Feingold moves to end the war

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http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070130/FON0101/70130043/1985

 

Tomorrow, I will introduce legislation that will prohibit the use of funds to continue the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq six months after enactment. By prohibiting funds after a specific deadline, Congress can force the President to bring our forces out of Iraq and out of harm’s way.

 

This legislation will allow the President adequate time to redeploy our troops safely from Iraq, and it will make specific exceptions for a limited number of U.S. troops who must remain in Iraq to conduct targeted counter-terrorism and training missions and protect U.S. personnel. It will not hurt our troops in any way – they will continue receiving their equipment, training and salaries. It will simply prevent the President from continuing to deploy them to Iraq. By passing this bill, we can finally focus on repairing our military and countering the full range of threats that we face around the world.

 

Will this pass? If it does, will it work?

[-Demosthenes-]

The Iraq war is one big mess. The problem (one anyway) is limited war. The Korean and Vietnam wars went badly because we could only use so much of our power before we pissed off some other communist country and start a world war.

 

The Iraq war was limited because those who planned it didn't want to use to many troops as to alarm the public, or to create bad feelings towards the administration.

 

Combined with the population's (Iraqi population) unwillingness to cooperate with the invasion (), it's not going so well.

 

At first an end to the war sound disastrous, but a six month time period to get out (all but peace keeping I suppose, we still have peace keeping troops in WWII axis countries ) sounds reasonable. A date on the calender would motivate all parties involved to set goals and try to get the country back in order in time for a withdrawal.

 

I had a C++ class last fall, and all the labs were due at the end of the term. So naturally I didn't do any of them until the last two weeks of the term, until I knew: It has to be done RIGHT NOW. Putting a date on the calender for the Iraq war could do this for the Iraqi people, and maybe they'll get a better grade than I did .

[ParanoiA]

This is bad. Mark my words and remember this post. If this passes, terrorism will slow but not stop - just enough to keep the doubters looking stupid. Then, after the six months is up, when we pull out, it will be Vietnam all over again. There will be civil war and they will be invaded by a neighboring country - most likely Iran.

 

How sad. We promised those people we wouldn't do this to them again. So many dead due to our cowardice the first time. This will not be forgotten if this happens.

[1veedo]

I agree that it's probably a bad thing but why do you think Iran or some other country would invade?

[Pangloss]

The whole business is an irrelevent waste of time that has completely sucked the oxygen out of much more important issues before congress. The minimum wage hike failed last week *and nobody noticed*. What about the rest of the "100 Hours" legislation?

 

Does anybody care, or is that just the Democrats' "Mission Accomplished"?

[CPL.Luke]

meh some good things have happened, if you check the new york times today you'll notice that the dems dumped about a billion dollars into financial aid grants, inceaseing the grant per student by up to $4300 (depending on familial curcumstances)

[Pangloss]

No, Luke, that hasn't happened yet, that's just my point. It all has to get past the Senate and the President. You've just illustrated my point *perfectly* -- everyone thinks something was actually accomplished, when in fact *nothing has*. "Mission Accomplished" indeed.

 

Incidentally, as I was writing this the Senate passed the Minimum Wage bill. Two amendments were added -- one was the objectionable (to Democrats) tax incentive for small businesses, and the other was a new one which raises taxes on people who make more than $1 million per year. I guess Democrats saw that as a wash. Go figure.

[1veedo]

Pangloss this is nothing new. It's always one thing or the other. When Bush was running, I think the first time, he brought up a bunch of irrelevant topics such as gay marriage, stem cell research, etc. It was a good strategy; got "stupid" (poor) republicans to vote for him, but in reality was completely irrelevant.

[ParanoiA]

Incidentally, as I was writing this the Senate passed the Minimum Wage bill. Two amendments were added -- one was the objectionable (to Democrats) tax incentive for small businesses, and the other was a new one which raises taxes on people who make more than $1 million per year. I guess Democrats saw that as a wash. Go figure.

 

Tax incentive for small business? There are actually people in this country that would be against such a thing? Since when has small business screwed anybody over? From what I've seen, small business is the prey the government uses as its primary food source.

[-Demosthenes-]

meh some good things have happened, if you check the new york times today you'll notice that the dems dumped about a billion dollars into financial aid grants, inceaseing the grant per student by up to $4300 (depending on familial curcumstances)

 

D@#$ my familial circumstances

 

The whole business is an irrelevent waste of time that has completely sucked the oxygen out of much more important issues before congress. The minimum wage hike failed last week *and nobody noticed*. What about the rest of the "100 Hours" legislation?

 

It's psychological. Iraqis feel like they need to take charge of the country because America officially pulls out (with advanced warning). Iraq can do well for themselves if they choose. It's psychological, if they want to, they will. War has gotten many of the barriers out of the way, all that's left now is social change. Can't do that with soldiers.

[1veedo]

Well according to President Bush, if we set a time table, we're going to embolden the enemy.

 

http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/player.jhtml?ml_video=81562&ml_collection=&ml_gateway=&ml_gateway_id=&ml_comedian=&ml_runtime=&ml_context=show&ml_origin_url=%2Fshows%2Fthe_daily_show%2Fvideos%2Fheadlines%2Findex.jhtml%3FplayVideo%3D81562&ml_playlist=&lnk=&is_large=true

[Pangloss]

He might as well set a timetable, because Hillary has already more or less set one by saying that if she is elected president she'll pull us out in January '09.

 

(Obviously that's only about a 50% probability from the terrorists' point of view.)

[-Demosthenes-]

...because Hillary has already more or less set one by saying that if she is elected president...

 

/me suddenly thinks Islamic fundamentalist theocracy not so bad