Democrats will hold war funding hostage
Who’s playing politics with the war? You tell me:
Democrats are not expected to take up President Bush’s war spending request until November, giving them time to calculate their next move and see if Republican support for his policies deteriorates.
The delay in passing the bill, which Bush says is needed by Oct. 1, is likely to intensify the standoff between the Democratic-controlled Congress and Bush, who says at least 130,000 troops are needed in Iraq through next summer.
The Democrat White Flag strategy is to punish the troops just when the counterinsurgency/surge measures are showing signs of success:
At the Pentagon on Monday, officials released a quarterly report on the war that echoed last week’s testimony of Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq. The report cited recent gains in security, including a decrease in sectarian killings, but little political progress in Baghdad.
Recent operations “have started to create the security conditions that will allow the government of Iraq to implement reforms and pursue reconciliation initiatives,” the report states.
No matter:
In February, Bush requested $147 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in budget year 2008, which begins Oct. 1. As early as this week, Bush is expected to ask for another $40 billion to $50 billion.
[John] Murtha, who chairs the House committee that oversees military spending, estimated Congress is likely to ignore the request until November.
But don’t question their…never mind.
***
Meanwhile, back in Iraq, Michael Yon reports on the continuing hunt for al Qaeda. Go look at all his photos. Michael writes:
I watched during the Senate hearings on 11 September 07 as some Senators attempted to corner General Petraeus, insinuating that the war in Iraq was a distraction from the fight against al Qaeda. It was clearly that during the initial invasion, but not today. These photos were taken at the center of what al Qaeda claimed to be their worldwide headquarters. Listening to some of the Senators’ questions, the true magnitude of the gulf between what is happening in Iraq and what people in America think is happening in Iraq became apparent. Some Senators clearly had been doing their homework and were asking smart questions—if negative at times—but others seemed completely ignorant of the ground situation here, which adds nothing meaningful to the debate.
And in Samarra, Jeff Emanuel reports:
Samarra, Iraq — The ‘Surge’ in Iraq, and the counterinsurgency strategy that the increase in forces was designed to support, has succeeded, in a very brief span of time, far beyond what most familiar with the situation there would ever have imagined – let alone realistically expected. A large part of the reason for this is that, in many different ways, the people of Iraq have shown bravery that we can only hope that Americans, if put into the same situation, would ever dream of showing.
Rather than simply taking the terrorist presence in their country lying down, many Iraqis, in many different locations, have shown amazing courage, not only by providing an ever-increasing amount of information to coalition forces regarding insurgent activity, but also by working to rebuild what the insurgents have destroyed, as well as by putting their lives on the line to drive terrorists out of their own villages, despite honestly not knowing whether they will wake up the next day to find that the coalition – currently their best source of protection – has succumbed to the calls from the home front (which are heard loud and clear over here, by civilians and terrorists alike) to leave Iraq, and has abandoned them.
In April and May of this year, and again from the beginning of August through the present, I have been embedded in some of the most kinetic combat zones in Iraq, observing Gen. Petraeus’s strategy from the ground level in several different locations, and have seen clear evidence of the strategy’s effects on the situation there, from increased security to improvements in quality of life for the Iraqi people.
I have personally observed Medical Operations, in which coalition medics and doctors provided Iraqi tribesmen and villagers with a level of care that had been unheard-of in this country even before the fall of Saddam Hussein. I have toured reconstruction sites being worked on by Iraqi contractors, and have ridden along in gun-truck escorts whose job is to protect these men as they work to rebuild their own country (while terrorists try not only to kill them, but to destroy any and all improvements they have managed to provide for their countrymen in infrastructure and quality of life).
I have sat in on meetings – both above-board and clandestine – with sheiks and tribal leaders, who want the coalition to help them help themselves and their people to achieve better and more secure lives, despite the fact that being seen consorting with the Americans immediately puts a price on each of these leaders’ heads; likewise, I have heard the concern voiced – more times than I can even count – that the coalition, which currently remains the sole source of stability and security in this country, will give in to the cries from home to abandon the Iraqi people to death, and will finally do so.
