House Rebukes Bush On Iraq

By 246-182, House Passes Nonbinding Resolution Criticizing Troop Buildup

(CBS/AP)  The Democratic-controlled House passed a nonbinding resolution Friday criticizing President Bush's plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, opening an epic confrontation between Congress and the commander in chief over an unpopular war that has taken the lives of more than 3,100 U.S. military personnel.

The measure was approved on a vote of 246-182, following an extraordinary four-day debate. Seventeen Republicans crossed party lines to support the resolution, while two Democrats opposed it.

"The passage of this legislation will signal a change in direction that will end the fighting and bring our troops home," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, endorsing the measure that takes issue with Mr. Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 U.S. troops into battle.

The president's Republican allies battled to the end against the measure, saying resolve is more important than resolutions and warning against the follow-up measures that some Democrats advocate to force a change in policy.

"Their so-called slow-bleed approach is the bite that will surely hurt those fighting under America's flag overseas," said Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the second-ranking Republican, as debate neared an end.

"This nonbinding resolution is the first step in an all-too-binding spiral toward defeat in a fight that we cannot afford to lose," he said.

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Read the House resolution on Iraq (.pdf)

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The developments in the House marked the first vote of the new Congress on the war. Roughly 400 of 434 lawmakers spoke during four days of debate – an unusual amount of time devoted to a single measure.

As the 45 hours of debate drew to a close, Republicans chose as their final speaker Republican Sam Johnson — a former Vietnam POW — as a living reminder of their central theme: support the troops. Democrats insist they do; in fact, that's the first sentence of the resolution, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

You might have expected high-voltage rhetoric or fist-pounding condemnations from the White House in response to the resolution. Instead, Spokesman Tony Snow was devoid of outrage, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports. In a written statement, he merely pointed out that the resolution is "non-binding" and the president stands by his Iraq strategy.

And White House sources tell CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod that the president doesn't care about an ideological rebuke — he just wants to protect funding, which Friday's vote didn't touch.

Passage in the House sets the stage for a test vote Saturday in the Senate, where Republicans have said they intend to block consideration of the measure unless Democrats grant equal treatment to an alternative measure that opposes cutting funds for the troops.

"I will do everything in my power to ensure the House resolution dies an inglorious death in the Senate," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

The House measure disapproves of Mr. Bush's decision to increase troop strength, and commits Congress to "support and protect" the troops.

There was never any doubt at the White House that it would lose the House vote. In fact, Knoller reports, officials didn't try very hard to prevent the defeat. But Snow said those who voted for the measure are "gambling on failure."

[htjr]

Since my original comment was too long I'll leave it at this.

The world has eyes and is laughing at us, we should laugh along with them because we voted for this abomination more than once.

[scott4261]

Ya know...I keep on hoping I will wake up and this whole presidency, from the Florida fiasco to 9/11 to the war to the s c r e w i n g of the poor - all of it - I keep hoping I will wake up from this BAD DREAM that never seems to end! These guys are pure evil and I just pray that our country and the world survive until they are out of office. Then, maybe - just maybe - we can save both.

[bluestardad]

If you like the Bush Surge this is for you!

http://www.carlosmencia.com/content/videos.php?id=66

[bluestardad]

Well Done House! Start Impeachment of Bush and Cheney now!

[j-whitman]

I see Bush got 2 moles removed from his head -- Cheney & Rumsfeild

[j-whitman]

Processor,,,, Since when is wanting to actually Support our Troops & discuss Bush's failed strategies a mental dissorder ?? -- Not doing so Hurts our Troops & Emboldens The Enemy.

[oldsailor3]

processor2

I always a wanted hero, you are the one

but if I consumed some of the same drugs as you take, then I could share this dream world that you seem to in

never-the-less, for sure you are my hero
the clouds are no stranger to you, sail on

[getcentered]

processor2:
libsarenuts:

BORING!

Liberals, Liberals, Liberals, Liberals.

In the next elections, I am a LIBERAL.
You know, in the way they say it on FOX NEWS.

I am to be hated, like the people on conservative radio want.

I'm not an American, unless I'm a Republican.

Funny how the Right Wing Media has made "Liberal", a bad word. I can just see the distaste in people every time they have to write the word or say it. How did this come to be?

Rush, Savage, Drudge, FOX, and the REAL PRESIDENT:
Karl ROVE.

We have been divided, sensationalized and exploited. Thanks Karl.

[hhusted]

libsarenuts and processor2, you are idiots in every since of the word. What planet do you live on. History proves that Democrats rule better than Republicans. Every moron knows that. I think you better craw out away from your momma's skirt and wake up to reality. As long as Democrats have control, we will have a better country. What Congress should do is impeach President Bush now and get rid of him so we can put Nancy there. At least she will do a much better job than Bush ever will.

[clemenhagen1]

Amen Dallison. The Republicans try to stake sole claim to the mantle of most patriotic, yet they demonstrate no clue about the nature of our constitional system. Go back and study even a little bit about the Founding Father's and you discover their almost pathological fear of unchecked executive power. In the initial (call it maiden voyage) attempt to create a system of government, the Articles of Confederation, they did not even create an executive branch. That proved impractical, so in Round 2, the current constitution created an executive significantly and repeatedly checked by the elected body of the people. Bush's cavalier attitude towards the constitutional rights of the people and his responsibility to answer to the legislative serves as the most significant threat to our system that I can remember in my lifetime. We do not elect emporers, though King Littlebritches and his crew of treasonous henchmen, obviously did not get the memo.

