Kerry to Call for Change of Course in Iraq, as Congress Prepares to Focus on War, Terrorism
June 11th, 2006 @ 10:09 pm
In the news today… “War and terrorism will take center stage in Congress next week, as both chambers vote on an emergency military spending bill and the House devotes a day to debating a resolution on Iraq and terrorism.” The Republican’s are expected to issue their usual “stay the course” mantra. In the Senate, John Kerry will call for a vote on Senate Joint Resolution 36.
House Republican leaders say the decision to focus on the conflict in Iraq and the terrorism issue was made long ago. But GOP officials concede that the killing of Iraqi insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi by a U.S. air strike last week was fortuitous, making it easier for the Republicans to defend the administration’s policies.
“It certainly helps the atmosphere of the debate,” said Ron Bonjean, the spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican. “It shows that we are fighting and winning the war on terror, and the resolution will reflect that.”
The measure is expected to assert that operations in Iraq are part of a global war on terror and to express resolve to complete the mission. House Democratic leaders are awaiting the resolution’s final wording before announcing their position on it. “We haven’t seen it yet,” said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat. “I would hope the Republicans did not try to play politics with something this serious.”
Last November, members of the House engaged in “a heated debate over a resolution calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.” Republicans argued that it was “important for lawmakers to go on record opposing that idea after Rep. John P. Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, one of the House’s most respected military hawks, had argued that the U.S. presence in Iraq had become counterproductive and that American troops should start pulling out of the country. ”
Democrats angrily denounced the Republican-introduced measure as a political stunt that misrepresented Murtha’s point and aimed to create divisiveness. The measure was defeated, 403-3.
Debate on the new resolution pushed by the GOP is expected to come Thursday, after a vote earlier in the week on a compromise version of a $94.5 billion emergency spending bill. Of the total, $70.4 billion will pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the rest devoted to hurricane relief and pandemic flu preparations.
At the same time, the Senate will begin debate on a $517.7 billion funding bill for the Department of Defense. Both measures will provide Republicans and Democrats ample opportunity to make their cases for or against the war in Iraq.
John Kerry has recently renewed his efforts to offer an amendment to the Senate Defense Department bill that would require the withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of this year. Have you called your Senator?
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