House Passes Iraq Funding Bill

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 09:31:53 PM EST
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The Iraq funding bill has passed the House by a vote of 218 to 208.

The $124.2 billion bill would fund the war, among other things, but demand troop withdrawals begin on Oct. 1 or sooner if the Iraqi government does not meet certain standards. The bill sets a nonbinding goal of completing the troop pull out by April 1, 2008, allowing for forces conducting certain noncombat missions, such as attacking terrorist networks or training Iraqi forces, to remain.

The Senate is expected to vote and pass the bill tomorrow, and then it will go to President Bush, who has promised to veto it.

"Our troops are mired in a civil war with no clear enemy and no clear strategy for success," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Videos of the debate are here.

The bill, "Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1591 - Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes." is here.

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House Passes Iraq Funding Bill | 15 comments (15 topical)

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Here we go (none / 0) (#1)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:23:17 PM EST

Fasten my seatbelt, cross my fingers, close my eyes, not sure what ride I'm in line for.

nonbinding goal (none / 0) (#2)
by Edger on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:29:59 PM EST

I don't see any reason for him to veto it. It won't surprise me to see him sign it, with a signing statement.

In which case I suppose my head (none / 0) (#3)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:38:04 PM EST

will explode on impact with that imperial reality.


I can't think of any reason why he would. (none / 0) (#4)
by Edger on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:42:39 PM EST

It gives him the money, it sets no binding withdrawal date. He'd be pretty much out of office by the time the money runs out. Where else will he get the funding, with Reid-Feingold hanging there like a sword of damocles? What am I missing?


I was under the impression that the (none / 0) (#7)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:51:24 PM EST

redeployment date was binding


From the Houston Chronicle article (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Edger on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:03:45 PM EST

that Jeralyn quoted:

The bill sets a nonbinding goal of completing the troop pull out by April 1, 2008

I know that the completion date is (none / 0) (#11)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:18:40 PM EST

nonbinding. Redeployment is a mission though, if he has to start redeployment in October that means that starting in October units I suppose of his choosing in Iraq will have to have redeployment orders in hand while others will be given orders to pull back so that they can redeploy after the first group goes. First group will begin immediately packing their stuff up and toting it to Kuwait where the ships will be waiting to load their equipment. Now the ships could pull up and there is only one soldier there with a duffel bag and I suppose he could call that redeployment and then what? If nobody has such orders in hand in October then what?


: See, it's really hard to surge (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:21:14 PM EST

and redeploy at the same time. Only porn stars have ever accomplished it ;)

The one thing that really makes me (none / 0) (#10)
by Edger on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:05:17 PM EST

wonder if he will is the fact that he keeps saying he will.

When has he ever been truthful before?


Unless (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Edger on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 11:43:27 PM EST

he has too much pressure from the GOP side who calculate losing the presidency in 2008 if he signs it and appears to cave to Pelosi. There is also heavy pressure from Conservatives on him to stop using signing statements, from, for one, The American Freedom Agenda whose ten point action program includes calling on Congress to "Challenge presidential signing statements". See: William Fisher: The Right Seeks To Rein In Presidential Power,


: Just spoke with my husband (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Militarytracy on Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 12:32:35 AM EST

He is away with my son having a back extension surgery. He says that between redeployment orders and Murthas addition of troops being properly trained and rested in between tours they are really cutting off the mother's milk if he signs this. He can want to stay in Iraq all he wants but it won't be long before all that's there is him and Dick. I have no idea what that yahoo is going to do. He's going to feel like a caged animal over night and I'm not sure he's even aware of it coming. He could throw the tantrum of all tantrums in the gose garden and then run into the oval office and grab Saddams pistol and bang, fill that empty space. Or he could whip out the Signing Statement only Satan could love.

Me either (none / 0) (#5)
by Maryb2004 on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:47:38 PM EST

No rational person would veto it.

Wishing and hoping that the leader of the free world truly IS completely and hopelessly irrational is just not something I find easy to do. A major difference between me and Nancy Pelosi.


: My only hope is that he is irrational (none / 0) (#8)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:52:54 PM EST

I really do think he's going to veto it (none / 0) (#6)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 10:49:22 PM EST

with redeployment having to begin in October. Redeployment is such a shift in troop goal and mission, if he has to start redeployment and doesn't he would have to have military brass willing to fudge and lie for him and Democrats get to have these damned hearings now! The military does have definitions of what constitutes redeployment. It don't think he can deal with anyone telling him he has to start redeployment on any given day. Course he has proven me wrong many several times and my jaw has hit the floor, so hey...back on that ride again.


I wanted to sleep in today because (none / 0) (#15)
by Militarytracy on Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 06:09:35 AM EST

I can, no small child to care for. I can't though with all this happening right now. I could barely sleep last night thinking about this and something about redeployment and how it is a mission kept nagging my noodle. I think they did it, I think they found out how to do it and do it without anybody even being able to call them defunders. When we went into Iraq that was Operation Iraqi Freedom and then Bush did the whole show on the ship and Mission Accomplished and technically for the military that mission was accomplished. But they sent nobody home and that was when we all knew it was all about the oil and that is called Operation Enduring Freedom. Catchy isn't it? If he signs this he is agreeing to start redeployment in October and whether he does or not......they gave ample time for him to take his leave of his war proper and graciously and on April Fools Day next year as far the House of Representatives is concerned Operation Enduring Freedom is over, there is no more funding for it. Plus they have all those times to bother him and pester him like when he has to certify certain goals are being met. They are shutting down the meat grinder by not allowing him to deploy anybody who hasn't been home for a solid year and he can't just up and send National Guard units anymore with two weeks of training under their belts to try and stay alive with. He can get funding for other missions but he'll have to explain all that to everyone first and see if they agree. If he vetos this Reid-Feingold awaits him along with that two month emergency funding thing and Patraeus did meet with Republican leadership and told them if things don't go well this summer he is advising the Republicans to pull any further support for the war so that living paycheck to paycheck thing is very scary for him. I think they may have figured out how to give us what we asked for if he signs this.......maybe the April 1st thing was a private joke. I wonder if he slept well last night ;)? That sociopath probably slept like a baby!