Maybe some of you have heard of legislation called
Feingold-Reid:
SEC. 1535. SAFE REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES TROOPS FROM IRAQ
(a) Transition of Mission.--The President shall promptly transition the mission of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq to the limited and temporary purposes set forth in subsection (d).
(b) Commencement of Safe, Phased Redeployment From Iraq.--The President shall commence the safe, phased redeployment of members of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq who are not essential to the limited and temporary purposes set forth in subsection (d). Such redeployment shall begin not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and shall be carried out in a manner that protects the safety and security of United States troops.
© Use of Funds.--No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.
(d) Exception for Limited and Temporary Purposes.--The prohibition under subsection © shall not apply to the obligation or expenditure of funds for the following limited and temporary purposes:
(1) To conduct targeted operations, limited in duration and scope, against members of al Qaeda and affiliated international terrorist organizations.
(2) To provide security for United States Government personnel and infrastructure.
(3) To provide training to members of the Iraqi Security Forces who have not been involved in sectarian violence or in attacks upon the United States Armed Forces, provided that such training does not involve members of the United States Armed Forces taking part in combat operations or being embedded with Iraqi forces.
(4) To provide training, equipment, or other materiel to members of the United States Armed Forces to ensure, maintain, or improve their safety and security.
Yes. This is the vote on refusing to fund the Iraq debacle except to fund the withdrawal.
While a bunch of people were going nuts over a symbolic vote on a bullshit sense of the Senate resolution, there was a vote to try to end the Iraq debacle
Unfortunately, that vote ended in defeat.
We did get 28 Democrats to vote the right way on that legislation. Here they are:
Akaka (D-HI)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cardin (D-MD)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden (D-OR)
The following Senators voted YES to end the Iraq debacle and voted YES on the irrelevant bill:
Ben Cardin
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Diane Feinstein
Pat Leahy
and this Senator voted Yes to end the Iraq debacle and refused to vote on the irrelevant bill:
Barack Obama
These Senators voted against ending the Iraq debacle and voted NO on the irrelevant bill:
Jeff Bingaman
Carl Levin
Jack Reed
Now, there has been plenty of rage directed towards Senators Cardin, Feinstein, Leahy, and Obama.
None has been directed at Bingaman, Levin, and Reed.
Judging from the Netroots reaction, apparently the Netroots feels that it's more important to pander to the Netroots and avoid hurting Moveon's feelings than it is to end the Iraq debacle.
If that be the case, why should people take the Netroots seriously?
Wake up.
Newsflash, geniuses:
The Cornyn Amendment was a DISTRACTION to divert attention from efforts to end the war.
And you saps fell for it.
UPDATE:
Perhaps you all should listen to Chris Dodd, whom I am NOT supporting:
It is a sad day in the Senate when we spend hours debating an ad while our young people are dying in Iraq. Now that the Senate has twice voted on this ad, it is time to move on and vote to end the war.
Edited to add: Have I become Armando?
SECOND UPDATE: Good for John Edwards. He gets it (h/t to TomP):
On Iraq, we've seen what Congress' symbolic resolutions get us -- more of George Bush's failed strategy. Congress should be voting to end the war in Iraq, rather than on symbolic resolutions that have no effect.
