On a deadly day in Iraq, Bush vetoes War Spending Bill

Bush vetoed the bill citing a "rigid and artificial" deadline. The supplemental spending bill demanded troops start to leave Iraq by Oct. 1. Bush said the bill would "demoralize the Iraqis and send them and the world a terrible message: “America will not keep its commitments.”

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had this to say:

"The President may be content with keeping our troops mired in the middle of an open-ended civil war, but we are not; and neither are most Americans.

"A bipartisan majority of Congress sent the President a bill to fully fund our troops and change the mission in Iraq. The president refused to sign it. That is his right, but now he has an obligation to explain his plan to responsibly end this war.

"In the coming days we will continue to reach out to the President. And we hope Congressional Republicans who have remained silent through this debate will work with us as well.

"But if the President thinks that by vetoing this bill, he will stop us from working to change the direction of this war, he is mistaken."

I don't usually read Foreign Affairs, but someone gave me this recent article by Bruce Ridel. If you have 15 extra minutes, read it. It is the single most compelling argument why the US must shift resources from Iraq. Here's the summary:

By rushing into Iraq instead of finishing off the hunt for Osama bin Laden, Washington has unwittingly helped its enemies: al Qaeda has more bases, more partners, and more followers today than it did on the eve of 9/11. Now the group is working to set up networks in the Middle East and Africa -- and may even try to lure the United States into a war with Iran. Washington must focus on attacking al Qaeda's leaders and ideas and altering the local conditions in which they thrive.

But by far the most salacious story in Washington is the "Beltway Madam" and her supposedly illustrious stable of DC power brokers. ABC News is naming names on Friday.

Comments

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Demoralizing to who???

May 1, 2007 - 5:01pm

Bush said the bill would "demoralize the Iraqis and send them and the world a terrible message: “America will not keep its commitments.”

When did we start caring more about what the Iraqis and the rest of the world thinks? This war IS "demoralizing", it's demoralizing to our military and the families of our military...they are the ones suffering because of the Bush administration's refusal to admit that they have made a mistake.

Catherine Morgan
Women 4 Hope and Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

 

Tired

May 1, 2007 - 7:09pm

I'm tired of a few things:


of not knowing what "winning" would look like


of hearing about how many Iraqis have died today (I suspect that's demoralizing)


of having people I know damaged both physically and mentally


of seeing our military stretched thin in an attempt to save face

http://teacherinheels.typepad.com

 

It is clear...

May 1, 2007 - 7:32pm

and of this I cannot be dissuaded because I feel it deep in my heart, that this particular administration is only interested in "the American people" as a rhetorical concept.

Grace D., are you reading? I respect your opinion and need your guidance on this. The concept of speaking truth to power is so difficult to grasp when you feel like the "power" just isn't listening, so it's like shouting in the wind.

 

When Esquire magazine has a headline on the cover

May 2, 2007 - 10:49am

entitled "If America survives the Bush presidency..." you know it's bad.

But Laurie, the "power" indeed is not listening. Maybe they're scared to.

 

entrenched

May 3, 2007 - 7:13am

"Setting a deadline for withdrawal is setting a date for failure. And that would be irresponsible" - This is the quote I caught on the news here in Canada.

I didn't think that it was possible for anything Bush says to shock me but this did. I interpret this to mean that to plan to withdraw is to fail and that the only responsible thing to do is to stay in Iraq until every last soldier has been killed.

I find this frightening and terribly, terribly sad.

laurie
www.notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com

 
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