Democrats Lead Out of Iraq
23 March 2007 7:00 am by Taylor Marsh
Democrats Lead Out of Iraq –updated below–
| The bill passed. VIDEO: \">Patrick Murphy speaks on Iraq (much more at The Gavel) |
It\’s been ugly. Democrats have been at each other\’s throats. But it looks like
Pelosi got the job done through tough bargaining and because principled anti war progressives understand that one
step is worth a lot after all these years, lives and limbs.
The acquiescence of the liberals probably means that the House will pass
a binding measure today that, for the first time, would establish tough readiness
standards for the deployment of combat forces and an Aug. 31, 2008, deadline
for their removal from Iraq.A Senate committee also passed a spending bill yesterday setting a goal
of bringing troops home within a year. The developments mark congressional
Democrats\’ first real progress in putting legislative pressure on President
Bush to withdraw U.S. forces.Liberals
Relent on Iraq War Funding
House Likely to Pass Bill With Pullout Date
The Democrats have only one thing in mind: standing up for our troops by stopping
our involvement in the biggest and widest military mission creep in U.S. foreign policy
history.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is headed for a big victory in the vote in the House
Friday on $124 billion in funds for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.Pelosi on brink of big win
with Iraq funding test
Anti-war House members rally to speaker despite past ‘no’ votes
on money
House Democrats are proving to the people that they know their job and they\’re
doing it, even if it takes one step at a time. No war is ever stopped on a dime.
But Pelosi telegraphed her intention when she put Murtha up for a vote as majority
leader. Iraq would be up front and center in the beginning weeks and months
of 110th Congress. Period.
The progressives are sending the message, no matter what Bush will do and we
all know what that would be: veto the bill; that is if it could get out of the
Senate and to his desk.
But make no mistake about it, this is a win for progressive Democrats, but
especially for Speaker Pelosi if it begins tomorrow. In the end, we all want the same thing, even
if this is only one signal, one step forward.
This one is for the troops. Congress is back.
