Webb Video Blog: After Four Years Of Occupation, Our Soldiers Are Burned Out

The Senate is facing a crucial Iraq war vote this week on legislation that requires that U.S. soldiers have as much downtime at home as they spend in Iraq. (Read more details.) A consequence of the legislation, analysts say, is that the current troop levels in Iraq would have to be decreased.

Below, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), speaks about the legislation and reaches out for support:

Just today, GOP Sen. John Warner, one of the most important swing votes, claimed that he is reconsidering his support for Webb's amendment. Greg Sargent reports:

Just when it looked as if Senator Jim Webb's troop readiness bill might pick up enough GOP support to reach the magic number of 60 filibuster-proof votes, we're now getting word that Senator John Warner is reconsidering his backing for it and may vote against it.

So reports the Wall Street Journal in a subscription only article. In a bit of a cruel joke, here's the reason Warner is giving for not backing a measure that would give exhausted troops more rest:

...in an interview Tuesday, the senator said he is "reconsidering his position" in light of the administration's willingness to move closer to him on expediting some reduction in U.S. troop levels this year in Iraq. "It took a lot of convincing to make the first units come home before Christmas," Mr. Warner said. "There is a lot of importance in that."

Read more here.

Comments

[xargaw]

Anyone that doesn't support this Bill does not support the troops. Anyone that votes against this Bill should be repeatedly called out on it in the media. Especially, any war hawk republican.

[IMPRISONBUSH]

I think we all know what war is and if some don't they should take a walk into any MILLITARY WHITE BLEACHED CROSES IN A ROW ITS THE DEATH WAR BRINGS.
BUT IN WASHINGTON most of our FEARLESS LEADERS INCLUDING BUSH AND CHENEY have no idear.
THEY like standing above the death and selling VICTORY in there minds.
THEY live in a world were there underlings tell them " GREAT JOB BUSHIE " OR FEAR TO SAY " WE ARE NOT WINING IN THE WAY BE PLANED BUT.
AND the so called TRUTHS they sell on the floor of congress and senate.
i was just there and the troops told me:
" TELL THE PEOPLE AT HOME WE ARE HEAR TO THE END
VICTORY ONLY ".
THATS funny because Ive been in war Ive seen FRIENDS BLOWN APART, LEGS, HANDS AND BLOOD ALL AROUND ME I could never at any time be thing of victory STAYING ALIVE, MAKING IT TILL THE NEXT DAY.
MR WEB will try but BUSH will VITO THE BILL IF IT GETS THAT FAR AND GATES, PACE AND PETASUS HAVE SAID THEY WILL NOT DO AS THE BILL COMANDS
.............." THE LIES CONTINUE "...........

[hmmmmmer]

Thank God for men like Webb. He has the right to say anything he wants and he has that right because he served and his son is serving. Our troops are being taken advantage of have to serve the time they do. It really is criminal to make them serve over there 18 months come home for less time and then go back over again, some for the 3rd and 4th time. I realize it is all volunteer, but enough is enough. When are the 67% going to wake up and take back power from the 33%, I thought this was majority rule.

[NuAgeDok]

The Dems are still grasping at straws and it seems that the Neocon Military Petroleum complex will prevail.

The minute Webb flew the trial balloon for the bill demanding equal time at home for time spent in combat for our troops, the cockroaches crawled out of the walls of the Whitehouse and the Pentagon, pointing out that the plan would destroy all semblance of "battlefield geometry", break up platoons and units and force troops who had never fought together to do so.

The end result would leave our troops more at risk, no matter how burned out they are now or how much rest they would get if Webb's plan passed. Thus, Military obfuscation once again trumps any effort to do the right thing.

The Republican fence sitters will easily swallow this argument. It is ironic that the Pentagon Brass are adept at calculations that show that the troops will be safer if we leave them there till they drop - but they conveniently forgot to ask the question "will we be safer as a Nation because of our strategy in Iraq?" I am kidding - we all knew that Petraeus knew damn well that the answer to that question was no.

[BushBites]

Warner's retiring so he figures, what the hell, he might as well do Bushie a favor and throw some troops into the saw blades for him.

[helonias]

The Senate is facing a crucial Iraq war vote this week on legislation that requires that U.S. soldiers who are not from the Bush/Cheney/Romney gene pool have as much downtime at home as they spend in Iraq.

[floydmcc66]

Someone ought to remind these politicians that they are playing games with the lives and safety of a lot of young American soldiers, not to mention the people of Iraq.

To me winning the war in Iraq means, having the people and government of the country submit to the will of the USA.

We should have a draft and send an additional 100-200k troops over there. That should give the war lovers enough to "Win the war".

