Iraq War Withdrawal Vote Fails

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Posted Sep 21st 2007 8:09PM by Sean
Filed under: Iraq War, GOP Agenda, Dem Agenda

Another Iraq withdrawal proposal has failed in the Senate due to the fact that it lacked the required number of votes necessary for moving it forward. The vote was a plan that would begin to move a significant number of troops home from the region within 9 months. According to the Washington Times, the failure of the bill marks a very bad week for Democrats as they were unable to press forward with their anti-war platform leaving them somewhat stymied. The bill was stalled at 47 -47. The votes were basically on party lines although Republicans were joined by Joseph Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Mark Pryor and Christopher Dodd. (Dodd, a presidential candidate, wants nothing less than rapid de-funding of the war) Democrats were joined by GOP members Olympia Snowe, Gordon Smith and Chuck Hagel. It would require 60 votes (two thirds majority) in order to break a Republican filibuster. It does not seem likely that mustering 60 votes on any anti-war legislation will be possible unless more and more Republicans join the fold.

It does not seem that this type of gridlock will change unless the violence security levels in Iraq get worse or there are decided political failures or deterioration in the Iraqi government. So, for the foreseeable future the Democratic leadership in Congress can do very little to end the war.

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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)

1. When will the Republicans listen to the American people and end this war?

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Patrick at 8:37PM on Sep 21st 2007

2. Gee, wonder why Olympia Snowe and Gordon Smith joined the Democrats? Both GOP Senators are up for re-election next year and face uphill battles in their respective "blue" states and know the war still remains unpopular. There will at least be a few more Republicans to defect and join the Democrats the closer it gets to Nov. 2008. Whether or not it will be enough to bring the war closer to an end, who knows..

David S. at 10:17PM on Sep 21st 2007

3. For the sake of American people, et al: STAY THE COURSE IN IRAQ and GET PREPARED FOR IRAN

Larry at 10:34PM on Sep 21st 2007

4. Are you Sean Penn?
Are you past third grade?
Is 60 out of 100 equal to two-thirds?
So you admit that for the foreseeable future the violence and security levels will not get worse?
Dems hope for our defeat.
Treason is the Reason.

HisTerribleSwiftSword at 11:00PM on Sep 21st 2007

5. #1

We will end this war when we win, unless the Dem's take over, then we will surrender and the terrorists and Iran win.

Rob at 12:26AM on Sep 22nd 2007

6. You people don't even know what is going on. Iran has oil, Bush wants it, he has been planing to take over Iran for over a year. The CIA send him the take on Iran and the Nukes and it stated that they didn't have any.

I see the same Lies that got us into Iraq being used by Bush to invade Iran. Did you know that back in Feb 2007--5 top Generals in the Pentagon said that they would quit if Bush attack Iran. Sept 2, 2007 Pentagon three-day blitz plan for Iran--not to take out the Nuke sites (that aren't there) but to kill as many Iranian as they can.

Time to stop this Mad Man. He told the Iraqi people that we would help them--that's a laught--they are dying from the lack of food and water. About a hundren a week now.

Dancerpl2 at 1:43AM on Sep 22nd 2007

7. Dancerpl2

"You people don't even know what is going on, Iran has oil, Bush wants it, he has been planning to take over Iran for over a year."

"You people don't even know what is going on..."
Oh, and you do, thats funny.

...."Iran has oil, Bush wants it...
As I recall Kuwait has oil too. In 1991 we pushed Saddam out of Kuwait and "had" all their oil. We gave it all back and with exception of a very small military presence, left Kuwait.

.. "he has been planning to take over Iran for over a year."
Iran has been announcing to the world each stage they have completed to make nuclear weapons. The latest is they have 3,000 centifuges to make nuclear material. Experts, you know the ones who really know whats going on, believe it will take them a year to have enough material for a bomb. The year old "Take over" Iran plan you speak off is how to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Israel bombed a French-made nuclear power plant in Iraq in
1981, there is speculation they hit military targets in Syria last week and they may well "take over" Iran if they get to close to having a bomb. If Israel don't "take over" or take out Irans nuclear capability it would be prudent we have a plan to do so.

The year long plan you speak of suggests President Bush has been waiting for a political solution before using force.
But you knew that, right?

Pete at 8:31PM on Sep 22nd 2007

8.

"Meanwhile, Henry Kissinger says in an op-ed in Sunday’s Washington Post that control over oil is the key issue that should determine whether the U.S. undertakes military action against Iran."

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/09/17/3910/

One last quote -

"Henry Kissinger echoes this view in his op-ed. “Iran has legitimate aspirations that need to be respected,” he writes — but those legitimate aspirations do not include control over the oil that the United States and other industrial countries need."

vegastracon at 11:20PM on Sep 22nd 2007

9. The Republicans are to smart to throw in the towel now.We can't let the terrorist win! Or the Dems take over.Support our Troops out there and stand behind them 100%.

Cateyespretty at 12:33AM on Sep 23rd 2007