20. Iraq withdrawals "off the table": Republicans

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leading Republicans in Congress on Thursday declared that troop withdrawal legislation should be scrapped because the United States has made significant progress in the Iraq war, just as Democrats were resuming efforts to bring soldiers home.

"It should be off the table," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said of Democratic attempts to pass legislation to force President George W. Bush to withdraw some of the 168,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and wind down the combat mission there.

The Republican hardened stance followed months of speculation that September could usher in cooperation with Democrats on trying to craft a new Iraq policy. In recent months a small but growing number of Republicans have said it is time to develop a bipartisan strategy to bring troops home.

Democrats pointed to a new report that said the Iraqi army was improving to bolster arguments for starting to withdraw U.S. forces.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070906/pl_nm/iraq_usa_cong...

---

Good. This makes more room on the table for impeachment.

Nancy? The table is set; please bring out the turkey.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. Funny how they get to decide what is on or off the table

when we supposedly have control of the agenda in both houses. Funny, but I am not laughing.

[Miss Chybil]

23. I'm not laughing, too. nt

[Bobbieo]

25. Neither am I!

[tom_paine]

33. Just the normal functioning of a BushPutinist State

Yes, many things are wrong with the rusted, broken-down, purposefully-destroyed Old American System of Checks and Balances.

It may be irrevocably broken.

[Theduckno2]

22. Dupe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Xipe Totec]

26. Thanks; I alerted the mods to combine with prior thread. n/t

[ananda]

24. Somettimes I think all those Bush photo-ops..

.. and all that propaganda is designed simply
to give legislators an excuse to toe the
Bushinc corporofascist line.

This has nothing to do with what the people
want, nor does it have anything to do with
reality.

Nothing is improved in Iraq. Things are very
bad there, and will continue to be bad no
matter what we do.

At the least, we could get out and start taking
care of our own country and its inhabitants and
stop killing and harming others.

Sue

[daninthemoon]

27. I thought no-one was allowed to mention the war until the magic

patreus report. Now the rethug senators can unilaterally decide everything is hunky dorey without it? OUR democratic congress better grow some big hairy ones and not let this stand.

[Xipe Totec]

28. Yea, funny that. I guess the MSM got a different memo. n/t

[Theduckno2]

29. It would seem the Petraeus report has been written and given to key Republicans.

General Petraeus will be getting his copy any day now, to give him time to prepare for his Congressional testimony.

[daninthemoon]

30. right you are. unless * brought him the first draft on labor day.

[PassingFair]

32. The war economy is the only economy we've got.

Everybody I know is moving to Texas.

Signed,

Lonely in Michigan

[Proud Liberal Dem]

35. Lemme see if I can get this straight........

"troop withdrawal legislation should be scrapped because the United State has made significant progress in the Iraq war..." Uh, if things really are going so well over there according to Bo(eh)ner et. al, why CAN'T we start bringing troops home? What kind of "success" or "victory" threshold do we need to cross in order for troop withdrawal to become a real possibility? When CAN we put some some troop withdrawal legislation for discussion, Mr. Bo(eh)ner?

[Supersedeas]

36. guess they know what is in the Petraeus cooked books even before the kitchen is closed

[Vinca]

37. One would think that if there has been progress, now would be the ideal

time to start bringing troops home and handing it over to the Iraqis. The Republican logic (or whatever it is) is upside down.

[rodeodance]

38. needs one more rec.

[Javaman]

41. So let's see, the repubes have withdrawel off the table and

the dems have impeachment off the table.

Hmmmm....

So someone please explain to me, what has changed since november? I think I'm missing something.

[The Backlash Cometh]

42. OH, Fuck! The Republicans found the crack in Nancy Pelosi's table!

[Hydra]

44. So much for a "compromise"

You know, our Reps are either insanely stupid, which I don't believe for a minute, or they approve of what * is doing.

What do you do when your party is represented by the other party???

[ericgtr]

48. Yep

I fully expected this all along and had no doubt that this and the upcoming report would all show how glorious the war effort is going. It used to upset me but I've just resigned myself to it until Bush is out of office. This country is not going to elect another president that supports this war and that will be the end of it and our troops will come home.

If this doesn't happen and we do elect another war mongering good for nothing worthless piece of shit president like Bush, then we only have ourselves to blame and it will be very sad, just like the last election.

[StarryNite]

49. This is news?