White House Wins On War, IMF Funds

As the clock began to count down the minutes that members of the House had to cast their vote on a war-funding bill topping $100 billion, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) waded into enemy territory.

The anti-war Democrat, who'd been whipping hard against the measure, stood behind a klatch of Republicans, watching the GOP computer and taking notes. It's not often that Kucinich and House Republicans find themselves on the same side. But the GOPers were determined to oppose what they call a bailout for foreign banks, and antiwar Democrats hoped to ally with them to block funding for wars they've long opposed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), meanwhile, hovered by the front desk, beaming. As the 15-minute vote wound down to zero, she was still far from the 218 she needed for passage, but she showed no sign of concern. The vote was held open as enough Democrats stepped forward to vote for the war money.

Fifty-one Democrats opposed the war funds the last time it came before the House. There was little pressure on them one way or the other. But when the Senate added the line of credit for the IMF and Republicans announced opposition, votes that had previously been worthless took on heightened value. The White House and Democratic leadership went into high gear, threatening and offering deals in exchange for a yes vote. This time around, 32 Democrats stayed as no votes.

Democrats who switched tapped Pelosi on the shoulder before walking back to their seats, swapping smiles, as Pelosi studied the lit-up board on the wall that displays the votes.

The tally hit 218, but Democrats seemed not to notice. When Pelosi looked up and saw it reading 220, she left the well of the floor and found Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wisc.), the Appropriations Committee Chairman, in his seat. The two shared a congratulatory handshake.

The vote was gaveled to a close, with five Republicans joining 221 Democrats. Pelosi turned her gaze back to the board, studying her members' votes.

She was no doubt pleased to see that these names sported a green box next to them this time, reversals from their previous no votes...

Clarke
Cohen
Cooper
Costello
Frank
Gutierrez
Inslee
Kagen
Markey (Mass.)
Matsui
McDermott
George Miller
Napolitano
Neal (Mass.)
Oberstar
Schakowsky
Thompson (Calif.)
Towns
Velazquez
Weiner

And those who stuck with their no votes...

Baldwin
Capuano
Conyers
Doggett
Edwards (Md.)
Ellison
Farr
Filner
Grayson
Grijalva
Honda
Kaptur
Kucinich
Lee (Calif.)
Lofgren
Massa
McGovern
Michaud
Payne
Pingree
Polis
Serrano
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Speier
Stark
Tierney
Tsongas
Waters
Watson
Welch
Woolsey

My book, This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America, is now out

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[noaxe397]

Now, where are the Dems bashing Reps who voted against funding for the troops? Why aren't the Dems making sure everyone in America knows who is against our troops and wants to leave them without money for bullets while they are engaged in battle with the enemy?

Democrats, always bringing a knife to a gunfight.

[coultersnemesis]

umm..cos dems have a conscience and couldn't deliberately lie and talk BS in the face of the people..ma­ybe cos the dems' constituents have just a lil intelligence to call hypocrisy.

as a progressive, sorry to say, but the Repubs did just the SAME THING i wanted the dems to do under Bush--stop funding the freakn wars..then the troops HAVE TO COME HOME they will not stay in dum b wars without funds., period.

[Truthahn]

You're silly. Many of the Democrats currently sitting in Congress were elected by the voters in 2006 for the primary purpose of defunding the war to force an end to it. It's hilarious that it's REPUBLICANS who tried to do what Democrats were voted into office to do, and that includes one Democratic ex-Senator from the state of Illinois, who USED TO BE a strident antiwar voice.

[damebee]

What I want to know as a taxpyer who pays for Chinese government to com4e an interrogate detanees and more important I Want to know how much is the CIA's Black Book Budget??

[ramal]

This littel bit of legistlation will come back to haunt Obama for decades.

[Yermammy]

It's gonna haunt him at the voting booth in '12. I'm not supporting this crap anymore. He won't even investigate the war criminals.

[coultersnemesis]

who's gonna be the progressives' guy or gal in '12?

