Reid’s war on the war: 63 Iraq votes, still no funding
The Senate on Friday blocked a Democratic proposal to pay for the Iraq war but require that troops start coming home.
The 53-45 vote was 15 votes short of the 60 needed to advance. It came minutes after the Senate rejected a Republican proposal to pay for the Iraq war without strings attached.
The Republican measure failed by an identical vote.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the only way to get troops the money was to approve the restrictions outlined by Democrats.
“Our troops continue to fight and die valiantly. And our Treasury continues to be depleted rapidly, for a peace that we seem far more interested in achieving than Iraq’s own political leaders,” said Reid, D-Nev.
63 votes on Iraq, more than 280 days since President Bush requested the emergency war funding.
And…nada.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey, Harry.
***
Related good read: IBD editorializes on the “Do One-Thing Congress.”
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- Senate Blocks Dems’ Withdrawal Bill : The American Pundit
- Senate Blocks Dems’ Withdrawal Bill : The American Pundit
- Right Voices » Blog Archive » Reid Continues To Extort Troop Funding
- This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here » Where’s the war? (UPDATED)
- Wake up America-it wont be lost by us
- Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » We Don’t Support The Troops–Democrats
- Michelle Malkin » Another Harry Reid snit fit: No recess, no recess appointments
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- Blue Star Chronicles
- Democrats NEED the loss…doesn’t look like they will get it.
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Hardball: Gates tells military to prepare for massive layoffs if Dems don’t pass war spending bill
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“Convert,submit, die”
Ever hear the term “false dichotomy”? How about
1) hire a sufficient number of Arab translators
2) use those billions of Iraq funds to shore up the gaping holes in homeland security: pourous airport inspections (especially cargo), border wall, street cameras, etc.
3)follow through on the “Greater Mideast Peace Initiative” (a Bush proposal, btw) and have a Cold War style propaganda effort in the Middle East.
4) secure loose nuclear materials in the former soviet states (talk to Richard Lugar — you guys like him, right).
Sorry I’m a traitor for suggesting that.
Otherwise, when the suicide bombers start hitting the shopping malls, don’t say you weren’t warned.
Sorry, last one: you people made a choice — continued fighting in Iraq over non-pourous homeland security. If terrorists wanted to it would be a simple matter to cross the border and blow up some shopping malls/buses/trains etc., commit some multi-billion dollar arson, etc. You didn’t want to raise taxes. In fact, you FUND THE ENEMY through gas purchases (no oil tax, no raising mandatory fuel economy regs).
Sure, many liberals would spend the Iraq money on social programs. But what’s your excuse. You say you want to fight a war on terror but REFUSE to talk about how to allocate resources, instead resorting to sloganeering. Your “whatever it takes” rhetoric is obviously false: you won’t even pay more in taxes, and you expect us to believe you’d give up your homes?
When a fight for this country against the Islamists is going, the funding of troops includes protecting this country’s borders as well. We have the money… just close the pork barrels, reduce the nanny state and grow cajones.
Hey everybody,
Hiring a sufficient number of Arab translators is going to protect the United States and the world from terrorists who want us dead. At least we will understand what they are saying as our throats get slit. Are you kidding me? This is the mentality that claims they can keep this country secure.
Of course the DOD and CIA needs to have more people who can speak Arabic and the border is a national crisis but AlQaeda chose Iraq as their central front against the US. That’s where they ran to after we obliterated them in Afganistan. That’s why this has been so difficult. This is THEIR Super Bowl. If they and the treasonocrats in Congress succeed in forcing us to give up…we are doomed. If we win, they are forced to find another way to advance their mission to control the world. This is the first time anybody stood up to them and refused to be intimidated….treasoncrats not-withstanding.
Remember Bin Laden himself said that 9/11 was planned and carried out because the United States showed it didn’t have a backbone after repeated attacks against US interests around the world. He was convinced we would eventually back down, cut and run. Surprise…surprise…we haven’t…YET.
But BB and his liberal buddies are trying to surrender.
Please don’t feed the trolls
Sorry
It isn’t a simple matter of “hiring” Arab translators. First, you have to specify which type of Durka you’re looking for. Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashtun, Hazagari, Uzbek, or any of the numerous dialects spoken by the Nuristanis.
Now, once you’ve figgered out what kinda Durka you’re looking for, you need to find people who speak the language who are willing to work for the US government. It’s no secret that Uncle Sugar doesn’t pay great. Oil companies pay a lot better.
Now, here’s the rub. You’ve found yourself someone who speaks your flavor of Durka, who doesn’t mind forgoing the six figure salary thrown at them by Big Oil for USG employment. Now they have to pass a security background check. Failure to do so produces a Nada Nadim Prouty type situation, which I think we all can agree is most definately “not good”.
