Richardson on Iraq war funding vote

[seasat]

Press release today

Governor Bill Richardson: Support the Troops, But Get Them Out of Iraq

Governor Richardson calls today's vote on Iraq War funding a "missed opportunity"

SANTA FE, NM -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today issued the following statement regarding Congress preparing to pass proposed legislation that would provide continued funding for US military operations in Iraq without setting a timetable for withdrawing US troops.

"The best way to support our troops is to get them out of Iraq, and this bill will not move us any closer to that. The Democratic Congress is missing an opportunity. They should repeal the original resolution that gave the President the authority to take action against Iraq and replace it with one that requires the President to take all the troops out of Iraq by the end of the year. Congress has the authority to do that under Article One of the Constitution and under the War Powers Act and the President cannot veto it. Congress should not pass any appropriations beyond the date of de-authorization. By doing it that way, Congress would both fully fund our troops and get them out of Iraq as soon as possible."

[tandot]

1. K & R. Richardson is still my favorite candidate. n/t

[nevergiveup]

2. Isn't this what

Hillary has been suggesting?

[rinsd]

3. Clinton and Byrd have proposed a de-authorization bill. (nt)

[seasat]

5. Richardson first proposed in his February DNC speech

Richardson says he was the first to propose deauthorization in this speech.

The war in Iraq is not the disease. Iraq is a symptom. The disease is arrogance.
...
A struggle for human rights is worthy of military intervention. A true threat to our country's security is worthy of war. But a struggle between a country's warring factions where both sides hate the United States is not worthy of one more lost American life.
...
You know, as someone who served in the Congress for 14 years, I know
the power they hold, should they choose to wield it. The Congress
passed a resolution authorizing war. They need to pass another one
that overturns that authorization and brings our troops home by the
end of this calendar year.

And you would think -- that when the Congress realized they were lied to, they would have done something about it. Well, they still can.

However, Biden also claims to have proposed it about the same time. Here's Richardson's reponse to the Clinton/Bryd proposal.

[rinsd]

8. Thanks for the info!

[rinsd]

4. Oh my god that's so sensible, its scary

[Rydz777]

6. Great statement by Bill Richardson. My dream ticket is

President Gore and Vice President Richardson. If Gore declines to run, then Richardson moves up a slot.

[skipos]

7. He is one of the few candidates who wants all troops home, no residual

correct?

[seasat]

9. From his issues page: No Residual Forces Left Behind

seven-point ‘New Realism Plan for Iraq’

We must remove ALL of our troops. There should be no residual US forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for their oil, and this perception is exploited by Al Qaeda, other insurgents, and anti-American Shia groups. By announcing that we intend to remove all troops, we would deprive them of this propaganda tool.

I also ran across this interesting Slate article when reading Kevin Drum's blog. Apparently the Pentagon has a plan for rapid withdrawal from Iraq that could be done in weeks to a couple of months rather than the long drawn out process that some think has to happen.

Drum has another interesting post where he quotes from a Washington Monthly article by Ross Cohen. The gist of the article is that military personnel would support a candidate with plan for decisive withdrawal from Iraq.

[Adelante]

10. Repeal the IWR

That's what I would like to see done.

[slackmaster]

11. I donated money to the Richardson campaign

I hope people will pay some attention to him. Nobody is going to agree with him on every issue, but IMO he's qualified and has the best chance to beat whatever hairball the GOP coughs up.

[jgraz]

12. Where were you yesterday, Bill? Reading polling data?

Dems get ZERO slack today. :grr:

[yodermon]

13. Congress has the authority to do that and the President cannot veto it.??!!!

Congress has the authority to do that under Article One of the Constitution and under the War Powers Act and the President cannot veto it.

Ok, i'm a dunce. I didn't know this was veto-proof. Can someone explain please? What's the catch? (besides run o' the mill Dem Spinelessness, of course).

[seasat]

14. The way I read it is the war power act allows a binding resolution.

It does not require a presidential signature and only needs a simple majority in the house. It might be filibustered in the Senate but it may be possible to associate it with a spending resolution that is not subject to a cloture vote. However, the catch is that it will be challenged in the courts since there are some constitutional questions regarding this provision of the war powers act. If it passes court review, it would end the war. Some claim that it still requires a 2/3rd vote but I can't find any reference to that in the rules for concurrent resolutions or the war powers act.

[yodermon]

15. thank you for that briefing!

:hi: