Bush Acknowledges Congress's Right To Weigh In on War

[maddezmom]

Bush Acknowledges Congress's Right To Weigh In on War

By Michael Abramowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 16, 2007; Page A15

Democratic lawmakers and liberal scholars have taken issue with the White House assertion that Congress does not have the constitutional authority to "micromanage" the war, and they seem to have an unlikely ally: President Bush.

Asked at a recent news conference about congressional war powers, Bush seemed to suggest that while he disagrees with efforts to set a timetable for withdrawal, lawmakers are within their constitutional rights to do so.

"The Congress is exercising its legitimate authority as it sees fit right now," Bush said. "I just disagree with their decisions. I think setting an artificial timetable for withdrawal is a significant mistake. It sends mixed signals and bad signals to the region, and to the Iraqi citizens."

Those comments tracked Bush's statement to the Wall Street Journal editorial page months ago that Congress has "the right to try to use the power of the purse to determine policy," and could put limits on how he deploys troops in Iraq.

These answers seem to fly in the face of White House statements that the House and Senate war-funding bills -- which include dates for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq -- are both misguided and unconstitutional. On March 19, the White House threatened to veto the House bill, which would require U.S. combat troops to leave Iraq by Aug. 31, 2008, and said it would "infringe on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief to manage the readiness and availability of the Armed Forces."

more:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/15/AR2007041500654.html

[aquart]

1. Uh huh. What about Al Sadr's faction quitting the government?

What does that do to your policy, George?

[Cobalt-60]

2. It's just double talk.

[LaStrega]

3. wtf?

Wednesday on PBS was supposed to air a Bush (administration) bank of lies that dragged us into this rediculous (at best) war. Now it's slated as a different show (though it sounds interesting ... I alerted all I work with to watch the Bush misinformation show). What the Buck?

[bemildred]

4. Congress can impeach his sorry ass.

That means he serves at their discretion, and that means they can tell him what to do and when to do it.