Bush's Press Conference - He Will Never Leave Iraq, Never

By Big Tent Democrat, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 10:16:44 AM EST
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I watched President Bush's press conference and there is a lot to think about from it. (Full text here.) For example, Bush said he needs a bill by May. The idea of the money running out April 15 was obviously nonsense. He reiterated he will veto all funding bills that "set an artificial timeline."

I think that the Obama idea of "ratcheting up pressure" is a silly nonstarter. Bush has ignored the 2006 elections, the Iraq Study Group, nonbinding resolutions and he will ignore any Congressional initiative that attempts to tell hm how to run the war.

Specifically about the Reid-Feingold bill, Bush said it was a legitimate exercise of Congressional power but that he just disagrees and he will veto it too. End of the story right? Wrong. It is the beginning of the story.

More....

The Reid-Feingold bill is significant not because it will overcome filibuster, vetoes or even pass. It is significant, in my opinion of course, because it meets the criteria I laid out:

I ask for three things: First, announce NOW that the Democratic Congress will NOT fund the Iraq Debacle after a date certain. . . .; Second, spend the time to the "not funding date" reminding the President and the American People every day that Democrats will not fund the war past the date certain; Third, do NOT fund the Iraq Debacle PAST the date certain.

The NOT FUNDING date CAN BE March 31, 2008. Harry Reid is not just anybody. He is the Senate Majority Leader. His words carry special significance. With Democratic support, Harry Reid can enforce a NOT FUNDING date of March 31, 2008.

That is the significance of the Reid-Feingold bill. Come the summer, when the regular appropriation process begins in the summer, Reid and the Democrats can pass a CLEAN bill that funds the Iraq Debacle to March 31, 2008 and no further. And then reiterate that is it. Day after day. Tell the American People and tell the President, whether he likes it or not, the Iraq Debacle ends March 31, 2008.

That gives Bush a year to "declare victory." But the key is announcing the date now so that "the troops in the field" are not "abandoned" by the Democratic Congress. That if the troops are kept in Iraq by Bush after March 31, 2008, it will be George Bush who has abandoned the troops.

Let me repeat what I said at the start, given the funds, President Bush will NEVER leave Iraq. Ever. The ONLY way to end the Iraq Debacle is for the Congress to NOT FUND it.

And the way to do it, in my opinion, is to announce a date certain and stick to it.

Is this, in the parlance of Senator Obama, playing chicken with Bush? If you like Senator Obama. I call it ending the Iraq Debacle.

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Bush's Press Conference - He Will Never Leave Iraq, Never | 13 comments (13 topical)

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Can you Imagine Daschle (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by andgarden on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 11:59:37 AM EST

being this forthright? Reid:Daschle::Johnson:McFarland.

Couldn't have said that any better (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 12:43:36 PM EST

I'm late to this talkleft party too because I was helping my daughter with prom stuff. Wasn't that disgusting though when he threatened the American people that if he doesn't get his way someone's daddy could be really late coming home and somebody's daddy was going to have to go who didn't need to go before the Democrats refused his money request? He threatened to use the soldiers and there families as hostages right then and there! The only words I could manage to sputter at him were, "You Bastard!"

The fact of the matter (1.00 / 1) (#10)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 09:12:20 AM EST

is that what this continues to do is tell the terrorists that all they have to do is hold on, kill a few more innocents, and they will have Iraq delivered to them.

And with Iraq, the ME.

Congratulations.

That someone will, sooner or later, have to pay a heavy price in blood and treasure for these actions apparently means nothing to the Left, and their peons in the Democratic Party.

Fauxed (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by squeaky on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 09:19:47 AM EST

Like in Algeria, after the French left? Your knowledge of Iraq and who the supposed terrorists are is nil. Who are the 'terrorists' you claim will be handed Iraq?

The one thousand or so AQ are only there to fight the americans. The rest of your alleged terrorists are Iraqi nationals doing whatever it takes to get the US out of Iraq.


Blah blah blah blah blah (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 12:26:20 PM EST

9/11.........blah blah blah blah blah terrorists........blah blah blah blah blah be afraid, be very afraid, only think with you lizard brain if you dare to think at all..........blah blah blah blah blah best to not even think.

Love,

PPJ


: you forgot ... (5.00 / 2) (#15)
by Sailor on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 01:26:52 PM EST

... 'but clinton did it!'

The Dems will back down because they've accepted (none / 0) (#1)
by fairleft on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 10:48:01 AM EST

Republican framing of the issue. We'll be "abandoning" the troops in early 2008 just like we're "abandoning them now by not funding Bush's occupation, and enough Dems will bail because of that absurd accusation.

The key fact is, the Democratic leadership has never argued back against that absurd characterization of the get out of Iraq position.

Well, unless things are going exceptionally badly by early 2008. Then, common sense may override the "abandon the troops or support the troops" frame.

The Dems will not back down (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Militarytracy on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 12:40:15 PM EST

I could have shot a million holes in everything Bush said this morning. The fight is on. The real Iraq War has begun and the ammo is readily available just laying around. Be fearless and choose your side.


: Won't argue "not playing chicken with the (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by fairleft on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 05:11:13 PM EST

troops" argument. That's what Obama calls those who resist funding the war. And hey, fight on Militarytracy, I'm all for it. I just wish the Democratic leaders, who will be on TV and in the MSM, would argue their best case instead of arguing that they still "support the troops" even though they want to stop getting them killed in Iraq.

Nebraska (Nelson and Hagel) are the key. (none / 0) (#3)
by cal11 voter on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 11:37:50 AM EST

Nelson doesn't want binding benchmarks but is ok with nonbinding standards (goals). I don't think either of them will go along with Reid/Feingold now. There will not be votes to override so it will become a game of political chicken to see who blinks first. Like Obey said earlier, we don't have the votes. What makes Reid think that moving incrementally to defunding will change minds of Blue Dogs and Repubs?

Dem leadership started down the wrong path and are playing catch-up. I don't know if it can work now because there are too many political uncertainties ahead, especially in a presidential campaign year.

January 2009 isn't that far away (none / 0) (#8)
by diogenes on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 08:15:21 PM EST

Is it really worth playing chicken and showing the world that they can exploit US internal divisions in any way when by waiting ten more months a presumably Democratic president can simply act as he or she wishes without these divisions and withdraw the troops or not?

It's more than ten more months (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Demi Moaned on Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 10:15:20 PM EST

It's ten more months until a withdrawal can begin. But an orderly withdrawal is not a trivial operation. It probably would take the better part of a year.


: Yup, yup yup yup (none / 0) (#14)
by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 12:27:13 PM EST