Democrats Not Backing Down

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 12:43pm

Finally...SPINE!

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Democrats not backing down on Iraq

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 49 minutes ago

Congressional Democrats have signaled they're not ready to back down in their confrontation with President Bush on Iraq, spurring Republicans to accuse them of causing political gridlock.

Bush and Congress have been discussing a possible compromise on a war spending bill needed to finance combat operations through September. The president demands the money without strings attached and so far has found strong Republican support. But Democrats say Bush eventually will have to accept some conditions on the U.S. commitment in Iraq because of the war's unpopularity among voters.

For the first time, Bush dispatched his top aides to Capitol Hill this week to sit down with Democratic leaders to discuss the war.

"It has taken almost four and a half years, but it appears the president finally is willing to consider what most Americans and members of Congress have long known: we must change course in Iraq and move toward a strategy that will make our country more secure," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) in a statement released Friday.

Negotiations are expected to continue early next week. Unclear is whether a compromise could be struck.

In a flash of defiance, House Democratic leaders on Thursday weighed a proposal that would guarantee the war money only through July. After that, Congress could block additional money from being spent if the Iraqi government does not meet certain political and security goals.

The proposal, not yet endorsed and outlined for only a few members, would be a direct challenge to the president and could prompt another presidential veto. This week, Bush vetoed a $124.2 billion bill that would have provided money for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan while requiring troops to begin coming home by Oct. 1.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record), R-Ohio, views a short-term funding bill as a nonstarter, said spokesman Brian Kennedy.

"We don't consider this a serious compromise," Kennedy said Friday. "It will create gridlock in Washington at a time when the troops need support fast, which is the functional equivalent of the 'slow-bleed' approach Democrats started with four months ago. They appear to be moving backward, not forward."

[more at link]
Democrats not backing down on Iraq

Updated On: 5/4/07 at 12:43 PM

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 12:48pm

'"If the president will not bring himself to accept reality, it is time for Congress to bring reality to him," said Clinton, a presidential contender for 2008.'

Awesome.

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 12:56pm

"After that, Congress could block additional money from being spent if the Iraqi government does not meet certain political and security goals."

How can they argue with that? Haven't they been saying the we will stand down when the Iraqis stand up?

And another thing that has bothered me from the word go: why aren't the troops properly equipped in the first place? Repubs are the party of national defense, and they can't even get body armour and proper vehicles to the soldiers? They don't have any problem getting consumer goods for the troops to buy at inflated prices...

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 4:38pm

please.... Democrats are on the wrong path too.