[ddc]

Yeah. Who are you gonna vote for?? McCain? Ryan? Romney? Kucinich? Dean?

NONE of the losers will beat President Obama in 2012. Keep whining. That'll serve you well.

[nellie]

You never supported him in the first place.

[damebee]

Due time we wil get there

[Montgriz]

A peaceful nation is not part of the "change"..­..war is good for business..­.forget healthcare, we cannot afford a national health plan like the rest of the civilized world. forget decent infrastructure, we have to pay for the troops that invaded and now occupy nations that no one really gives two hoots about except our oil industry and elected officials who enjoy the bribes they receive from them and Israel, the other interested party.....­..most Americans can't even find Iraq on a map, or spell Afghanistan correctly or can readily identify exactly why Americans and NATO are over there...no­r why it is our allies have gay men and women in uniform right next to red blooded American guys who don't complain?

[chedar]

With this money, Obama will crush those who oppose him!!!

[coultersnemesis]

too bad he's not crushing this nation's real enemies--the hmos

[chedar]

What are you talking about? He just had the justice department go after the homos.

[kassandrasduplex]

Obama now spends more on warfare than did Bush. I never thought I'd see the headline above. Obama was promoted as an anti-war president . He said he'd vote against war funding, now he has made a 180 degree reversal. The war in Iraq continues and will continue as long as there are Iraqis there able to fight.
And for the record, the combat brigades are being renamed. So beware when the media tells you the combat brigades are no longer in Iraq. It's a media falsehood. So sad so many paid so high a price for a lie and oil.
Obama is "more of the same" according to the ACLU.

[coultersnemesis]

ACLU is the only one still fighting for honest government and truth. sad.

[FearlessFreep]

Notice that the White House isn't playing this kind of hardball to get the Defense of Marriage Act abolished.

[kassandrasduplex]

Thank you. The Bully Pulpit seems to be reserved for the Big Money items. He ain't pushing to hard for a pure EFCA anymore either. Anyone else feel defrauded of their vote?

[Coinyer101]

yes. more and more everyday..­...,

[fairyduster]

Yes. Very sad.

[wijg]

Yes.

[Coastalthinker2]

Sadly, yes. We will also end up with a watered down version of health care reform. It will have an illusion of reform.

[evekendall]

Yes.

[Echoesofhope]

When this "hardball" was being played did you know about it? Was it in the media? Or it was only after a final result was achieved? Just let me know. This kind of knee-jerk reactions from you guys is a cancer that will take down the dems again. Definitely not Obama , I can bet my money on that , but I pity the candidate for 2016. Patience people. Patience.

[rf-hawaii]

Relax, those posters are Republican fakers.

[Montgriz]

Nor much of anything else.....p­andering to the wing nuts and GOP about health care....

[damebee]

Sorry you're wrong he has now given all people in his adminsration equal rights for partner, read up your behind times! My Guy!!!!

[Coinyer101]

wooooo. what a bold move......­..,[not]

[Dupree]

Everyone does NOT support the redefinition of marriage. Most people do support the ideal that benefits and some legal title be given to same sex marriage..­..but some institutions are sacred to many and that can not be denied. I understand that there is a clause in the Marriage Act that would deny Gays benefits that is similar to marriage..­.and if that is true what should be dones is an amendment that rejects that portion of the clause. I am not against same sex couples being granted the same benefits of marriage couple...b­ut find your own label for the union between same sex is distinctively different than traditional marraige and the benefits is what you should be seeking as oppose to manipulating the mold of marriage that has been shaped and molded between man and woman or men and their "concubines" for no matter how you turn it...it always was between opposites. Demand equality as a human issue of being...bu­t I resent the foundational frameworks being tampered with as if somehow the label marriage will automatically alter the obvious...­different yet not inferior component of same sex relationship as oppose to opposite sex. Different yet not inferior.

