Days Before Thanksgiving, Dems Draw Line In The Sand On Iraq

Democratic House leadership drew a line in the sand over Iraq War funding today, setting the tone for a messaging battle that will likely play out over the Thanksgiving break.

Speaking in front of a press gaggle, Reps. David Obey, D-WI, and Jack Murtha, D-PA, reasserted that there was enough money to fund the war through February, and that if the President wanted the additional $50 billion passed by the House of Representatives, he merely had to tell Republican leadership -- which filibustered the measure in the Senate -- to change its stance.

"Let me repeat," said Obey, "the money has already been provided by the House of Representatives. If the president wants that $50 billion released, all he has to do is to call the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, and ask him to stop blocking it. That phone number is [phone], in case anybody's interested."

Prior to House Democrats passing the $50 billion appropriations, President Bush had called on Congress to fund the entirety of his $196 billion war supplemental request. The President has used the difference in dollar figures as well as the impasse in the Senate to raise concerns that the troops in Iraq are going unfunded and other foreign policy missions were being squeezed. Obey attacked that notion as well.

"The Bush Administration is promoting a lot of stories over the past week about nasty actions in the Pentagon that will have to be taken if Congress doesn't provide a bridge fund for the Iraqi war," said the Wisconsin Democrat. "Like so many other things in this town, those stories have things backwards."

As reported by the Huffington Post, the Democrat war supplement proposal is the party's most aggressive funding measure since taking over Congress. In addition to insisting on a full withdrawal plan the bill would also require that troops be fully trained and equipped before being sent into the field and that the government abide by the Army Field Manual with respect to prohibiting torture.

Reflecting the frustration with the Republican Party's obstruction of the measure, Obey declared at today's conference that: "I would be happy to provide them with the entire $200 billion that they've requested for the remainder of the year -- of next year, I should say -- if the administration accepted these modest and reasonable conditions."

Despite the tough rhetoric, few people inside or out of government anticipate that the Democrat's bridge fund will become law. The impasse between the two parties remains relatively wide and President Bush's veto looms in the distance. As such, much of the battles to be waged over the upcoming vacation weekend will likely focus on messaging, with the Democrats framing the war as a disastrous policy and unevenly burdensome.

"This week around our Thanksgiving tables there'll be two families," said Rep. Murtha. "One who say they support the troops -- and they do -- but they have sacrificed very little. They haven't had their taxes raised. They haven't been drafted, and they don't really participate in the war. The other are military families who have husbands and wives, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters in the war theater. It's them who shoulder the burden of the president's Iraq policy. America owes them our thanks on this Thanksgiving weekend."

Comments

[researcher]

taking bets here that the demos will fold like a deck of cards.

take your pick america spineless lack of courage or war mongers for the haves.

[Kally]

It's about time the democrats make the press tell the country that they have a bill but the republicans won't let them bring it to the floor. And tell them it is because if it gets to bush he will veto it and make himself look bad for not funding the troops. They have to keep pushing this over and over..they have a bill the republicans are obstructing...they are obstructionists....Get the message out there.

[ErnestineBass]

Screw that! I don't want McConnell's House office number, I want his HOME PHONE NUMBER in Kentucky so I can call him in the wee hours of the morning over the Thanksgiving holiday!!!

"Hey, have you got Prince Albert in a can?"

CLICK

[rhdsma]

This Thanksgiving we hope and pray the Dems deliver to this administration a big, rubber turkey, like the one Bush served up that time he made the secret trip to visit and give the troops a pep-talk.

[loki]

We all know the Reid and Pelosi will give in, and try to make it sound like they won some kind of major victory by squawking so loud and so long before they hand everything Bush wants on a silver platter.
And dont expect Iraq to be the last of the war pigs march to wage invasions for oil and money. One big reason besides the oil is the contractors. There are over 180 contractors in Iraq alone, with tens of thousands of employees, and the US government is paying them tens of billions of dollars each year since 2003. If Iraq were to stop tomorrow, where would all these people work? And when you consider that people like Erik Prince of Blackwater was the major contributor to both of Bush's runs for president, and Prince, like many other of the contractors who's businesses have flourished because of the Iraqi war, has many people in high places, and working for him from high places in the Pentagon , the State department , Congress and the White House.

