Republicans delete provision prohibiting permanent bases in Iraq

[ProSense]

Iraq war bill deletes US military base prohibition

By Richard Cowan
Sat Jun 10, 6:51 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans killed a provision in an Iraq war funding bill that would have put the United States on record against the permanent basing of U.S. military facilities in that country, a lawmaker and congressional aides said on Friday.

The $94.5 billion emergency spending bill, which includes $65.8 billion to continue waging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is expected to be approved by Congress next week and sent to President George W. Bush for signing into law.

As originally passed by the House of Representatives, the Pentagon would have been prohibited from spending any of the funds for entering into a military basing rights agreement with Iraq.

A similar amendment passed by the Senate said the Pentagon could not use the next round of war funding to "establish permanent United States military bases in Iraq, or to exercise United States control over the oil infrastructure or oil resources of Iraq."

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060610/pl_nm/security_congress_funding_dc_6

[ginnyinWI]

1. ...

[ProSense]

2. Does this mean no withdrawal! n/t

[karynnj]

3. This is disgusting that things can pass BOTH houses of Congress

and then be deleted. This totally destroyed Congress's power.

On this issue, the WH likely has some awareness that permanent bases would be unpopular as hey have never stated clearly that this is what they want. Kerry brought the idea up and spoke against it in the debates. Rice lied about it this year.