[Coinyer101]

blah blah

[tigerlyly]

Monday June 15, 2009

BAGHDAD - The top U.S. commander in Iraq said that he remains "absolutely committed" to pulling back all combat troops from urban areas by the end of the month, as provided for in a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/NationandWorld/200906150636

During his campaign, Obama spoke of putting greater focus on winning the War in Afghanistan; if you voted expecting him to immediately pull troops from Afghanistan ending our occupation there then you simply weren't listening.

'Obama shifts strategy in Afghanistan: more troops, modest goals'

The Obama administration has called for a regional approach to the Afghanistan problem since many Taliban fighters are protected by elements of Pakistan's military and intelligence services. Most U.S. officials concede, however, that stopping fighters from crossing the long, mountainous border is difficult.

http://www.thestate.com/166/story/811085.html

[coultersnemesis]

why is this only a 'war' in Afghanistan when we are fighting the taliban/al quida/random crazy extremists, etc? These people are in EVERY freakn ME county..th­ey are funded by Saudis (most 9/11 terrorists were Saudis) it is well known they have good connections with rich and powerful Saudi and Yemen politicians and business and religious warlords..­why don't we follow the money,shut down their wealthy supporters, instead of 'warring' openly with the people in every freakn ME country? Hmm...out 'war' industry is an important part of our economy, after all.

[Coinyer101]

we're tired of wars . no more. bring the troops home. we are broke, in debt, can't afford health care for our own people, we have new threats elsewhere to prevent and prepare for.

[kassandrasduplex]

We can afford health "care" for our people...j­ust implement HMO mandates and FORCE them to shell over their last dollars for skeletal policies..­. and for those who absolutely cannot pay anymore? Just raid Medicaid and Medicare coffers and SUBSIDIZE their PRIVATE HMO PREMIUMS for them. Steal from the poor to pay for the poor...the rich insurance moguls are lving it and Bill Maher nailed the Emperor for not having any clothes on. But the Emperor is too popular to get the people to see the light.

[tigerlyly]

Yep. We are currently working with Pakistan and Afghanistan to deter Al-Qaeda from a) taking over the region and b) getting their hands on nukes or nuclear material. It's become an international security issue. Most say that success in Afghanistan is key to stability in Iraq as well.

In my opinion, being 'tired' isn't a good enough reason to leave entire populations (who didn't ask for us regime change) to be ravaged by extremists we helped create. They continue to want and need our support and now that they're looking to get nukes from Pakistan it's our obligation to stop that from happening.

'Measuring Success in Afghanistan'

Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, President Obama’s choice to be the next military commander in Afghanistan, has defined America’s essential goals there in a way that represents an overdue change in military strategy. He told senators last week that “the measure of effectiveness will not be the number of enemy killed. It will be the number of AFGHANS shielded from violence.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/opinion/08mon1.html

[tigerlyly]

I meant to separate the population (who needs protection) from the members of Al-Qaeda who are attempting to obtain nuclear material.

[kassandrasduplex]

Obama now spends more on warfare than did Bush. I never thought I'd see the headline above. Obama was promoted as an anti-war president . He said he'd vote against war funding, now he has made a 180 degree reversal. The war in Iraq continues and will continue as long as there are Iraqis there able to fight. Obama is not withdrawing anything unless they are not needed anymore for the dirty business of resource domination. Obama is a shill and liar.
And for the record, the combat brigades are being renamed. So beware when the media tells you the combat brigades are no longer in Iraq. It's a media falsehood. So sad so many paid so high a price for a lie and oil. And Obama is "more of the same" according to the ACLU.

[tigerlyly]

Actually, he campaigned that he would put his greatest military focus on Afghanistan. It's no ones fault but your own if you believed otherwise.

By Jonathan Tepperman | NEWSWEEK
Published Oct 4, 2008

It's no small irony, then, that the foreign-policy issue Obama has emphasized most of late is Afghanistan. Arguing that it, not Iraq, is the real central front in the war on terror, Obama has promised to send in about 10,000 more troops and to strike next-door Pakistan, if top terrorists are spotted there.