I have participated in combat operations which were driven solely by intelligence provided by Iraqi citizens who knew of terrorist plots and personnel in the area and called the Americans to let them know; likewise, I, like the soldiers whom I have covered, have had my life saved several times by tips from the Iraqi citizenry about IEDs and ambushes put into place to kill us.
Much, much more of this must happen if Iraq is even to have a chance at a brighter future – but at this point, though this is still a very broken country, with a great deal of instability, unrest, and upheaval, progress is inarguably being made.
***
Victory Caucus: Stand by the mission.
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Why dont them Dems just wait until Christmas then send our troops squirt guns for a sure fire way for the UNITED STATES to lose.
Great! Looks like we will be operating on a Continuing Resolution Authority (CRA) again this fiscal year. By Law Congress was supposed to have the appropriation bills on the Presidents desk by 15 September (seen that very few times in my life). We in the Air Force never get our funding authority issued form the US Treasury and distributed down to through the chain of command to the bases in the field by Feb-Mar (mid point of the fiscal year) anymore. The only upside is it gives more time for furor to grow over sticking the Dream Act onto the Defense Appropriation as a rider. The Democrats are playing a very dangerous game by not funding our troops during a time of war. Just maybe they can finally get Congresses approval rating to single digits yet.
Murtha has been a disgrace for years.
He’s no longer a Marine. He would eat a gun if he remembered ‘Honor’.
Another waste of perfectly good oxygen. Murtha’s a self serving crook who is a disgrace to this country.
Fire Him !!!!
I’m not at all surprised.
There’s really nothing I could say that you would deem appropriate in your comments section.
Execpt who’re the “betrayers” now?
This is how Democrats show their support the troops. Appalling. Murtha is a disgrace and the people who voted for him should be ashamed.
Sounds like a benchmark to me
“This too shall pass.”
-Jesus Christ
These pigs in Congress are simply sealing their own graves with the soil of disgrace.
Jack Murtha and Co. are pretty much going to try and drive another pork profiteering move- just like they did last time.
I think it’s time to mount a public pressure campaign. The Murtha Pork Crew are operating in a different climate than they were in February 2007.
Yes, there are still the leftarded barriers in Congress who think they can hamstring Bush; but, they also believe the American people who voted their way during the last election are the voters who matter. They are mistaken.
Some of those voters now see that they have been used by the Dhimmicratic leaders, if not outright misled about the war. Petraeus’ testimony has yet to seep all the way in with voters.
And in the next 2 weeks as Schumer misleads them about DOJ and Murtha tries to mislead about his clout to defund the war, voters will shift just enough to push these Porkers out of the way and out of the debate.
If there is a way to win, Americans will push for it- whether they be doves or not.
Just win, Baby.
with friends like this who needs enemies? Al Qaeda wishes they could be as effective as the Democrats. I just love how the Democrats want to spend money on everything EXCEPT what they are supposed to – the military.
Dhimmicrats will have more blood on their hands than they could ever dream of having.
What about “The Perfect Day” attack on our schools, with the al Qaeda goal of 4 million kids being killed?
Do these Dhimmicrats even think outside the box of their BDS?
The Glen Beck videos on “The Perfect Day” are up at YouTube. It is amazing to me these Dhimmis operate in a vacuum, as if they are whistling passed the graveyard.
Plus your quote of the day: “There’s a lot of anger out there,” [Democrat Rep. John] Murtha told reporters Monday at the National Press Club. “A lot of people are very unhappy with the Democrats because we haven’t been able to get anything done.”
Including Osama Bin Laden
The Democrats insult Iraqi leader’s courage and determination to fight against terrorists and yet they, themselves, are unable to muster up enough courage to even say an unkind word against Moveon.org for their libelous ad against General Petraus.
They say that they expect leaders in Iraq to stand up against terrorists and do whatever America requires of them and yet refuse to give Iraqis any kind of guarantee that we will be there to back them up when they do. In fact, day after day the Dems make absolutely sure that the whole world knows that on any given day we are just a few votes in the Senate away from stabbing Iraq in the back.
