Republicans Agree To Debate Anti-War Bill

GOP Senators Claim Discussion Will Give Them Change To Hail Progress In Iraq

(AP)  In an about-face, Senate Republicans on Tuesday agreed with Democrats to advance an anti-war bill because they said the debate would give them time to hail progress in Iraq.

The change of heart came after months of blocking similar measures. But unlike most of last year, security conditions in Iraq have improved, and Republicans say they now feel they have the upper hand on the debate.

"We welcome a discussion about Iraq," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declared.

The measure, by Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, would cut off money for combat after 120 days. It had been expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle and move ahead.

But after Republicans agreed in a private meeting that the debate could help make their case, the Senate voted 70-24 to begin debating it in earnest.

Aides said a final vote could come later this week, but may be pushed into next week.

The White House said the president would veto such a measure.

"This legislation would substitute the political judgment of legislators for the considered professional military judgment of our military commanders," the administration said in a statement.

Democrats said they welcomed the debate, although they accused Republicans of stalling on plans to debate other issues, namely the nation's housing crisis.

Reid said "a civil war rages" in Iraq and shouldn't be the responsibility of U.S. taxpayers.

"Americans need to start taking care of Americans," he said. "We cannot spend a half billion dollars every day in Iraq."

In recent months, violence in Iraq has subsided significantly and the Baghdad government has made small steps toward political reconciliation, including plans to hold provincial elections on Oct. 1.

While Democratic voters remain largely against the war, polls have shown, the security improvement has helped to cool anxiety among Republicans and turned voters' focus to economic problems at home.

Still, Republicans say they have more convincing to do if they are to control the White House next year.

Sen. John McCain, the GOP's likely presidential nominee, said this week that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq in succeeding.

If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Arizona Republican said. He quickly backed off the remark.

McCain was not expected to return to Washington for the debate. But he said he opposes the bill.

"If ever there was a case for precipitous withdrawal from Iraq - and I believe there never was - now is the last time anyone should consider such a step," he said in a statement.

Tuesday's Senate vote came as the Army's top general said he wants to reduce combat tours for soldiers in Iraq from 15 months to 12 months this summer.

Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would not embrace going back to the longer tours even if Mr. Bush decided to suspend troop reductions for the second half of the year. The Army is under serious strain from years of war-fighting, he testified, and must reduce the length of combat tours as soon as possible.

"The cumulative effects of the last six-plus years at war have left our Army out of balance, consumed by the current fight and unable to do the things we know we need to do to properly sustain our all-volunteer force and restore our flexibility for an uncertain future," Casey said.

Casey, who was the top U.S. commander in Iraq before taking the chief of staff job last spring, told the committee that cutting the time soldiers spend in combat is an integral part of reducing the stress on the force.

He said he anticipates the service can cut combat tours back to 12 months this summer as long as the president reduces the number of active-duty Army brigades in Iraq and Afghanistan to 15 units by July, as planned.

The committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., pressed Casey on whether he could keep tour lengths at 12 months if Mr. Bush decides to suspend the troop reductions after reaching 15 brigades in July.

"We believe it will still be possible, even with the pause," Casey replied. When asked by Levin if that would hold true "regardless of the length of the pause," Casey, replied, "Yes."

However, the number of soldiers retained under the service's "stop loss" policy - which forces some soldiers to stay on beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates - is unlikely to be reduced substantially.

"We are consuming readiness now as quickly as we're building it," said Army Secretary Pete Geren, who also testified.

Geren urged Congress to pass a $100 billion war spending bill this spring, contending that the Army will run out of money by July.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the Army could probably last until August or September by transferring money from less urgent accounts. Army officials counter that this approach is inefficient and can cause major program disruptions.

[jamestowncbs]

www.jamestowncalif.com ref to CBS News Report. This is a very good News Report on the status of the War in Iraq. I don''t like how the Army comments on needing more money or they will run out of money. The Armed Forces and Army Chief of Staff have done a Strong and Honorable Job in Iraq. Throughout the US I notice some Servicemen want to return to Iraq after more than one tour, and I find that even more remarkable in that Iraq as a Country and People have grown on some Americans liking it there for some odd reason. I think it is important to have a Republican Debate on the tours, but I don''t like always hearing some leaders talk about reducing funding. Reconstruction aught to be reimbursement now that the achievements of many goals are there, and to have a honorable truce and settlement I think it is important that we allow the Armed Forces to fulfill the mission, reduce months on duty, and conclude this THING/ or War, Move on to the Next Mission. all links www.jamestowncalif.com Excellent Article on the Status, objective piece

[homespunlady]

When the PREMISE is WRONG to BEGIN WITH - Justifying a continuance FOR ANY REASON is simply piling WRONG upon WRONG.

The definition of insanity: Doing the SAME THING over and over and EXPECTING a DIFFERENT result.

[homespunlady]

But DON''T worry Neocons.

If this congressional debate results in a bill CONDEMNING the war and calling for a pullout, King George has ALREADY SAID he WILL VETO it.

In the meantime it''s a BETTER TOPIC than the RAPE of the US ECONOMY!!!

GANG RAPING the Economy by the Bush CRONIES HAS BEEN the REAL AGENDA and ANY form of smoke and mirrors - including BLAMING and throwing our military under the bus for DOING WHAT THEY WERE TOLD to do or face being tossed out. (which is what a few BRAVE generals got when they stated the TRUTH)

Watch the ACADEMY AWARD winning Documentary "Taxi to the Dark Side" for a small taste of the REALITY of the NEOCON plan for complete ECONOMIC DOMINATION and what it can do.