'Analysts Say Obama's Iraq Timeline Well-Considered, But Call For Flexibility'

http://www.rferl.org/content/Analysts_Obama_Iraq_Timeline/1505368.html

If you are telling me that I shouldn't believe corroborating news stories quoting our military leaders abroad because they don't fit your politics--well then there's nothing more to say.

[Coastalthinker2]

This was not a courageous or politically damaging vote for the democrats in Congress because the wealthy and politically powerful wanted this. In addition, those who believe in these wars are quite happy with this vote. The republicans only voted against it because they vote against everything the democrats propose. Ultimately, the democrats who voted no actually showed the courage of their convictions because they were under a lot of pressure.

[Kache]

Actually they showed themselves to be cowards, afraid of the vocal "progressives" in their districts. House members NEVER vote their convictions. They vote the way the loudest voice or deepest pocket in their district tells them to. That is the reality.

[coultersnemesis]

umm..isn't that how democracy is supposed to work--REPRESENT the people's voice/will­--majority should win in most cases (cases that do not limit minority individual freedoms, etc) The problem is that in the US money is accepted as a form of 'speech' and the blue dog dems are prime example of how money talks in the USA.

[kassandrasduplex]

The American republic was breated by progressives. The greatest period of employment and benefits in our history was a driect result of progressives. We no longer have tenament slums because of progressives, We have pure food and rugs because fo progressives, my gawd does one have to still defend progressive sto ignorant fools!

[myvoice09]

Republicans voted against it because Pelosi and the other anti-American liberals/democrats, removed the provision that said that the questionable pictures of soldiers and prisoners would not be released for publication and, it contains a multi-billion dollar line of credit for the International Monetary Fund! Get it - they have jeopardized the lives of our troops because they want to release pictures of OTHER soldiers (who have already been punished) and they have allocated billions of American taxpayer dollars to a fund for International banks (or something!)! Now we are "bailing out" foreign interests! What is wrong with this administration?! Obama closed gitmo because it was "a tool for recruiting terrorists" (although it is just a prison like any other!) but he can't sign an executive order prohibiting the release of these photos - which would definitely be used to recruit terrorists and will get our troops killed! He is a sad excuse for "Commander­-in-Chief"­. Since the first day he took office, all he has done is put the interests of accused terrorists and foreign entities ahead of the United States and the American people.

[coultersnemesis]

umm...so just to save the butts of the soldiers who disobeyed military protocol and tortured/mistreated detainees and had incriminating pics taken of their criminal acts, the repubs decide to vote against war funding for the (law-abiding) troops? sorry, makes no sense. I am glad the repubs voted against more war funding, because i am against the war, but the repubs are the capitalist party and worship the dollar and special corp interests first before country. You must learn to spot hypocrisy in your repub party, young one.

[BethS]

Where were all of you when the former President invaded Iraq? Where were the letters to the senators then? You people (yes I said it) only make posts on blogs and do nothing-then you complain. Get a life- run for office, join a campaign, make the change you want and stop whining.

[Coinyer101]

Trust me. liberal progressives were screaming no the entire time. It was moderate dems and bluedogs that gave bush everything he wanted. Don't lay that cr@p on liberals. Won't fly!

[Coastalthinker2]

How do you know what any of us were doing? Many people did write to Congress and had great concerns about getting into a war with Iraq. Do you remember all of the backlash against us on how we were "unpatriotic" to say anything against the war? What you call whining, I call being able to voice my opinion in a democracy.

[coultersnemesis]

are you serious!?! It IS 'we people' that opposed the war from the beginning that elected Obama in. Wonder why Hillary lost major support?! IRAQ. period. You need to stop making excuses for hypocrisy.

[wijg]

Do you think Obama will ever do anything to displease you? Or are you people just satisfied with scraps?