Your other alternative to this hiring process is to take soldiers and USG employees who already have their security clearance learn whatever language you need them to learn. Finding volunteers is easy enough, but actually getting them to pass the DLPT (Defense Language Proficency Test) is a pain in the ass. It ain’t easy.
Iraq funds are earmarked for defense. DHS has their own budget. One does not affect the other. Border wall? There’s plenty of debate already about it. Apparently, putting up a border wall would impede a Mexican’s God given right to come to the US illegally. In addition, it needs to be ecologically sound and aesthetically pleasing.
Street cameras? I live in the United States, not the UK. They may need cameras there. I have a gun.
OK, you just go ahead and point out where these loose nuclear materials are, and then explain to the heads of these various former Soviet states that we are going into their country and doing whatever we want. I get the feeling that will go over like a fart in church.
You people, huh? And where are you from?
I’ve already said it, but I’ll say it again. DHS has their own budget. Funding the war takes nothing from Homeland Security’s budget. They have their money.
Yes, they could. But then they would have to deal with the same response that Afghanistan got. Most don’t like the “Shock and Awe” experience.
“Achmed, did you order 1000 Tomahawk cruise missles?”
You’re damn right we didn’t. Raising taxes does nothing but hurt the the American tax payer.
So can we drill in Anwar yet?
See the Republican bill to authorize $70M for the war effort, no strings attatched. Guess who shot it down?
Care to explain how raising taxes would help? And who is supposed to give up their homes?
I don’t know you from Adam, but I, like many on this forum, have bled for this country. As a good friend of mine once said, “No sh*t, I would bleed on the flag to keep the stripes red.” I’ve given years and my health to this country. What have you done?
Yup, all those terrorists ran off to Iraq — none of them are left in the Wahabbi schools in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Nope, they all raced to Iraq and Afghanistan.
People, I didn’t write the CIA’s 2020 report. Pelosi and Reid didn’t write it. Michael Moore didn’t write it. So, you know, maybe you could look at it or similar arguments about how to fight the war on terror with limited resources before you set fingers to keyboard.
Acron, thanks for a substantive reply — I hadn’t seen it when I left the above, so let me respond to you next.
Archon
Once again, blowing gaping holes in the stupidity of a liberal point by point. Even though it is easy without going into the detail you did (well done)
I must admit…IT IS fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BB
Get lost with your nonsense moron!
>>It isn’t a simple matter of “hiring” Arab translators. First, you have to specify which type of Durka…>Iraq funds are earmarked for defense. DHS has their own budget. One does not affect the other. Border wall? There’s plenty of debate already about it. Apparently, putting up a border wall would impede a Mexican’s God given right to come to the US illegally. In addition, it needs to be ecologically sound and aesthetically pleasing.>Street cameras? I live in the United States, not the UK. They may need cameras there. I have a gun.>OK, you just go ahead and point out where these loose nuclear materials are, and then explain to the heads of these various former Soviet states that we are going into their country and doing whatever we want. I get the feeling that will go over like a fart in church.>You people, huh? And where are you from?>Yes, they could. But then they would have to deal with the same response that Afghanistan got. Most don’t like the “Shock and Awe” experience.>You’re damn right we didn’t. Raising taxes does nothing but hurt the the American tax payer.>In fact, you FUND THE ENEMY through gas purchases (no oil tax, no raising mandatory fuel economy regs).
So can we drill in Anwar yet?>Care to explain how raising taxes would help? And who is supposed to give up their homes?>I don’t know you from Adam, but I, like many on this forum, have bled for this country. As a good friend of mine once said, “No sh*t, I would bleed on the flag to keep the stripes red.” I’ve given years and my health to this country. What have you done?
Ok, there seems to be a size limit on the posts and I just lost my response. So to be brief:
1) On translators, you seem to be making my point: it costs big bucks.
2) On the DHS/military budget “wall” give me a break — if President Bush and Congress could pass a Terri Schiavo bill in a day, they can rework the current structure and pass a budget.
3) You haven’t seen Drudge on Chicago’s street cameras I take it.
4) Sure, go ahead and drill in ANWAR — I’m not an environment purist and this is war. But you won’t start defunding the enemy for 5 years — meanwhile you’re building Iran’s nukes and buying a whole lot of GI-killing bombs.
5) I didn’t serve. My family is too the left of me and they all did, including a socialist uncle who died in combat and another who still works for the VA. Didn’t know this was Starship Troopers and citizens who don’t serve have no say-so over their tax dollars. Well, we’re going back on toture, so the Boston Tea Party is no great loss…
Hey genius. we are the United states of America! We can do all of the above and then some more!
It’s never been an either or situation. We can do all the things you enumerated and still help Iraq. Talk about false choices.
You just want to quit and blame the loss on Bush. Sorry. I’m not playing that game. By the way, did Valerie or Joseph Wilson III write that CIA report? The CIA is full of people like that. You never hear about the heroes there, or what they are doing.
