Who led this week? Believe me, it wasn’t Senator Harry Reid. But then I
told you he wouldn’t over two months ago.
However, there are a few who stood out on the Iraq vote. The focus for me is
on four presidential candidates right now. Certainly Dodd has had a remarkable
week of leadership and strength, never flinching on Iraq. His campaign team
has been remarkable as well, getting out ads and videos that aided him immensely.
Then there’s John Edwards, who went farther than anyone in standing up to Mr.
Bush’s disastrous foreign policy rhetoric, as well as his Iraq policies. Taking
on the “global war on terror” talking point took extraordinary chutzpah.
He took plenty of incoming for it, too. As for Clinton and Obama, their statements couldn’t have been anything other
than what they were if they hoped to keep their campaigns in front. As for Obama,
this vote was expected and came with the obligatory I was against the war in 2002. Why did he hesitate in coming out right up front? Clinton paused as well. However, she benefits the most from her
no vote, because it wipes away the remnants of the apology never given. Anyone
who doesn’t give her no vote real weight was never planning on giving her a
chance anyway. So considering the cowardice we saw this week, the statements below should give you hope going forward.
Lord knows we need it.
“Washington failed America today when Congress surrendered to the president’s
demand for another blank check that prolongs the war in Iraq. It is time for
this war to end.“Congress should immediately use its funding power to cap troop levels
in Iraq at 100,000, stop the ongoing surge, and force an immediate drawdown
of 40-50,000 troops, followed by a complete withdrawal in about a year.“The American people’s call for a new course in Iraq was not answered
today, but Congress still has the power to end this war. Our security and
democracy alike demand it.”
“I believe that the Senate tonight made a grave mistake when it voted
to give this President another blank check to pay for his failed policy in
Iraq. Continuing on this course in Iraq means further damaging our national
security interests and our standing in the world. I will continue to fight
for a firm deadline for the safe re-deployment of U.S. combat troops using
the power of the Congressional purse to compel the President to abandon his
failed policies, because that is the only way to responsibly bring this war
to a conclusion.”
“This vote is a choice between validating the same failed policy in
Iraq that has cost us so many lives and demanding a new one. And I am demanding
a new one.”“We must fund our troops. But we owe them something more. We owe them
a clear, prudent plan to relieve them of the burden of policing someone else’s
civil war. We need a plan to compel the Iraqi people to reach a political
accommodation and to take responsibility for their own future. It’s time to
change course.”“I opposed this war in 2002 precisely because I feared it would lead
us to the open-ended occupation in which we find ourselves today.”“This President has led us down a disastrous path and has arrogantly
refused to acknowledge the grim reality of this war, which has cost us so
dearly in lives and treasure.”“After he vetoed a plan that would have funded the troops and begun
to bring them home, this bill represents more of his stubborn refusal to address
his failed policy.”“We should not give the President a blank check to continue down this
same, disastrous path.”“With my vote today, I am saying to the President that enough is enough.
We must negotiate a better plan that funds our troops, signals to the Iraqis
that it is time for them to act and that begins to bring our brave servicemen
and women home safely and responsibly.”
Tonight I voted against the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill because
it fails to compel the President to give our troops a new strategy in Iraq.
I believe that the President should begin a phased redeployment of our troops
out of Iraq and abandon this escalation. I fully support our troops, and wish
the President had followed the will of the people and signed the original
bill we sent which both funded the troops and set a new course of phased redeployment.
But the President vetoed Congress’s new strategy and so Congress must reject
the President’s failed policies. I will also continue to press with Senator
Byrd for our legislation to end the authorization of the war in Iraq.While I am deeply disappointed that the supplemental does not provide for
a new course in Iraq, I want to recognize the many worthy parts of this bill:
funding to help those sickened in the aftermath of 9/11, additional relief
for Katrina and Rita victims, homeland security funds for high-threat cities
like New York City, resources to protect parts of New York affected by recent
flooding, $650 million for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program,
and the first federal minimum wage increase in ten years. I support these
measures but cannot support this Emergency Supplemental which will not change
our course in Iraq.”
Oh, and by the way, Senator Harry Reid voted yes. That should tell you everything
you need to know.
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