[processor2]

So, the socialist/marxist/leninists (aka Democrats)that have seized control of congress last November will take a vote today on the surrender of our country.

This resolution is a disaster of historical proportions.

The Democrap Party today will show the world what wimps and whiners that Democrats really are.

Heaven help us.

....

SOMETIMES I WONDER IF LIBERALISM ISN'T A MENTAL DISORDER.....most people I know are a glass is half-full kind of people, whereas liberals see nothing but doom, gloom, and surrender.


UNLIKE YOU LIBERALS,,,,,,I do not advocate putting our tails between our legs and running like the cowardly Dummycrats are proposing.

......

[dallison7]

Yeah congress? They don't have much more power than you do. GW is doing what he thinks is right. He doesn't need your permission.
Posted by libsarenuts

You should not be here. You are obviously completely ignorant of our system of government. Listen carefully. The PEOPLE elect the senate and house of representatives to do the PEOPLES' will. The constitution gives congress the power to oversee the activities of the president. The 'War Powers Act' gives congress and only congress the power to send our military into a war. That is why Bush started the lies, he manufactured intelligence and lied to congress then asked them for the authority to use our military in Iraq. Congress is also given complete controll over the government's bank account. The president has to ask the PEOPLES' elected representatives if he wants any money. You made two assertions, 1. congress has very little power, and 2. the president doesn't need our permission. Both are exactly opposite of the truth. Next time you want to say something I suggest you first ask your daddy or mommy if it is correct. Of course, there is a very good chance that they are ignorant too.

[libsarenuts]

mocaleo
Are you living pn another planet?
Yeah congress? They don't have much more power than you do. GW is doing what he thinks is right. He doesn't need your permission.

[mbcsmith]

ska/nk

Sieg Heil to you to. 50% is not I call we the people. Even the LIB polls don't have a clear stance on WITHDRAWL/Surrender. Will your bleeding heart weep for Americans killed by the next attack launched on us from a de-militarized Iraq where Al-Quaida is free to train,plan and execute.Sparky?

[libsarenuts]

The Dems are shooting themselves in the foot. Ultimately the soldiers and then us here at home will pay the price for their shortsightedness.

[blainem3]

The War on Terror is not over,and it will not be as long as our Country continues to have Congressmen who do not support the President, and push to devide the people.The other Countries know that the American people are willing to give up much easier then we would have in WW11. A North Veitnam general said in his memories that the U.S. won the Veit Nam conflict but he could see that our people were no longer supporting the President so they ( Nort Veit Nam ) knew they would win if they stuck it out.

[oldsailor3]

"This nonbinding resolution is the first step in an all-too-binding spiral toward defeat in a fight that we cannot afford to lose," he said."

I guess that is the opinion of Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri

In my opinion the first step that started the spiral was when this war was started either
with faulty intelligence or with lies. Hard to win or support a war that started under grounds such as this.

[jswilliams451]

The problem in Iraq is simple:

We've never defined what success is. We don't have a clear vision for where we want Iraq to be; in say, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years down the road.

We won the War. We built up our forces, we invaded the country, we destroyed their military, and captured their leader (who was hanged eventually).

How you can say we didn't win that war, is way beyond me.

But the war is over now.

Now we think the Iraqi should embrace liberal democracy and be just like us. Kind of like what happend post WWII in Germany and Japan.

If that happens at all (unlikely at best), it will be many, many years in the future. This is not Germany or Japan. This is the Middle East. Sunni and Shia have been at war with each other for 1000 years.

That's not going away anytime soon.

And now we are smack in the middle of it.

Unfortunate for the US to say the least.

There really is only one way out. Partition the country (just like the world did in the former Yugoslav region) along Sunni, Shia, and Kurd lines, secure the borders, and start drawing down and handing over to the UN.

They are already doing it themselves in Iraq. We just need to embrace it and help out.

That would be win - win for everybody.

Especially us.

Cheers.

[skyk-2009]

Haji- you have what you want now. Your continued hope for American failure in Iraq may be on it's way with the traitorous LIBS you have eleted.
Posted by mbcsmith at 09:53 AM : Feb 17, 2007

Can I ask what WE THE PEOPLE means to you sparky? WE the PEOPLE elected these people you hate so much BECAUSE we wanted our kids out of Iraq. Now how can you send those kids to die for something you obviously DO NOT believe in? Sieg Heil!!

[skyk-2009]

Just another liberal rant. Accusations are cheap. PROVE IT!
Posted by mbcsmith at 10:07 AM : Feb 17, 2007

Why don't you fascist PROVE something... anything? ROFLMAO We go from ONE failure to the next CLAIMING we are winning when even a 6 year old can tell we're losing. After 4 years of complete FAILURE you fascist oppose any change of course even though those proposing that change have a long history of defeating Terrorist and Religious Extremist. Never mind you fascist say, victory is right around the corner! ROFLMAO All the while our Military grows weaker and is less equipped, but Victory is right around the corner. I don't know if you understand it but there is just so big a hole you clowns can dig and expect the "liberal's" to get us out. I know you have dug some VERY large one's in the past, you keep pointing to the "Liberals" who dug us out as guidence in this mess so you obviously know it as well. Can I ask why you are willing to listen to ALL those in the past and refuse to listen to the present day ones?