House Plans Simple "Yes Or No" On Iraq

(CBS/AP)  House Democratic leaders said Thursday that members will vote next week on a nonbinding resolution stating opposition to President Bush's decision to send more forces into combat and voicing support for the troops.

They said House members will also get a chance to vote on a Republican alternative.

The Democratic leaders said they would take a bare-bones approach to writing the resolution — a tack intended to persuade Republicans to break ranks with the GOP and express their frustration with a war.

"This is an up-or-down vote on the policy enunciated by the president," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill. "We owe that to our constituents."

The resolution would state opposition to Mr. Bush's dispatch of 21,500 more troops to Iraq and voice support for the troops themselves and for enlarging the overall size of the Army and Marines, which the administration has proposed. It is not expected to address the question of whether Congress should limit money for the war.

The leaders described the vote as the first step of many that will be taken by Democrats to try to force an end to the nearly four-year-old war that has killed more than 3,000 U.S. troops and turned public opinion strongly against the conflict.

But Republican leaders say the debate could end up hurting U.S. forces, CBS News correspondent Susan Roberts reports.

"A nonbinding resolution is nothing more than political theater that means nothing, and I believe that it demoralizes our troops in the field," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R–Ohio.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House will have three full days of debate and that all members will have a chance "to articulate their view on how they want to proceed. That is important I think for the president to hear. It's important for the country to hear, and we will ensure that it is done."

The House measure in the works indicates leaders there are moving away from a Senate version backed by Democrats and several Republicans that the GOP blocked on Monday.

That resolution, by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., expresses dissatisfaction with Mr. Bush's plan to and identifies benchmarks the Iraqi government should meet. It was stalled when it fell 11 votes short of the 60 required to move the debate forward.

Frustrated that Senate leaders could not agree on debate rules for his resolution, Warner and six other Republicans told the leaders in a letter Wednesday that "the current stalemate is unacceptable to us and to the people of this country."

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Read the Senate Republicans' letter on the Iraq debate

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The senators warned they would attach the resolution against the troop increase to every piece of legislation they can in an effort to force a debate.

"The war in Iraq is the most pressing issue of our time. It urgently deserves the attention of the full Senate and a full debate on the Senate floor without delay," the letter said.

In addition to Warner, the other Republicans who signed the letter were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Gordon Smith of Oregon and George Voinovich of Ohio.

Meanwhile, despite concerns by several lawmakers over the job he did in Iraq, the Senate voted Thursday to let Gen. George Casey become the new Army chief of staff.

In an 83-14 vote, senators approved Casey, who was nominated for the job by President Bush.

Casey had been America's top commander in Iraq since mid-2004 — and during his recent confirmation hearings, even some Republicans had doubts about his performance. Among them was Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who said under Casey's watch, the situation in Iraq got "progressively worse."

[missmyhubby]

If you really want to try to make a difference with all of this e-mail your representative in congress and recommend your choice. I already have.

Lets end the troop build-up and send just the munitions, food, bodily protection the troops there need, not more of our family members. It is time for the Iraqi people to take over their own govt. and control their own destiny.
Posted by docpeter at 09:24 AM : Feb 09, 2007

docpeter--I have written my representatives on two seperate occasions stating that I do not agree with the war in Iraq...but honestly--what difference is it going to make?? I feel like our "representatives" do not care what their constituents think...it is pretty evident given the current situation...it makes me so angry!!!Bring out troops home and hold those responsible for this mess accountable!

[jn122736]

clemenhagen1

I agree she did not have a clear mandate for impeachment but by so quickly removing even the possibility of impeachment, she has encouraged the president%u2019s uncooperative attitude, possibly extending the fiasco in Iraq. I wouldn%u2019t want to play poker with her; I haven%u2019t a clue what she had in mind. However, I truly want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it sure does beg the question. why?

[clemenhagen1]

Pelosi took impeachment "off the table" because the Democrats did not have a mandate to push impeachment. However, part of that stems from the fact nothing has been investigated by the "see-no-evil" Do-Nothing Republican Congress. With true oversight now being conducted and the Libby trial revealing the depth of the illegal activities the people may begin to see the extent of the fraud and corruption within this administration. If it becomes obvious to Joe Q. Public, as it is already clear to those in the know, impeachment can come back to the table as quickly as it was taken off. Find the clear irrefutable evidence, build your airtight case and then impeach the lying, treasonous, and thieving pack. The whole lot of them!

[dallison7]

Nancy took impeachment off the table before dems took power. Now bush defends Nancy about big plane.
Is george sleeping with Nancy or is it big dicky.
Posted by rharrin1


She may not have a choice soon, this thing is developing a life of it's own!

[anopinion1]

lets just dump all of our prison population into iraq and tell them to have fun.

bring the troops home and impeech bush's dumb *(*&^*&^*&^*(&^(^^^$$^%)%*)ss.

[jn122736]

I hope this debate will lead to more intense investigations into the use of fraudulent claims and manipulating of intelligence data that got us into this Iraqi fiasco.

I have never understood why Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, took impeachment of the president off the table, before the new congress really got underway.

From everything I have seen and/or read about the actions of President Bush and this administration, especially since 911 and the inexplicable invasion of Iraq, no president has ever been more deserving of impeachment.

And now the president, whom I have never known to defend a democrat, comes to her defense in the attacks she is undergoing about her alleged request for a larger military plane to use in her travels.

Is this quid pro quo? What does this say to the voters who thought they were voting for justice as well as for change?

[grumpas]

lars008: American Hertiage dictionary defines fascism! A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. b. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government. 2. Oppressive, dictatorial control. The good old USA under George W Bush could also be called a fascist country! Most of Islam is more Theocracy than Fascist!

[docpeter-2009]

If you really want to try to make a difference with all of this e-mail your representative in congress and recommend your choice. I already have.

Lets end the troop build-up and send just the munitions, food, bodily protection the troops there need, not more of our family members. It is time for the Iraqi people to take over their own govt. and control their own destiny.

[abbe7]

What about a ***binding*** resolution ?

[bm6005]

If you want to really stir your blood up read "Fiasco" by Thomas Ricks. The planning that Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and especially Feith was power point slides. They decried detailed plans as being old fashioned and obsolete. This is the same mindset today in corporate America and we're losing that battle also. When are we going to stop amateurs from overiding the plans and expertise of intelligience groups, military planners, the War College, etc. Bremer did the same thing in Iraq, allowing political hacks to make policy based on inappropriate, wishful thinking. Basically folks they've (Chimp, Blimp & co.) fazooled this whole thing up from the git go and need to be removed before they do further damage!! Impeach now!!!