Posted on 11/16/2007 7:58:00 AM PST by rightinthemiddle
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Friday blocked a Republican proposal to pay $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without strings attached.
The 53-45 vote was 15 votes short of the 60 needed to advance.
The measure was aimed at countering Democratic legislation that also would bankroll the operations, but would additionally require that troops start coming home in 30 days.
The Democratic bill, passed by the House on Wednesday, set a goal of ending combat by December 2008.
"We need to get the funds to the troops and we need to do it now," said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the only way to get troops the money was to approve the restrictions outlined by Democrats.
"Anything else is political posturing," said Reid.
Democrats also were expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to advance their bill.
Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said this week that if Congress cannot pass legislation that ties war money to troop withdrawals, they would not send Bush a bill this year.
Instead, they would revisit the issue upon returning in January, pushing the Pentagon to the brink of an accounting nightmare and deepening Democrats' conflict with the White House on the war.
In the meantime, Democrats say, the Pentagon can eat into its $471 billion annual budget without being forced to take drastic steps.
"The days of a free lunch are over," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that unless Congress passes funding for the war within days, he will direct the Army and Marine Corps to begin developing plans to lay off employees and terminate contracts early next year.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.google.com ...
Thank you so much. How truly disgusting they are.
These clowns never even consider the rest of our military budget, contracts, training, not to mention the cost of maintaining our forces all over the globe.
Iraq and Afghanistan are not our only military spheres of influence.
Democrats to try again on troop withdrawals
(William Jefferson D-La opts for retreat)
NOLA | 11/16/07 | Bruce Alpert
Posted on 11/16/2007 10:00:35 PM EST by Libloather
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1927036/posts
Democrats unable to bring troops home
(53-45 vote, Thanks to 4 RINOs for showing their colors)
AP on Yahoo | 11/16/07 | Anne Flaherty - ap
Posted on 11/16/2007 10:47:27 PM EST by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1927052/posts
Qaeda chased from last Baghdad bastion
(Turn out the lights...the party is over...)
Khaleej Times | 16 November 2007
Posted on 11/16/2007 7:33:39 PM EST by Dog
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926975/posts
Why does that matter? Welfare recipients are not GOP voters. Ergo, Bush has nothing to lose if he were to attempt what I suggest.
I remember that cartoon from a history book. Most of today’s Democrats are neo-copperheads, all right.
All right, folks. We need to get calibrated on this.
We must have 6 mos to 1 year of funding to secure victory. The moonbats are demanding out now. And far far worse, they are demanding no more funding without forcing Bush to capitulate and accept a surrender date. The Democrats finessed that earlier this year by putting non binding “goal” language in the funding bills and establishing benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet as regards political progress.
The moonbats won’t accept that any longer. Worse, now, the Democrats see that victory is unfolding. Unlike this past spring, they no longer see a situation where Iraq is going to give them big seat wins in 2008, as well as the presidency. They now see a chance that victory in Iraq could humiliate them and lose seats.
A creative compromise has to be found or we are not going to get the victory we must have. Standing firm and “being tough” doesn’t provide the Democrats with any incentive to fund the victory that will cost them seats next year. Thinking caps need to be put on. What can be offered to them to get them to accept and cut their own throats?
Why 60? Are the Democrats threatening to filibuster? If so, let them. Normally a filibuster is a minority-party tactic which works because the majority party would rather concede an issue than give up entirely on getting anything done. But since the Democrats are in power, the Republicans should be happy if they're not doing anything.
Yeah, I don't see how they can spin this. It won't be difficult to blame the rats for possible upcoming layoffs of civilian defense workers.
It could end up as in late 1995 when Slick handily beat up the Newt congress over Christmas layoffs of poor, poor government union workers.
That is a very good observation. It is all too convenient to claim that one supports the troops, while opposing whatever it is that they do. Convenient, yes, but also disingenuous. As you indicate, this helps to expose the claim for the lie that it is.
As for the Democrats' sulking vote to deny funding for the troops, it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. For it tends to make plain (to any centrist and independent observers who take notice of such things) that the Democrats are not just anti-war, or even pathologically anti-Bush. They are also anti-military.
And this is an attitude that does not please many people anywhere to the right of, oh, the folks at MoveOn.org. Or perhaps the Daily Kos.
>> Gates should cherry pick the contracts to be terminated.
Certainly, the States not responsible for this Congressional failure should be given highest priority and be the last to suffer the consequences of DoD cuts.
Please see tagline. They continue to try to re-invent themselves, but it's still just lipstick on a pig!
A little higher, Harry. Do you need some help?
I’m sure you realize that Lugar is a CFR/Trilateral member.
He ALWAYS votes with the Rockefeller RINOS!
I’ve been noticing his anti-gun voting record for years.
He is a treasonous new world order skunk from way back!
Can anyone tell me why we are in Iraq?
Isn’t it time to let the Iraqis lead?
Barf. Voinavich is one of our Ohio senators. He won’t be getting my vote next time he is up for reelection.
Genial George will not run for reelection. Get ready to support Kasich
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