GOP Moderates Warn Bush On Iraq

Moderate Republicans Tell Bush Their Support Will Be Lost If Iraq Conditions Do Not Improve Soon

(CBS/AP) 
"The fact is, the president has never listened to the soldiers on the ground effectively," said retired NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark, who ran for president in 2004. "This administration is not listening to the troops and is not supporting them."

This latest funding bill, which Congress is expected to vote on today, is what Democrats call the "60 Day" option: Funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for $42.8 billion until July, and then requiring a report from the president certifying that there has been progress, before another vote on approving an additional $53.8 billion.

Many Republicans say they won’t approve a bill that, they say, treats troops like children waiting for a monthly allowance.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told lawmakers such a move would be disastrous. "In essence, the bill asks me to run the Department of Defense like a skiff, and I'm trying to drive the biggest supertanker in the world," he said.

House Democratic leaders say the legislation once again has united Democrats in challenging Mr. Bush on the war. While this may be true, it has not attracted enough Republicans to override a second veto and has raised doubts among Senate Democrats.

"Enough is enough," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "It is time to get a clean bill to the president's desk and really support our troops."

Three Congressmen — Reps. Frank Wolf, R-Va.; Michael McCaul, R-Tex.; and Mark Udall, D-Colo. — circulated a letter Wednesday urging their colleagues to co-sponsor legislation that would put in place recommendations from the independent Iraq Study Group.

One of the 79 suggestions from the bipartisan group in December was reducing U.S. "political, military or economic support" for Iraq if the Baghdad government could not make substantial progress toward providing for the country's security. The report suggested an urgent diplomatic attempt to stabilize Iraq and allow the withdrawal of most U.S. combat troops by early 2008.

"When the country is together, we are strong and can respond to our problems effectively," the three House Republicans wrote. "The more we are divided, the harder this becomes."

Last week, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said he had an idea that had enough support to override a veto: A proposal which would pressure the Iraqi government to take more initiative on political and security reforms. On Wednesday, Warner said he was reassessing in light of the new
House proposal.

Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and John Sununu, R-N.H., said they are open to considering conditions on foreign aid to Iraq if the Baghdad government fails to meet certain benchmarks.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said he agrees that withholding reconstruction money is a good idea. But he thinks the president should be the one to do it based on a White House review of progress reports.

[david1737]

The Neo-cons are watching their house of cards coming down. The policy of "preemption" is having its death rattle.

[logicanada]

how typical of the republican g.o.p. to want tangible results on the war in Iraq amid sliding public support solely to ease the corrosive effect on their political fortunes. Never mind the thousands of casualties, the economy,the world view the resulting scandals etc. etc.

[drivelphobe]

GOP moderates are squirming, trying to play both ends against the middle. They only want to get re-elected and are concerned their jobs and pensions are on the line. What a bunch of whining babies. Bush has kept this country safe from the terrorists. The democrats are ruining our country with this devisiveness, making it almost impossible to win the war. Bush's hands are tied at the most critical time in this war. We need to clear out the jihadists, killing every last one of them. We need to fight the war the way the jihadists understand it, and that is with overwhelming force. These people respect only brute force and violence, and that's what we should give them. No holds barred. Go George!

[dodaz-2009]

.."Frank" Discussion ?... It should have been a
.."Larry,Moe & Curly" -discussion as well...LOL

[pepperp1]

Moderate Republican Congress Persons put your vote where your mouth is the press release didn%u2019t do it%u2019s job we still know this is your War and you also have no creditability on this issue with voters. End this unnecessary war, bring our troops home, admit you were wrong and deal with the accountability now before more of our soldiers die needlessly. It is too late for the Party to escape the ownership and accountability for this war, even if the Democrats cut off funding or if in Jan 2009 the new President, who won%u2019t be a republican thanks to you all, brings the troops home. Your planned strategy and sound bites of it wasn%u2019t us Republicans who cut and ran, if we would only have stayed for another 10 years and spent 5 Trillion dollars and 1,000 of more dead we could cause we believe in success also is a loser you need a new party Genius.

