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Why Reid-Feingold Is The Only Way To End the Iraq Debacle

Time's Karen Tumulty provides me all the evidence I need:

[T]he sense I'm getting from talking to leadership sources is that, in the face of the reality that they can't override the veto, they are ready to jettison the deadlines for troop withdrawal. Democrats figure they have public opinion on their side at the moment, but that they won't if this drags on too long. The public wants to end the war, but polls suggest most voters are not yet ready to cut off the funding.

The poll Tumulty cites is an endorsement of Reid-Feingold:

The April 23-26, 2007 panel survey finds <b.57% of Americans favoring "the U.S. setting a timetable for removing its troops from Iraq and sticking to that timetable regardless of what is happening in Iraq," while 39% favor the United States "keeping troops in Iraq as long as necessary to secure the country, even if that takes many more years."

Tumulty says most voters don't want to cut off the funding. What she fails to understand is that withdrawal is cutting off the funding. And Reid-Feingold is for withdrawal by the only means it can happen, by cutting off the funding on a date certain, April 1, 2008. This gives the funding for the troops. Heck it even gives Bush's surge a chance to work. You have 11 months Mr. President. That's it. This is a winning political strategy for ending the Debacle.

What everyone seems to be missing about Reid-Feingold is that it is for withdrawal (cutting off the funding) on April 1, 2008, 11 months from now.

I'll say it again, benchmarks, conditions, strings, that is all nonsense. What is needed, what the American People want, is a date certain for withdrawal. Only the Congress can make this happen, by announcing NOW that on April 1, 2008, there willl be no more funding for the Iraq Debacle. The troops will be fully funded, the military commanders can carry out their "strategy," Bush can play at Commander in Chief, and we can pretend there is a chance of success in Iraq. After all, if it can't get done in 5 years, it will never get done.

This is what the American People will support and what will put maximum pressure on Republican "moderates" like Susan Collins:

If the president's new strategy does not demonstrate significant results by August, then Congress should consider all options . . .

Heck, let's give him to April 2008 Senator Collins. After that, no more.

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  • Display: Sort:
    There's every reason to do this (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by andgarden on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:23:30 AM EST
    I think Reid has it in him too.

    there is another way (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:27:52 AM EST
    and i'm sure more and more republicans are beginning to worry, as buckley is...

    i'm hearing mixed things, on whether or not the dems will cave. it sounds like they'll opt for benchmarks, set for september, and revisit the situation, then. it's going to be a long, hot summer, and the repugs who have to run in '08 are getting increasingly restless...

    I hate going through this (5.00 / 4) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:38:44 AM EST
    It is painful.

    I understand (5.00 / 4) (#8)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:39:42 AM EST
    I wish for your sake that Reid-Feingold could work in October.

    Parent
    The Next Step Is To Step Up The Pressure (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by john horse on Wed May 02, 2007 at 06:56:36 PM EST
    According to Karen Tumulty if the war continues to drag on the public will turn against the Democrats.  Nothing could be more ridiculous.  The war has been dragging on and its been the Republicans that the public have been turning against.  If the war continues to drag on then that means that Bush's "surge" will have failed to achieve the victory that Bush and the Republicans have promised.  What that means is that there will be an increase,not a decrease, in pressure to cut off funding and withdraw from Iraq.  Why I wouldn't even be surprised if Republicans like Susan Collins joined the withdrawal bandwagon especially when she runs for reelection next year.

    Senator Feingold is right.  "The next step to ending the war isn't to give in, but to step up the pressure on the President."  

    there is another way (none / 0) (#3)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:29:01 AM EST
    and i'm sure more and more republicans are beginning to worry, as buckley is...

    i'm hearing mixed things, on whether or not the dems will cave. it sounds like they'll opt for benchmarks, set for september, and revisit the situation, then. it's going to be a long, hot summer, and the repugs who have to run in '08 are getting increasingly restless...

    What's the other way? (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:30:58 AM EST
    And please do not say the I word.

    Parent
    What about (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by Edger on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:36:50 AM EST
    no bill at all? Not even Reid-Feingold. Tell Bush now that it's over - start bringing them home now.

    Parent
    Not enough support now (5.00 / 4) (#6)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:38:43 AM EST
    Say that you will do that in April 2008 NOW, so you can do it then.

    Parent
    I know. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Edger on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:53:14 AM EST
    Shoulder. Mountain. Etc. I just want it faster if possible.

    Parent
    push (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:42:33 AM EST
    the impeachment envelope. these poll numbers, and the increasing numbers of repugs who are speaking out, indicate something the dems just aren't noticing. if they get more aggressive, and the public is interested, people won't sacrifice their careers for bush.

    Parent
    Let's end the Iraq Debacle first (5.00 / 4) (#11)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 10:53:59 AM EST
    Agreed (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by TexDem on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:03:22 AM EST
    As much as I want Bush impeached it's more important to bring our soldiers and marines home. Let's not be as callous as the WH and the GOP and  use the troops as pawns in a political game.

    Parent
    why not work towards both? (none / 0) (#20)
    by conchita on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:59:56 AM EST
    i don't see them as mutually exclusive.