The Democrats are willing to sell out their own country out of fear of a few thousand unarmed “peace” protesters and yet they expect Iraqis to stand up to well-armed, brutal, inhuman terrorists. And when Iraqis do stand up? When the Iraqis show courage and strength that Obama, Clinton and Edwards could only dream of having. Do Dems cheer? Do they show gratitude and admiration? No. They choose instead to ignore it, cast insults at our troops and Iraq’s leadership, and call for more backstabbing.
Murtha is a senile bully. like many with dementia, the predominate traits become unmoderated. With Murtha, we get thuggishness, corruption and blatant stupidity concealed as wisdom. That is all there is to this ridiculous excuse for a politician.
Dear Congress,
Give our men what they need. It stinks that as a parent of a deployed soldier I can’t trust Congress to give our men what they need and when they need it.
Thank you for supporting them. Yeah. I forgot you don’t support the war. So, you will screw around with the funding and possibly in the process jeopardize vital missions and soldiers’ lives, but you support them — the troops. America’s sons and daughters who have put their lives on hold and in danger for their fellow Americans… you know people like you.
Now, I do have one request. Would someone please give me a Democrat dictionary? I am still trying to figure out what their definition of support is!
Sincerly,
A soldier’s mom
Here we go again. And you just know the left will be silent about it.
Yeah. The left supports the troops. Whatever.
NO! Let’s not “never mind”. Speak your mind. That is what we love about you. Bring it on Michelle. We have never known you to hold back.
Shoot, I will say it for you – I question their patriotism. Anybody else?
A sports-related note to the Dhimmicrats and Murtha in particular: if you run the same play every time, eventually the opposition will figure out a way to beat you. Run-left, run-left, run-left, punt won’t score you any points.
That lack of scoring is evidenced in approval ratings. If Congress’s approval ratings were any lower, the scoreboard would need to have a minus sign installed. You’re in charge of this unapproved Congress; how can you assume that the people are going to want more of you? You’re running the same play that you ran several months ago, and you already acknowledge its end this time will be more funding. Why waste the time to do it then? We, the refs, are calling you for offensive holding, and, the last time I checked, that loses yardage.
Try funding the troops to excess so that they can do their %&#! job. After all, I thought you liked spending too much of our money. One of your complaints from years ago was that we hadn’t sent enough troops to do the job; maybe you were right on that one. Try reminding us that you said that and insist on supporting this surge! Then we’ll win, and you’ll be able to bring the troops home as you have promised. Then you’ll score some approval touchdowns. Duh?
The way the dems are going, we should propose a new pollution control… on all the speech exhaust from this bunch of gasbags.
I’d question their patriotism if they had any.
MM put her position in a nutshell:
The counter-arguments:
* The Republican (whatever color flag) strategy is to allow Al Qaida, the real one run by BinLaden, to operate freely in parts of Pakistan while committing US forces to a civil war in Iraq.
* Republicans support the troops by extending their tours of duty, cutting their benefits, scrimping on armor. Democrats support them by pulling them out of a conflict where they are more likely to die than to win.
* According to MM and the rest of conservative blogosphere, US troops always are on the verge of winning. They’ve been on that verge for the past 4 years. Yet the Iraqi government is disfunctional. The only peace comes from this or that sectarian militia.
Crap
More crap
Pure crap.
Next
Lgm,
2006 Election, there were more Democrats elected to Office…BLUE DOG Democrats. The far left socialist wing of the Democrat party, would like everyone to forget that. These Blue Dogs Dems, have to answer to their constituents, to hold onto their Congressional seats, NOT Move On, NOT The Daily Kos. This is why the Democrats, have not been able to pass a Bill to pull the troops out of Iraq. Not that Dems, want to pull the troops out, it is all politics, they all know whoever wins the 2008 Presidential Election, is not going to pull the troops out…their political excuse will be, the actions of the last Administration, will have reduced their choices. The Dems usually escalate Wars not end them. Remember Vietnam, Johnson (D) didn’t end the conflict, Nixon (R) did. Who sent us into Bosnia? I’ll give you a hint a Democrat, he was described as a Hawk.
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run – Web Reconnaissance for 09/18/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Do you guys think the idoits in congrees made the Irag people step up to the plate.