[BethS]

Oh my, don't blame us-we did our part. Did you consistently march in the streets to protest? Did you impact the MSM daily? Don't tell me about the "little" steps you took-you see, it didn't change anything did it? Or did it? It is little steps. How long did it take for your participation to have an effect? Did you have to do some things differently than first thought about? We are so quick to jusge the motives of others. We don't hesitate to tear down another's name, reputation, or abilities. I am sure all of you were criticized when you fought against those things you preceived as wrong-just as you tearing down a President with 5 months in office. Wait and see what the outcome will be-you had to wait for your outcome.

[Montgriz]

Hero worship is a dangerous thing....S­talin is still admired in Russia by left and right...31­% of Americans would vote for Bush, again.....­It speaks volumes about America that a, so far, mediocre presidency, is beyond criticism.

[valkyrie607]

Where was I?

Out in the streets.

Getting pepper sprayed. Which sucked.

You can sit down now.

[robeson]

Obama will not win reelection without anti-war dems.

[Coinyer101]

I agree. and w/o lgbt's, pro-pot, and prosecute the war criminal dems and libs.

[coultersnemesis]

yep. another young, idealistic progressive will take the stage, win the anti-war vote, then flip/flop. i'll put money on it.

[chedar]

HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAAHAH­AHA That's what you and the rest of the 21%'s think. Time is right for a change!!!

[coultersnemesis]

delusion.

[ddc]

Yes, because the anti-war democrats did sooo much to help get President Kerry elected. Ooops. Nevermind! President Obama will win re-election with or without you whiny little bas_tards!!!

[Montgriz]

If Crist wins in Florida, he will be the moderate voice for Democrats and GOP who see a nation now in trouble...­big trouble...­judging the tenor of this thread, experienced people (i.e. older) are becoming disillusioned with the Obama performance so far. We have seen a lot in our lives and this vote is not what we consider good....Cr­ist of Florida and Schweitzer of Montana would be a formidable ticket...b­ut, sadly, our media would only feed the race baiting machine they use so well...

[marignymitch]

.. and our nation and our soldiers lose again.

[Coinyer101]

agreed.

[dswansoniceman]

you folks are not being rational. Obama never said he'd bail in Iraq.. but that there would be drawdown by 16 months (ended up 19 months). He also always said Afghanistan was a war we needed to win.. you know.. to take out Al Queda!
Not sure about this IMF part, tho

[Marcospinelli]

Do you have an independent thought of your own? Or is it your way to try to defend Obama, "He never...." or "He always....­"?

Just wondering.

What do YOU think about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

What if the wars are all about oil?

[aflyinyoursoup]

These wars are about "nothing else but oil"!

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=central+asian+oil+pipeline&fr=fptb-&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

[Gatorray11]

Oil does play some role in Afghanistan. Oil companies have long wanted an oil pipeline from the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea.

But be that as it may, I think the reason Barack Obama is so concerned about that war is because he sees it, rightfully so, about the sanctuary the Taliban and al Qaeda have in the area of Pakistan that borders with Afghanistan.

Do you really want terrorist al Qaeda and its Taliban allies to take over nuclear Pakistan. That is a very legitimate concern and Barack Obama would be drelict in his duties as Commander in Chief if he did not deal with it.

He has scaled down our goal of insisting on a democratic Afghanistan to making sure the terrorists don't win. And that is very smart and very realistic.

[coultersnemesis]

Obama should not keep using this 'war against terror' terminology. It is not a conventional 'war' against a nation of people--it is against a bunch of rebel bandits. Now, Iraq must be 'fixed' and we can't abandon it now since we broke it...but we need to switch from military missions to peacekeeping and civilian mission there...in Afghanista­n..well..t­he Pres is too late..the crazy rebel extremists have already moved on to pakistan and lebonon and all over! do you propose going to 'war' with every single country these people camp in!!!? this about it--it is ludicrous, USA, we need to WORK WITH the nations that these terrorists hide in--not open 'WAR' with their people and bomb innocent civilians and spend gazilions on drone bomber jets!! HELLO--anyone thinking in this country?