I don’t think Billy just got dropped on his head – I think his mamma dribbled his noggin like a worn out basketball on Harlem basketball court.
Might want to give the valve on the shunt a little turn, since the pressure seems to be building up.
Did your socialist uncle receive the Order of Lenin?
No Jim, he just died defending your freedom. Guess you folks only honor “politically correct” verterans — can’t say I’m surprised.
Brian: if only that were true, but the fact is we have limited resources and our falling dollar is proving that like a scene out of “Atlas Shrugged.” Meanwhile, we’ve been funding the enemy for seven years, today more than ever. I don’t know who wrote the 2020 report but I wouldn’t dismiss it, you know, unread.
Y’all welcome to the last word — thanks to the several people who responded respectfully. See you next thread.
No, we honor all veterans. I am certain your uncle would not appreciate the use of his memory in an argument against providing funding for the troops. That, sir, is as low as one can go.
#21
Well, now we know what year it is on your world…what color is the sky?
Twit.
You missed my point entirely. If it were a matter of money, Uncle Sugar would just have to outspend Big Oil on translators. It is more than that. To wit, soldiers don’t like working with people they can’t trust. A security clearance goes a long way towards proving you are worthy of trust. That is even more so for terps, who you are quite literally trusting to speak for you. You want quality, not quantity.
Are you kidding me? How in your world are Schiavo and a war budget related? I’ll break it down for you: When you have career politicians (term limits, anyone?) on both sides of the aisle writing spending bills that favor their district, you get a LOT of pork. So these “people” play a balancing act of sacrificing some to get some, all the while playing to their idealogy (as opposed to their constituents like they should). That’s why, 63 votes later, Congress STILL hasn’t passed an Emergency Spending Bill for the war.
Chicago is smack dab in the middle of the new Socialist Republic of Illinois. They have some of the most stringent firearms control laws in the country. No guns equals more cameras.
All the more reason we should have started drilling there years ago. Unfortunately, Congress felt it should be beholden to the far left enviro-nuts. Just because it will take 5 years doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. We’ll just have to play catch up. If we start tapping into all the oil resources in territory we control, we’ll have fuel to be energy independant for about 100 years. 100 years that can be spent figuring out how to not need oil.
Despite my love of Heinlein’s model, that is not what I was inferring. My comment was in response to your “your rhetoric is false” arguement. I don’t have rhetoric. I have experience. There’s a big difference. Once you have some, maybe you would understand where I’m coming from.
Great example of why the best campaign finance reform should be you can’t run for office while holding an office.
Most of the Dems would quickly do what is right with the War and many other issues if they weren’t so focused upon getting campaign contributions from the nutroots crowd for the upcoming election. Same goes for the rest of the crowd, only on different issues…
Bonsai Billy suggests the US hire more Arabic translators. One problem is finding Arabic fluent people who can withstand the vetting process.
I publish an Iranian born Canadian citizen (since 1996) woman who is virulently anti-mullah, having been kidnapped and imprisoned by the Iranian Sepah Pasdrah (Secret Police)for non-violent, outspoken criticism of non-Islamic edicts and oppression of women. This woman is a language near “savant”, fluent in Farsi, Arabic, Kurdish, Pashtun,French and English and passable Spanish, Italian, Dutch and German. When the call went out for translators after 9/11, she volunteered and was rejected by both Canada and US on various technicalities, including lack of a college degree. She was in her senior year pre-law in an Iranian university when she was forced to flee underground with blackmarket documents to France/Holland/Canada to escape a death sentence on an orchestrated phony
charge of “enemy of Iran”.
Sorry, I accidentally hit Submit and did not get to edit or finish my rant.
Despite rejection, she has persevered in the expatriate opposition to the Iranian Islamic theocracy, moved from Vancouver, BC to Washington, DC, writes articles and blogs in political and religious blogs (She is one of the “good” Muslims. There are some), is a frequent guest and panelist on national network and cable talk shows.( Mostly Fox, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC dont always like her responses). She is consulted by several US Congressman and Senators on Middle East culture, politics and religion and serves as translator and interpreter for non-English speaking Middle Easterner before Congress and the US Senate.
She is spokesperson for 19 Iranian political prisoners and has been instrumental in securing stay of death sentence for at least one of them. She has outed several Iranian “moles” planted in the US to infiltrate expatriate oppositon groups and US think tanks.
She is distressed that US decision makers rely on inaccurate translation and that the English translators for Ahmajinadad at UN and on National TV do not always repeat all or exactly what he says.
She is nearing her PhD in Psychology in Canadian universities.
Maybe when she gets it she will qualify to work as a translator for the State Department.
Archon — just wanted to let you know I read your respond (I said I’d give everyone the last word, didn’t want to imply I “cut and run” and didn’t read them!)