If we can't commit to that as a country then we should get out, protect our shores and let natural selection run its course.

[researcher]

Many of these soldiers will come home and vote for the repubs that kept them there year after year and extended their duty time.

It is a volunteer army that has yet to realize they are being treated as mercenaries for oil.

Some people just like the excitement of the military and especially during times of war. If this can be called a war. More like imperialism.

Wonder how much time Hitler gave his troops and wonder how much the Germans loved their troops as they invaded Poland. Did Poland have oil?

[momofsonofwar]

There are more soldiers out there that think more liberal than you know and do not want to be in Iraq. They are there because of the President.

[RogerHWerner]

There is no real importance in bringing 5,000 troops home before Christmas while leaving 155,000 behind until next summer. Warner seems to believe this miniscule withdrawal represents a compromise show of good faith but in fact it is a bogus gesture. If Warner cares about the well being for US troops in Iraq he will support Webb's bill since it offers meaningful protections for all of our troops not just a select 5,000.

[dawlishgal]

I'm virtually certain that Warner believes in nothing except the well-demonstated gullibility of the American people and how that will save Bush's and his own asses. Let's hope he takes a good look at the recent polls that show that the majority have caught on to the way that Bush habitally uses the military to spread his lies and how they aren't buying into his crapola anymore.

Doesn't the military EVER get sick of being exploited by warmongering chickenhawks?

[alfrede]

Hi,
Does the Pres & VP really care if the troops are "burned out"??
Probably not, if we realize that if the President changes his current plan to keep this war going "as is" until he leaves office, he will consider himself a "failure."
If he can keep this war going until he leaves office, then the bad things that may happen can be "blamed" on the next President.
Is this behavior "normal" in that he is willing to sacrifice the lives of our sons and daughters in order to satisfy one's "ego"??
It seems to this observer, that this is selfishness bordering on a mental condition of some sort. Perhaps it is related to his supposed "certainty" in that when he makes up his mind about something, nothing can change it.
What do U think???????????

[Madashellinks]

Google Narcissistic personality disorder--
fits buffoon-in-chief to a T.

[BlueBoomer]

Boy, Bush must be really pissed that Gonzo left on Friday, before OJ's (America's OTHER favorite narcissist) Vegas adventure... Surely Gonzo could have made the "victimization of OJ" go away with the wave of his hand, but now Bush is probably trying to figure out a way to bail poor, misunderstood OJ out himself.

[markusmarkus]

From the Mayo Clinic:
Narcissistic personality disorder is a serious emotional disturbance characterized by a grandiose, or extremely exaggerated, sense of self-importance. Individuals with this disorder lack empathy for other people but need constant admiration from them.
Pathological narcissism
The other end of the continuum — narcissistic personality disorder — is a persistent inability to establish a realistic, stable self-image, therefore creating an overdependence on others to regulate their self-esteem. This unrealistic self-image affects how people with this disorder behave and interact with others.
Narcissistic personality disorder is a persistent inability to establish a realistic, stable self-image, therefore creating an overdependence on others to regulate their self-esteem. This unrealistic self-image affects how people with this disorder behave and interact with others.

Signs and symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder may include:

Grandiose sense of one's own abilities or achievements
Fantasies about having exceptional power, attractiveness or success
Sense of belonging to an exclusive group of people who truly understand each other
Need for constant praise
Expectations of special treatment
Exploitation of other people
Lack of empathy for other people
Envy of other people or a belief that you are the subject of other people's envy
Haughty or arrogant behaviors

Sound like someone you know? Are you listen, Laura?

Peace!
Mark

[helonias]

They will just pray harder for all of this hard work to be done, thy kingdom come, so save us god.

[realitytrumpsbull]

Blar blar de blar, military-industrial government doughnut blar blar blar...

[bethinCary]

Earth to Sen Warner on Pres Bush statements:

PSYCHE.

[shag11]

Rotten to the core. It's amazing that these rightwing assholes can be so, so heartless.

[Tr0uBle]

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Go Check Out This Web Site And Send Free Faxes To Your Reps.
www.NumbersUSA.com

[Danny]

Trouble -- glad to see that you are willing to work for less than minimum wage (and send some $ home, too, for the family), live in a segregated neighborhood (not your choice, just a place you can afford), be discriminated against when you step away from the work place and the neighborhood you live in. It would be "a kick" for you wouldn't it?

[TheBurritoAssassin]

Jim Webb is an indignant dickhead.

[barrycourage]

Ass,

No meat in that burrito.

Try again.

[BillZBubb]

And yet Webb is ten times the man you are. What then, does that make you?

[Grunty1]

Webb is 10 times the man of a troll? Why are you so insulting to Webb, Bill?