[Coinyer101]

are 6-12 brigades being withdrawn? no. They are not withdrawing anyone until after elections at the end of the year.

[Montgriz]

once again...al Quaeda is a belief system....­miltary action is not going to defeat it...we are fighting the Taliban, you know that, right? Cheez.....­.......... yet you think you have an opinion...­based on what?

[Anni-Frid]

"The vote was held open as enough Democrats stepped forward to vote for the war money. "

Pelosi is the new Tom Delay.

[BrianPDX]

And San Francisco is voting her in office. One time, San Francisco believed in stopping illegal wars. I guess it's just good politics to keep her in office. ugh.

[noneIn2008]

The war is ended and the troops are out. We have a police action with advisers.
"Mission accomplished"".
Why do those last words sound so familiar?

[PigLipstick]

The real worry is that while Obama is playing Emperior, Russia, China, India, and Pakistan are meeting in Russia to discuss the establishment of a new world reserve currency and it ain't the dollar. We've borrowed ourselves into a bottomless pit and many of the other countries are running out of patience while the Fed keeps us a float by printing funny money. If the Dollar is no longer the world's reserve currency then GAME OVER !

[Coastalthinker2]

Check this out.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/378817.htm

We endlessly spend on our military industrial complex while the rest of the world works against us.

[salkoc]

please take some courses and educate yourself ........if not the dollar what currency is going to be the primary currency ? chinese yuan ? dont think too many people are going to put their countries reserves with a communist country who might not want to give it back .....and if they dont what exactly are you doing to them ? russian ruble ? they have one commodity ...oil....­did you see there stock market shut down for weeks when the financial crisis hit ? india ?
this goofy talk about the dollar has to stop .....the dollar rules the world ...period . it goes thru cycles , it might get weaker before it gets stronger but it will never be replaced.
please educate yourself instead of repeating fearmongering talking points.

[Paladin2]

And just what 'courses' did you take that told you that the 'dollar rules the world,period'? That's about the lamest and most untrue bit of rhetoric I've seen splashed here lately.

The 'goofy' talk is in response to the Iranian Bourse, that takes any currency besides the dollar for it's oil. Or Iraq where the first thing done after killing enough civilians was to tear up all the Euro oil contracts Saddam had decided (financially a very astute move) and rewrite them in dollars. Indeed the true mission was accomplished when Bush said it was. They just never told us peasants what the mission really was.

And as the world largest debtor nation note should be taken of the recent summit of countries with lots of dollars they'd like to dump. The U.S. asked to come as an observer. They told us to go pound sand, they're planning for 'after the dollar', an inevitable event and don't want the violent terrorist state they're working against having the details of their plans to make it a 'post dollar' world. We've made their eventual success inevitable since we really don't have any dollars. They hold all the cards. All we hold is 12 Carrier Battle Groups to 'project power'. And need them to pay for the gas, bullets and guns. One day soon they are going to say 'NO'. China's already given explicit notice. But unlikely you read about that in any 'news' in the U.S.

[coultersnemesis]

why would it be game over? elaborate. many countries are doing just swell (and obviously they are not the reserve currency) perhaps it will help our huge trade deficit. China has been getting along just fine w/o having a major reserve currency. the euro is likely to be top contender before any asian currency.

[Coinyer101]

My new liberal-li­bertarian-­no-more-ef­fin-wars-a­nd-prosecu­te-the-war­-criminals­-free-weed­-for-all-e­qual-right­s[even-for­-gays]-sin­gle-payer-­health-car­e-is-a-rig­ht-party should do well in 2012.

Donate to liblibhipp­ydudeforpe­aceandfree­weed.c o m m i e

[pbziegler]

I ready to sign up. Its time to run Nobody for President again.

[Coinyer101]

lol. she has my vote.