Hmm.. what a coincidence both Nazi and Neocon are "N words" that probably should not be mentioned in polite company.

[homespunlady]

Even the Great Debater and "founder" of the modern Conservative movement - William F. Buckley OPPOSED the Iraq War!

Just because the Administration thinks it can claim that the chaos in Iraq "isn''t as bad as earlier" due to either extreme military control equivalent to Dictator Saddam or simply a slowdown due to weather it DOESN''T JUSTIFY continuing.

That''s the SAME logic as a prisoner under TORTURE uses when the "bad guy" walks out and he places his trust in the "good guy" that ALSO is party to his imprisonment and torture.
McCain ought to be FAMILIAR with THAT analogy.

[rhs648]

Did you hear that guy who introduced McCain last night? My friend he was a NAZI... in fact MOST intelligent people that know political science hold that the present day Republican Party IS in fact Fascist. Sorry but that''''s just reality. YOU folks have gotten so radical and so hung up on hating anyone who won''''t agree with you that most citizens in the world agree.

Posted by skyk

Were you sleeping through your political science classes? You didn''t learn much. Having different views does not constitute fascism or nazism. These terms are used inappropriately by many posters when they don''t like opposing views.

[lisa198404]

Go ahead republicans,, Debate something you''''ve ignored & spun out of control ---- One of the key elements for progress that''''s needed immediatly is the provincial elections
==========a friend said that on tall dating site~~~~~ Tallmingle doc com ~~~~~,which is a dating site for all tall friends and tall singles,especially models and basketball players.
agree...

[iceman_1960]

"When our orders came to leave Vietnam in 1975, it was quite crazy. The Democrats had cut all funding for the war to force an immediate unconditional surrender to the Communist."
- Posted by demslie at 11:10 AM : Feb 27, 2008
-------------------

That was a phony analysis of the Vietnam War.

In 1975 the U.S. had already been fighting there since 1959 -- including a troop surge of 500,000+ U.S. troops in 1969.

Our massive bombing campaigns there helped precipitate the insanity that led to millions of civilian deaths.

And the United States had no business waging some John Birch Society "War on Communism" in Southeast Asia in the first place.

[liberalvet]

The prophet Peter Kumar predicted a few years ago this:

In the next American election, a candidate will win by promising to remove troops from Iraq. After the troops are removed, another, larger war will break out. Then, the troops will return.

Remember, God does not do anything without first warning the people through His prophets. So, we do not have to accept this. Don''''t elect a Democrat. Elect Huckabee.

Posted by caliengineer at 04:38 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Of all the wacky posts out here today...this one has to be the most hilarious one yet....

[keithle1]

Most Americans don''t care if we''re kicking butt over there. Doesn''t matter how great things are. WE''RE SICK OF IT. END IT. GET THE HELL OUT.

[j-whitman]

menmotoscutr,,,, Now that makes since.... They''ll probably end up in a food fight slinging rhetoric.

A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices.
- William James-
Will a debate do much more than "rearrange prejudices?"

"We welcome a discussion about Iraq," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declared.--

Doesn''t someone have to listen for there to be a "discussion?"

[j-whitman]

Go ahead republicans,, Debate something you''ve ignored & spun out of control ---- One of the key elements for progress that''s needed immediatly is the provincial elections

Iraqi Council Rejects Provincial Elections
Measure Sent Back To Parliament In New Setback To U.S.-Backed Reconciliation Efforts

[inventagod]

''Discussion Will Give Them Change To Hail Progress In Iraq''

Hey, CBS - what is wrong with that sentence?
Hint - a REAL editor could find it...

[j-whitman]

notblue,,,, Establish time tables or bench marks so we don''t have to abandon them.

[j-whitman]

caliengineer,,,, Maybe you should simply stop listening to religious prophets.

[notblue]

ianlou, in hindsite it was wrong to invade Iraq based on the original reasoning but that makes no difference NOW. The radicals came when we invaded that is also true, but the fact remains they are there NOW. What sense does it make to abandon the Iraqis to the savage militants because the original information was incorrect?? It is very important to the radicla militants that Iraq is a failure, they would not survuve in the middle east if democracy was to be successful. What is more troubling is there are Americans that would prefer failure inIraq rather than have Bush''s policy be successful, that my friend is rank politics at it''s worst!

[caliengineer]

The prophet Peter Kumar predicted a few years ago this:

In the next American election, a candidate will win by promising to remove troops from Iraq. After the troops are removed, another, larger war will break out. Then, the troops will return.

Remember, God does not do anything without first warning the people through His prophets. So, we do not have to accept this. Don''t elect a Democrat. Elect Huckabee.

[ianlou]

ianlou, what is the price of freedom and security? Would allowing Iraq to fall to extremists funded by Iran and Al Qead make the world a safer, better place?... Posted by notblue

notblue, My question was not aimmed at whether we should cut and run. It was aimed at the question of whether we should have invaded to begin with.
You know, before Iraq had those Iran and Al Qaeda funded extremist problems.

[j-whitman]

crusherking,,,, You have to watch out for these Pro-Life studies ---- They don''t give you half the information you need

Bush passed over the counter sale of the abortion pill in 2006.

[j-whitman]

crusherking,,,, I had the date wrong,,, It was approved in 2006 for over the counter sales.

Here''s the article....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/25/health/25fda.html