Senator Obama, Rep. Murphy, Rep. Thompson Introduce De-Escalation Act

[Dems Will Win]

From Atrios:

Washington, D.C.) - Today, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) called for a stop to President Bush's escalation in Iraq and for an end to the war. At a press conference in the U.S. Capitol, Senator Obama and Reps. Thompson and Murphy discussed the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 - legislation they introduced in the Senate and the House which puts forward a plan to stop the recent escalation in forces and a plan to redeploy American troops from Iraq starting May 1, 2007. Senator Obama introduced the bill in the Senate and Reps. Thompson and Murphy introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Congressman Thompson is a Vietnam Veteran and a former U.S. Army staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Congressman Murphy is a former U.S. Army Captain and Iraq war veteran.

"Our troops have preformed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civil war," Senator Obama said. "That's why our plan not only stops the escalation of this war, but begins a phased redeployment that can pressure the Iraqis to finally reach a political settlement and brings all U.S. combat troops home by March of next year."

"Our troops have done an amazing job, but success in Iraq will only be achieved by the Iraqis themselves," said Congressman Mike Thompson. "Sending more troops into the heart of Iraq's civil war will only put more American lives at risk. This legislation provides a practical plan for ending the war as safely and quickly as possible."

"As someone who served in Baghdad with the 82nd Airborne, I can tell you that what's needed in Iraq is a surge in diplomacy, not an escalation of force. This legislation seeks a much-needed political solution and puts forward a tough and sensible plan to end the war," said Congressman Patrick Murphy. "We shouldn't be sending American men and women to referee a civil war. Our troops have done their job, now it's time to start bringing them home and to force more Iraqis to come off the sidelines and fight for their country."

The binding legislation ends President Bush's escalation by capping the number of troops at January 10, 2007 levels, puts forward specific benchmarks for success in Iraq and establishes a timeline to redeploy our troops. Redeployment, according to the bill, would begin no later than May 1, 2007, with the goal of all combat brigades redeployed by March 31, 2008 - a date consistent with the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Troops would be sent either home to their families in the U.S., to Afghanistan where more troops are needed to fight the war on terror or would remain in the region to train Iraqis, protect against more violence and perform counterterrorist activities. The Iraq War De-Escalation Act will refocus the efforts of American armed forces on Afghanistan and the hunt for Osama bin Laden and urges the president to send, within 60 days, a Special Envoy to Iraq to begin the important work of diplomacy with key nations in the region.

http://atrios.blogspot.com/2007_02_04_atrios_archive.html#117078403636141330

That's really super!

What do you DUers think of this legislation?

By the way, that makes 69 bills Obama has been the lead on since he got to the Senate.

Don't forget to recommend if you want to get the word out on this to the blogosphere...

[Mass]

1. Not bad. Howeever...

It would be better with a firm deadline rather than a goal and without a mechanism to suspend withdrawal. These two points bug me a little bit.

For the rest, it looks a lot like the Kerry/Feingold plan of 06, or other plans (I do not know all of them) that have been offered.

Short of cutting funds for the troops now, this is basically the only thing that can be done .

[Dems Will Win]

2. Do you think this will put Clinton and Edwards on the defensive?

[Mass]

3. Probably - Except for Kucinich, this is the most complete plan presented

by a presidential candidate.

Edwards seems to have proposed something more or less similar to that on MTP, but it is far from being as detailled as Obama's.

[Dems Will Win]

4. I'm impressed by the number of bills Obama has written on important issues

There were 68 bills before this one!

[KoKo]

5. I heard their Press Conference on C-Span Radio and they said May for the

start of "redeployment" for the troops. Except if "Benchmarks" had been met. If "Benchmarks" have been met then the "redeployment" can be delayed. It seems they are going to put their own Benchmarks (using some of the ISG's and stuff Bush has mentioned) to tighten up things on Bush.

It was a good press conference. Patrick Murphy (new Congressman from PA) has served in Iraq as a Paratrooper along with the other Congressperson who is a Vietnam Vet Paratrooper so their joining up with a Senator is a great move. They were all very good and took questions from reporters.

[Dems Will Win]

6. Good on them!

[Dems Will Win]

7. kick