Nope, Iraq could disappear tomorrow and by tomorrow night the US would be invading another country. The Military industrial complex and now the military contractor industry is to large, to powerful, and very thirsty for blood and money. I would bet that for at least the next couple decades, the US will be in major military conflicts just to support the killing machine monsters the Iraqi invasion spawned and matured to its now massive size.
And the American people are destine to pay for it all, as our government borrows and kills all over the world. Now arent ya glad you voted Bush in.

[bobbypolhem]

Someone had better begin drawing the Lines. I smell blood splattered across this country and it sure is not the blood of terrorism. Its the blood of people boiling over in rage and frustration at the hucksterism this Bush Administration has thrown at the American People. Guys like McConnel are shyster's. No better than those Pimps and others who wait outside the strip tease clubs for their property to emerge. Frankly and thankfully a lot of the American people are ready to tear these guys throats out.

[doinaheckofajob]

Neocon, excon and con artist.
What do they have in common?
The GOP as their home.

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Here is an idea. Why not give this country, our troops a real gift for christmas and let them all come home....for good. The war is a failure, has bankcrupted the economy, lost high numbers of human life, maimed thousands more. Let's do the right thing, the only thing, end it now. Both sides, no more party bickering, just end it. We all know this war has nothing to do with iraq, fighting terrorism, its about the oil stupid.
Staying isn't an option. Its time to end this war now. We cannot afford to stay, not an option. Bush needs to end the war now, or be ready for a hell of a fillibuster. The mexican stand off routine has staled. End it George.

[rovezaleeker]

Thank you Congressman Obey!

Please help Congresswoman Pelosi understand the importance of not backing down from these assholes.

Obey, we're here with ya! Up here in northern Wisconsin. We've voted for ya many, many times and we will continue to vote for you as many times as you care to run.

I'm proud to say that I've voted for you and Senator Feingold every time you have run for office. You have proven to be one of a few of the only representatives with any balls in the entire District of Columbia. Thank you.

Tell Murtha that we think he's one of the good guys too, even though he's got a face like an old catcher's mitt.

[curiousasheck]

Dems are going up against “George You are such a Man Washington Bush” this may be tough.

[JimReed]

"It's them who shoulder the burden of the president's Iraq policy. America owes them our thanks on this Thanksgiving weekend."

Our soldiers have done a good job of following orders and not questioning, but I am not sure why we owe them any thanks. They are not protecting America. In fact, they are making us less safe by turning the rest of the world into our enemy. They are not fighting for democracy because you can't spread democracy by starting wars. Their war for oil is destabalizing the global oil market, and our economy. The only ones who stand to gain are the wealthy oil companies and the military industrial complex and private armies. They are all more interested in making themselves rich than they are in helping average Americans. I don't trust these captains of industry, and I think the soldiers are just making fools of themselves rather than accomplishing anything of value.

[citizenboo]

OK DEMOCRATS ... SPINES AT THE READY!!!!

www.citizenboo.com

[maxy]

Dems: The best way to deal with these people (administration) don't give a inch. Yes, it is a shock (for some) that people would come to power just to abuse it for their own personal gain. Believe the left; the only way to deal with this type of mindset, is to get firm and HARD. They respect no other way. Do you remember the eighties? WE do. The voters can make you or break you.

[utebell]

I am not sure this was posted before here, but I don't want to read all.
I just heard a interesting little tidbid on Olberman that the pentagon sent out letters to wounded Iraq war veterans that got discharged from the Military because of their wounds, demanding part of their Special Enlistment Bonuses (SEB) back because they did not fullfill their full duties?
How do you all feel about that, coming from our dear administration?

[Opus007]

Thank God for Jack Murtha. He was the first one to really advocate for the troops. We should have a tax revolt since our taxes are supposed to go for the greater good not subsidizing war profiteers.
I am so sick of corporations and special interests running our goverment. This is one reason I don't like Hillary- we need fresh blood in Washington- not machine politicians.