    Parent
    Cross-purposes (none / 0) (#22)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:04:15 PM EST
    If you go for impeachment, which cna never happen BTW, forget ending the war.

    Honestly, how can you see that NOT hurting the Out of Iraq movement?

    Parent

    judging by the email alerts i am receiving from (none / 0) (#23)
    by conchita on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:16:31 PM EST
    the activist groups - codepink, pda, democrats.com, worldcan'twait, etc. - they are mobilizing towards achieving both.  the main thrust is to put pressure on congress to end the occupation by fighting the veto. but i have seen a distinct increase more impeachment email in the last week or so.  i'd say it is partially due to vermont, california, and kucinich, but i also think there is at base a distrust of congress, including the dems, and people aren't going to accept a compromise.  impeachment is  the next step - hence, the "summer of impeachment" as it is being billed.

    on a personal note, i left a few impeachment flyers in my hallway yesterday afternoon.  when i returned home in the evening someone had tacked one up on the wall.  my building is not a very politically active or aware and during the 2004 election i became accustomed to my political posters being ignored (and even removed) and was surprised to find this yesterday.  this is a small thing but i find it telling.

    Parent

    That's good to see, but (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by TexDem on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:55:18 PM EST
    Bring the troops home, then go for impeachment. Not one more of our military should be wounded or killed  for this bankrupt policy.

    Impeachment is necessary for future Presidents and the precedent that this one has set but to try for both at the same time is more likely to detract from  the goal of bringing our military home.

    Remember our MSM can only focus on one major story at a time. Just remember Anna Nicole, Paris, missing white girls etc.

    Parent

    Impeachment is sexy (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by andgarden on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:08:34 PM EST
    But if they go for both, they'll get neither.

    Parent
    Right (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by TexDem on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:20:48 PM EST
    Impeachmemt is sexy (5.00 / 3) (#28)
    by squeaky on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:21:47 PM EST
    That is an huge understatement. Time to plug our ears with wax, tie ourselves to the mast and keep a steady course on the very unsexy defunding approach cause it is sure fire.


    Parent
    Yep. n/t (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by andgarden on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:27:10 PM EST
    i've said it before (none / 0) (#13)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:06:14 AM EST
    i don't think there is anything the dems can do that will end it while bush is in office. defund, and he takes money from somewhere else. order a withdrawal, and he goes iran/contra. this is his identity- he's a "war president." forcing him from office IS the way to get us out of iraq.

    Parent
    Well (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:22:13 AM EST
    that's just wrong.

    100 billion dollars does not grow on trees.

    Parent

    no, but there are tens of billions (none / 0) (#15)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:27:38 AM EST
    gone missing, and plenty of black ops, and they certainly have no problem fighting on the cheap. and i still want to know- if we cut off funding TODAY, how much money is already there? how long can they sustain with what they have?

    Parent
    Tens of billions? (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:29:27 AM EST
    Where?

    When you can add it up to 100 billion let me know.

    Parent

    they won't need 100 (none / 0) (#18)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:44:03 AM EST
    i believe 7 billion in CASH went missing! an entire transport plane full! and that was just one funding cycle! and they'll certainly move money from other operations.

    Parent
    Umm (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:03:25 PM EST
    But it did not go to the Pentagon.

    Look, I'll leave you with your thoughts on this and respectfully disagree.


    Parent

    They can sustain troops for awhile (5.00 / 5) (#17)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:34:00 AM EST
    but they can't sustain contractors and let's face it, Iraq is about greed!  Oil greed and contractor greed for the price of dead Iraqis and dead U.S. soldiers and going into the history books as a Wartime President.  If the contractors even think they are going to have to accept a promise of payment a few months at a time they are going to scream bloody murder and they are Bush's base!  They will start to bail out when the gravy train is over, they will take their huge profits and run before anything can drain any of that off.  This huge glut of money constantly being thrown at this war drives the war like a pitbull completely oblivious to everything around it, even it's masters' (American people) wishes!

    Parent
    the contractors (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Turkana on Wed May 02, 2007 at 11:45:31 AM EST
    have nowhere else to go! bush could also take money that's supposed to be for "rebuilding." we know plenty of that has gone missing.

    Parent
    Meanwhile, at DK, Senator Kerry (none / 0) (#25)
    by oculus on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:59:08 PM EST
    is raising money to try and defeat four Republicans.  Not a word about Reid-Feingold.  

    Hopefully, (none / 0) (#29)
    by annefrank on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:25:12 PM EST
    Dems will deep six the April Fool's date?? and fire the staff who suggested an April 1 withdrawal.

    McJoan points out the March 31, 2008, date to (5.00 / 2) (#32)
    by oculus on Wed May 02, 2007 at 03:51:52 PM EST
    stop all funding was recommended by the Iraq Study Group.  This is an important point.  

    Parent
    Correction, ISG recommended troop pull-out (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by oculus on Wed May 02, 2007 at 05:07:19 PM EST
    by March 31, 2008, not defunding.

    Parent
    Same thing (none / 0) (#35)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2007 at 08:45:19 PM EST
    BTD - posted your diary in Tumulty's swamp (none / 0) (#30)
    by annefrank on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:26:14 PM EST