Published as an email newsletter, Dec. 6, 2006
“The poll shows that 92 per cent of the Sunni and 62 per cent of the Shia–up from 41 per cent at the start of the year — approve of attacks on US led forces. Only the Kurds support the occupation. Some 78 per cent of all Iraqis think that the US military presence provokes more conflict than it prevents and 71 per cent want US-led forces out of Iraq within a year.” — Patrick Cockburn, CounterPunch, Nov. 28
“Nationwide, more than 70 percent of Democrats … favor an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.” — Glen Ford, CounterPunch, Nov. 29
” Exit polls on Election Day found that 55 percent of those voting favored an immediate withdrawal of all or at least some troops from Iraq. There was more support for an immediate and complete pullout (29 percent) than for any other policy option.” — Patrick Martin, Asian Tribune, Dec. 2
“No one in the Democratic leadership is even considering tinkering with funding for the Iraq war or adding any conditions on military appropriations bills.” — Walter Shapiro, Salon, Dec. 1We’ll see how long they can keep that up.The Democratic leadership in Congress appears to be focused on passing a vague non-binding resolution pushing Bush to “commence the phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq in four to six months.” This would leave all the details to Bush, and would not force him to do anything.
“Redeployment” just means moving the troops somewhere else, which could be elsewhere in the Middle East, although it’s hard to imagine what country would want to play host — Afghanistan? And the enormous cost would continue.
“Phased” means Bush could drag it out as long as he likes, say, two years? However, one writer said that Bush could get “withering” criticism from his own party if he does. Republicans don’t want to run in 2008 with the war still going on.
Democrats are still trying to have their cake and eat it too, opposing Bush on the war without being very specific, so that when we “lose” Iraq all the blame will fall on Bush and the Republicans. The Democrats are trying to avoid responsibility.
Democratic leaders run the risk of alienating their own party with the go-slow approach.
In a Nov. 16 interview on The Huffington Post website, Rep. Dennis Kucinich said that the only power Congress has to get us out of Iraq is to cut off the funding, by voting against supplemental appropriations bills. Democrats have claimed they have to vote for the appropriations bills to “support the troops.” Kucinich said, “If we truly care about our troops, we’ll get them out. It’s the phoniest argument to say that a cut-off of funds will leave troops stranded in the field. There’s always money in the pipeline to pay for an orderly withdrawal.”
“Pelosi has already made it clear that the House will ask many questions and may impose conditions early next year when Bush sends Congress a special Iraq war spending request of more than $100 billion.” — San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 6
Better they should just say no. I have some hope for Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House in January. I’ve read that she sought more power in the House after finding that her colleagues didn’t want to do anything. She said, “I didn’t come here to hang out.”
On the other hand, here is a quote provided by blogger Ben Frank: ““We will not cut off funding for the troops,” Pelosi said. “Absolutely not,” she said.