[pepperp1]

I don't buy any of this it is a political stunt they need to put there vote were their mouth is and they did not.

[neoconrcrazy]

Benchmarks are not "acceptable" to his Lordship Bushit.

Now they are.

Congress must neuter this madman - not allow him to make any new moves - and wait till his sorry azzz is out of Washington.

He is a shmae on this Nation.

[shanev137]

"PLAN B" for Bush is to let Armageddon run it's course.

[shanev137]

"Moderate Gopers" look like they're finally having problems sleeping at night now...while our troops keep getting slaughtered in Iraq for no good reason.

[fairandbal]

Can this idiot some would call President be at all serious!? Benchmarks!? Why start talking about BENCHMARKS in year 4 of a war and occupation and after losing 3000+ american service people!? The utter stupidity of this statement can only suggest that this man is totally insane!
Benchmarks are WAY WAY WAY too late and the only 'compromise' that this president needs to consider is getting the US troops out of Iraq NOW!

[kstrisha]

Quote:

"I am outraged, as are the majority of Americans. I'm a lifelong Republican, but it's past time for change," retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste told reporters in a conference call. "Our strategy in Iraq today is more of the same, a slow grind to nowhere which totally ignores the reality of Iraq and the lessons of history. Our president ignores sound military advice and surrounds himself with like-minded and compliant subordinates."

======

Common sense prevails, at least with some of the men who have actually FOUGHT for our country.

[marko0357]

As a lifelong Republican I am outrage at the actions of the president. He has committed our troops to a civil war and has not listened to any advise and surrounded himself with yes people. Perhaps the Repubilcian congressmen and defense secretary have the guts to say no to the person who did not serve in the same kind of mess he commits our soldiers to.

[marko0357]

As a lifelong Republican I am outrage at the actions of the president. He has committed our troops to a civil war and has not listened to any advise and surrounded himself with yes people. Perhaps the Repubilcian congressmen and defense secretary have the guts to say no to the person who did not serve in the same kind of mess he commits our soldiers to.

[marko0357]

As a lifelong Republican I am outrage at the actions of the president. He has committed our troops to a civil war and has not listened to any advise and surrounded himself with yes people. Perhaps the Repubilcian congressmen and defense secretary have the guts to say no to the person who did not serve in the same kind of mess he commits our soldiers to.

[formrusmcsgt]

Tell me that these Repubs aren't worried about having to leave town with dubya in '09!

These same individuals a couple of months ago were decrying the Dems effort to bring an end to this boondoggle as "abandoning the troops" and proposing a "recipe for failure".

My, my, my, haven't they become the voice of reason of late? Telling Dubya what's up?

I find it interesting when the accusation hurlers suddenly realize a streak of common sense.

Have they seen the light or are they feeling the heat?

[marko0357]

As a lifelong Republican I am outrage at the actions of the president. He has committed our troops to a civil war and has not listened to any advise and surrounded himself with yes people. Perhaps the Repubilcian congressmen and defense secretary have the guts to say no to the person who did not serve in the same kind of mess he commits our soldiers to.

[toldyouso21]

Okay, where is the rest of the blog?

[skyk-2009]

It is such a shame to see a once dignified party like the Republican's drug through the mud like Bush and Rove have done. I think they have waited far to long and are far to late to save their party. From what I hear from people in the Northeast, Midwest and West, the party is just about done for.... the South is about the only place they still have support. What happened is plain to see, the party sold it's very soul for Power. The type of corrupt, poluted power that turns American's off. After Joe McCarthy they should have known better.

[skyk-2009]

It is such a shame to see a once dignified party like the Republican's drug through the mud like Bush and Rove have done. I think they have waited far to long and are far to late to save their party. From what I hear from people in the Northeast, Midwest and West, the party is just about done for.... the South is about the only place they still have some type of hope.

[skyk-2009]

It is such a shame to see a once dignified party like the Republican's drug through the mud like Bush and Rove have done. I think they have waited far to long and are far to late to save their party. From what I hear from people in the Northeast, Midwest and West, the party is just about done for.... the South is about the only place they still have some type of hope.